Buckie Thistle v Inverurie Locos at Victoria Park, Buckie.
Picture: Becky Saunderson. Image No.041759
BUCKIE lacked a ruthless edge in front of goal as they slipped to a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Clach on Saturday. However, boss Graeme Stewart wasn’t disappointed with the performance and felt his players deserved to win the game. A last-minute goal from Martin Callum condemned the Jags to a cruel defeat at Grant Street Park. The visitors had dominated the game and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession against a side struggling near the foot of the Breedon Highland League table. Clach defended really well and repelled everything Buckie threw at them. Home keeper Steve Martin was in inspired form and produced a number of top-drawer saves to keep a clean sheet. That included a magnificent one-handed stop to deny Andy MacAskill a goal in the first half. Martin pulled off a great stop to thwart Andy Skinner in the second half. MacAskill and sub Declan Milne both went close late on. Jags boss Stewart said: “We must have had something like 30 shots on goal and their keeper had two or three top saves. We weren’t clinical enough.” Unfortunately, the Clach winner came from a mistake from Buckie’s player assistant manager Lewis Mackinnon who had a testimonial dinner on Saturday night.
“Lewis tried a back header to the goalkeeper and didn’t see the boy behind him,” said Stewart. “The way Clach defended they probably deserved a point but it was hard on us to lose the game. “There were lots of positives. We need to play a bit quicker we had the ball and slowed the game down too much. “It was still some of the best football we played this season, but there are little things we need to work on. “Credit to Clach because they played to their strengths and looked to
hit us on the counter attack.” With Kevin Fraser back fit and restored to the heart of the Jags midfield, that is making a massive difference as Buckie look to finish the season on a high. “We need to get guys back in the team who can score goals, like John McLeod, Sam Urquhart and Scott Adams,” said Stewart. Buckie will look to keep up the good form when Fraserburgh visit Victoria Park this Saturday. “We know that will be a tough game,” admitted Stewart, “but we are more than capable of getting a
result if we play the way we did last Saturday. “We need to keep doing what we are doing and not let the heads go down.” Stewart has one eye on rebuilding plans for next season and admits some players are playing for their future at Victoria Park. Stewart is also looking to recruit off the field following the departures of coaches Andy Low to Inverurie and now Stephen Bruce, who has taken up a job opportunity in America. Stewart said: “I am hoping to announce two or three new coaches.”