Highland League: Keith grab late point, Brora win seven-goal thriller and Deveronvale draw with Brechin City
Late drama was the order of the day as more than half of this afternoon’s Highland League games featured a goal after 90 minutes.
Keith - the only Moray team not to be beaten - nabbed a fantastic point against Formartine United at North Lodge Park thanks to Zak To’s 90th minute effort.
Brora Rangers also won in stoppage time, edging Turriff United 4-3 having throwing originally away a three-goal. They closed the gap on league leaders Brechin City who drew at Deveronvale.
The only Moray club smiling tonight is Keith after To’s late goal.
Ex-Elgin City man Michael Dangana had given Formartine the lead on 27 minutes, but the hosts - held by Lossiemouth last week - didn’t put the game to bed and Keith punished them late on.
Marc Lawrence was sent off for the home side in the 95th minute.
There was a brutal 4-0 derby defeat for Forres Mechanics against Nairn County at Station Park.
Angus Dey put the hosts 1-0 up in the 20th minute and Jack Grant’s red card before half-time left the Can-Cans with a mountain to climb.
The 10-men were punished in the second half as former Forres forward Ben Barron scored twice - including a penalty - before Finn As-Chainey grabbed a goal in stoppage time.
Rothes were also beaten 4-0 as Inverurie Loco Works eased to their first win of the Highland League season.
Callum Duncan got the hosts off to the perfect start in the fourth minute and Daniel Agnew made it 2-0 before the first 10 minutes were out.
Agnew got his second in the 82nd minute before Bradley Chikomo put salt on the wounds in added time.
Huntly held on to beat Lossiemouth 2-1 at Grant Park despite a second-half red card.
Angus Grant put the Black and Golds ahead in the ninth minute and Scott Logan’s 44th minute effort had them two up at half-time.
Liam Harvey pulled one back for Lossie at the start of the second half, before Huntly keeper Lenny Wilson was dismissed on 58 minutes - but the visitors held on.
Buckie Thistle’s difficult run of league results continued with a 3-1 defeat at home against Banks o’ Dee.
Mark Gilmour put the Aberdeen side ahead in the 26th minute and Lyall Keir equalised in the 52nd minute.
Two goals from Lachie MacLeod in a five-minute spell made sure of the three points for Banks o’ Dee, who have also been enduring a difficult patch.
Brora Rangers won a seven-goal thriller in what was one of the league’s most dramatic games so far this season.
The Cattachs were 3-0 up and cruising at Turriff United in the 70th minute thanks to a goal from Colin Williamson and Jordan MacRae’s double.
However, the visitors were stunned as strikes from Keir Smith (72); Reece McKeown (82) and MacKenzie Taylor (85) saw the game pulled back to 3-3.
There was still time for a winner - and it went the way of Brora as experienced head Mark Nicholson scored in the 92nd minute.
That win moves the champions to within one point of early leaders Brechin City, who drew 0-0 at Princess Royal Park against Deveronvale.
Clachnacuddin were the day’s biggest winners - hammering Strathspey Thistle 6-0 at Grant Street Park.
It’s the second time in a week that Strathy have lost 6-0 in Inverness after their loss to Caley Thistle in the North of Scotland Cup in midweek.
Allan MacPhee opened the scoring on 20 minutes and Troy Cooper had Clach 2-0 up at half-time.
Cooper’s second just after the hour mark made it 3-0 before James Anderson’s late double and a goal from Struan Coli wrapped up an emphatic win.
Fraserburgh secured a 2-1 win away from home against Wick Academy.
Sean Butcher put the Broch ahead in the first half and Scott Barbour grabbed the winning goal on 59 minutes, four minutes after Marc MacGregor had levelled from the penalty spot for Wick.