Saturday February 23rd
Formartine join Cove at top as Academy are frozen out
Wick Academy dropped to third place in the Highland
League after having to endure the frustration of a second successive
postponement.
The Scorries' scheduled match against Clach was called
off following a morning inspection at Grant Street Park, with the pitch deemed
to be unplayable because of frost.
With Cove Rangers also left idle because of the weather,
Formartine United took full advantage as they came from behind to beat
Fraserburgh 3-1 at North Lodge Park.
Steve Paterson's men got off to a bad start as Peter
Alexander Bruce seized on a misjudged passback to give Fraserburgh a
fourth-minute lead. Formartine pulled themselves level on 21 minutes when
Fraserburgh's Neil Main was adjudged to have fouled Craig McKeown in the box
and Kevin Webster slammed home the resultant spot-kick.
Substitute Calum Dingwall put the home team in front with
a close-range finish in the 68th minute and Mike Ewen made sure of the points
with 73 minutes gone when he beat the offside trap and placed the ball beyond
keeper Paul Leask.
Formartine are now level on points and goal difference
with Cove, with the Pitmedden side having three games in hand. Academy are
sitting one point behind the top two, having played one game fewer than Cove
but two more than Formartine.
Recent signing Martin Charlesworth hit a hat-trick as
Deveronvale swept to a 5-0 home win against 10-man Brora Rangers.
Charlesworth took just four minutes to open the scoring
and Craig Cowie doubled Vale's lead in the 26th minute. It got worse for the
visitors 10 minutes from half-time when Zander Sutherland was red-carded.
The third came on 61 minutes when Charlesworth was taken
down in the penalty area by Ross Tokely and the ex-Buckie striker picked
himself up to score from the spot.
Charlesworth completed his hat-trick a couple of minutes later
with a powerful header. Graeme Watt rounded off the scoring in the last minute
with a neat finish from a tight angle.
Czech forward Marek Mádle struck twice and Polish hitman
Andrzej-Slawomir Kleczkowski was also on target in Huntly's 3-0 victory over
Fort William at Christie Park.
Forres Mechanics were 2-0 winners against Inverurie Locos
at Harlaw Park. After a goalless first half, Craig McGovern broke the deadlock
with an outstanding solo effort and Lee Fraser made sure of the points late on.
Jamie Shewan headed Buckie Thistle into a first-minute
lead away to Turriff United but the Jags had to settle for a 1-1 draw after
Gary Harris grabbed an equaliser early in the second period. Buckie played most
of the game with 10 men after Gary Clark was given his marching orders midway
through the first half.
