Fraserburgh F.C.

Recap

Breedon Scottish Highland Football League, Buckie Thistle v Fraserburgh, Saturday 30th July 2022

Last season’s top two faced off at Victoria Park and it was the hosts who came out on top to put down a marker early in the Highland League season. Both sides were missing a number of players and whilst there weren’t that many clear-cut chances there was no lack of endeavour from the players on view.

The Broch were first to threaten on two minutes when a clearance from a corner was retrieved by Bryan Hay who found Scott Barbour in space on the wing, his cross was headed wide by San Butcher. In the 10th minute Cohen Ramsay made good ground into the Fraserburgh half before finding Kevin Fraser outside the penalty area but his shot was easily saved.

William West then went close with a dipping cross which just went over Balint Demus’ crossbar whilst at the other end good pressure from Buckie Thistle saw Sam Urquhart and Marcus Goodall have shots blocked by some desperate Broch defending. Ramsay tried his luck on 28 minutes with a curling effort from the edge of the penalty box after the ball broke to him, which went just wide of Joe Barbour’s goal.

Sam Pugh then picked up the first booking of the match for a tackle on Ryan Sargent and as the match drifted towards a scoreless first half Logan Watt drove forward beating Joshua Peters before switching the ball to Sean Butcher but the Broch’s leading scorer this season lifted his shot well over the crossbar.

Half Time: Buckie Thistle 0 Fraserburgh 0

The home side were straight onto the attack two minutes after the restart with Goodall finding Peters with a reverse pass but Barbour in the Broch goal produced a good save to thwart the Jags attacker. He could do nothing on 50 minutes however when Buckie took the lead. Ramsay swung a cross to the back post where Fraser collected the ball before firing it into the far corner past the exposed Barbour.

The Broch made a change on the hour when Paul Campbell replaced the ineffective Scott Barbour and within ten minutes he had levelled the scores. Ryan Sargent played a delightful pass in behind the static Buckie defence for Campbell to run onto and dispatch the ball behind Demus from 16 yards.

The visitors’ joy was short-lived however as on 74 minutes Kieran Simpson was adjudged to have impeded Kyle Macleod inside the penalty area and referee Harry Bruce pointed to the spot. Andrew Macaskill made no mistake from 12 yards. The Broch tried to force an equaliser but Buckie held firm and saw out the match comfortably.

Full Time: Buckie Thistle 2 Fraserburgh 1

Buckie Thistle: Balint Demus, Lewis Mackinnon (Joseph McCabe 84), Jack Murray, Kevin Fraser, Joshua Peters (Kyle Macleod 59), Andrew Macaskill, Sam Urquhart, Cohen Ramsay, Sam Pugh, Hamish Munro, Marcus Goodall.
Subs not used: Shaun Wood, Lee Herbert, Declan Milne.
Goalscorers: Kevin Fraser (50), Andrew Macaskill (74, pen).

Fraserburgh: Joe Barbour, Ross Aitken, William West, Bryan Hay, Kieran Simpson, Paul Young, Logan Watt (Aidan Combe 77), Jamie Beagrie, Sean Butcher, Ryan Sargent, Scott Barbour (Paul Campbell 60).
Sub not used: Kyle Wood, Jordan Guild, Jamie Maclellan, Paul Leask.
Goalscorer: Paul Campbell (70).

Match Officials – Referee: Harry Bruce, Assistant Referees: Darren Munro & Rhys Jones.