Forres Mechanics 0 Buckie Thistle 2: Jags reach Highland League Cup final with hard-fought win
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BUCKIE Thistle reached the Highland League Cup final with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over a battling Forres Mechanics at Mosset Park on Saturday.
Goals from Sam Urquhart on five minutes and Jack Murray in the 89th minute sealed the victory for the visitors, who will face Brora Rangers in the final on April 9.
The Cattachs overcame Fraserburgh on penalties after a 1-1 draw to set up the final – and there will be a practice run of the final on Wednesday, with Brora travelling to Buckie in a crunch league match.
Jags manager Graeme Stewart said his side's aim is to win both competitions.
He said: "We’re still fighting on two fronts, which was the target. We’ve been working all season to get to a final and challenge for the league.
“The final is going to be very hard – whoever it was out of Brora and Fraserburgh, it was going to be very hard.
"We’ll get a look at Brora on Wednesday, but it’s the league now and we aren’t going to think about the final until it comes up.
“The aim is to win the two trophies this year.”
Buckie took the lead within five minutes on Saturday as Shaun Wood's long ball was clipped over returning Forres keeper Stuart Knight by Sam Urquhart.
Forres reacted well to that setback and were unfortunate not to equalise on 13 minutes when Graham Fraser's header from a Callum Johnston corner crashed off the underside of the crossbar.
It was 1-0 going into the break – but only thanks to a great save from Stuart Knight to keep out Lewis MacKinnon's well-hit 30-yard free-kick.
The second half was an evenly-contested affair. Buckie missed the chance to go two up just after the hour mark when Kev Fraser fired Andy MacAskill's cross over at the back post.
With just a minute left to play, the Jags sealed the victory when MacAskill's free-kick was nodded in at the back post by Jack Murray.
Forres manager Steven MacDonald was pleased by his side's battling performance.
"I couldn't have really asked for any more," he said. "We just weren't quite good enough to get something but I was pleased with the effort from the boys.
"We competed really well and I didn't think there was miles between the teams.
"I'm pleased with the attitude and spirit, once you've got that it's half the battle. We have to work on the quality but we gave it everything.
"I can see a lot of encouragement for the future."
Forres will host Fort William on Wednesday night and will be without Dale Wood, who pulled up in the Buckie match.
The game will likely come too soon for Ruari Fraser, while midfielder Jack Grant is set to get teeth implants tomorrow and will return in a couple of weeks.
There were also injury worries for Buckie, with Shaun Wood and Hamish Munro both limping off. It's not known how long either will be out for.
