Buckie Thistle 1 Inverurie Locos 1: Boss Graeme Stewart 'quite pleased' with Jags
BUCKIE Thistle manager Graeme Stewart was pleased with his side’s fight and character after a late leveller against Inverurie Loco Works at Victoria Park.
The Jags fell behind against Locos after an hour when Tam Reid scored, and things were looking even worse when centre-back Sam Morrison was dismissed for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
But Josh Peters grabbed a stoppage-time equaliser to ensure the Jags picked up a point – adding to the three picked up in a 2-1 win over Banks O’ Dee on Wednesday.
“We have got to remember the boys are only getting two days recover,” Stewart said.
“We have a good squad, but it is mainly same players playing every week.
“Perhaps we are fresher playing midweek as we get an extra day to recover.
“Ninety minutes on a Wednesday and then Saturday can be tough.
“We deserved to win the game on balance, but let in a poor goal and went down to 10 men.
"Locos are a good team and we have got to accept that the boys aren’t 100 per cent at it because of the amount of games we are playing in a short space of time.
“I’m not happy we never won but we showed character and fight. We changed formation and tactics five or six times so I was quite happy after the game. It wasn’t ideal, but it is nothing to get too worried about.”
The games just keep on coming for Buckie, who have been playing catch-up after having an extraordinary amount of matches – especially home matches – called off.
Formartine United are the visitors to Victoria Park on Wednesday night, before the longest trip of the campaign takes the Jags to Wick Academy on Saturday.
“Formartine are one of the best teams in the league, with a good manager and top players," Stewart said.
“Stuart Anderson (manager) has got them organised really well and they are capable of beating anyone on their day, just like we are.
“We need to get a result after Saturday so we are going into the game trying to get a win.
“If we win all of our games we will win the league. It’s a good position to be in. But Brechin are in the same position.
"The next three games will have a big impact on our season and we should go into them confident and play to our capabilities.
“There are lots of twists and turns to come yet so we have to keep plugging away and hope we are still in with a chance come the end of the season.”
Buckie will be without the suspended Sam Morrison and long-term injured Daryl McHardy and Kevin Fraser on Wednesday.
