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Highland League Fraserburgh 4, Forres Mechanics 3 by Grant Milne
IN THE only surviving Highland League game on a wintry afternoon, Allan Hale's decisive strikes gave Fraserburgh the spoils and continued their 6 game winning streak, although they were pushed all the way by a battling Forres Mechanics side in an exciting game at Bellslea.
With the exception of the game at Mosset Park in September, there is traditionally somewhat of a goalfest when these sides meet, and Saturday was no different.
Forres may have had the better of the play early on when Neil White's shot hit Ricky Wardrop, but he could only slide into the side netting from close range.
Wardrop came close no less than three minutes later, after he had been let in after a mistake by Marc Dickson, who was re-instated to the side following a suspension, however Paul Leask denied Wardrop from an acute angle.
Fraserburgh then found the opening goal on 17 minutes with a lovely move. Jamie Beagrie surged into the heart of Mechanics' half, and slipped through a nice ball into the path of Allan Hale, and his cutback could only be turned in by the unfortunate Graham Grant.
Grant nearly had a brace within a couple of minutes, however, they would both have been at the wrong end! Bryan Hay chipped a dangerous ball into the penalty box and Grant's sliced clearance just evaded the post.
It was Forres who got the rub of the green though, as they equalised by capitalising on a rare goalkeeping error from Leask. His hesitant clearance ricocheted off Ricky Wardrop who was left with a gaping goal.
But two goals in two minutes restored Fraserburgh's advantage, the first coming courtesy of Allan Hale. Steven Main did well to win the ball back on the edge of the Forres penalty area, he slid the ball out to the waiting Russell McBride, and his cross was met by the glancing header from Hale.
And a minute later, they had a third. Steven Main evaded the challenge of Ross Macpherson and stuck a low ball towards the back post, where Jonathan Garden was waiting to pounce, thus giving Fraserburgh more breathing space going into the interval. The home side started the second half quite brightly, Jamie Ralph's 35-yard shot deceiving Harkness and smashing off the woodwork, but it was the Can-Cans who got themselves back into the mix.
Neil Main was disposed easily by Bruce Milne following Leask's throw-out; Milne squared to Ricky Wardrop who finished with aplomb from 12 yards.
There was a sense of dj vu after Forres' goal, considering that only last season they had came back from a two-goal deposit at the break to gain a point at Bellslea in last year's league meeting.
And after a quiet spell in the game they almost did just that, Milne playing a dangerous ball into the danger zone but Wardrop slid wide on this occasion.
Fraserburgh averted the aforementioned danger of dropping points, for the time being at least, when they snatched a fourth goal.
Allan Hale was felled by Sharp in the box, and in a peculiar twist after lengthy discussions with his assistant referee, Dougie Ross eventually awarded the spot kick, and Hale netted his second penalty in as many weeks, dispatching the ball into the bottom right-hand corner.
At this stage, you could have been forgiven for thinking that the game was now a foregone conclusion, but this was quite the contrary.
Ian Penwright had only been on the pitch for a matter of moments when he gave Forres a fighting chance with a third goal, picking the ball out 25 yards out and catching Leask off his line as he exquisitely lobbed the ball over into the net.
Fraserburgh survived the late onslaught to gain the three points which keeps their winning run intact and lifts them above Deveronvale in the table, although Forres remain five points behind.
As the Herald went to press, Fraserburgh FC were looking to reschedule their Highland League match this Saturday.
The Broch were due to play Formartine in an away fixture, but efforts are being made to switch venues.
Fraserburgh FC chairman Finlay Noble told the Herald: "As it stands we are almost certain to be switching this Saturday's match between Formartine Utd and ourselves from North Lodge, Pitmedden, to Bellslea Park.
"It has been agreed that the decision will be taken at noon on Wednesday but I would advise that we prepare for the match to be at Bellslea Park," he said.
Fraserburgh: Leask, Hay, McBride, Dickson, Ralph, Neil Main, Beagrie, Garden, Hale, Johnston, Steven Main (West 81).
Unused Subs: Elrick, Morrice, Weymss, Dickinson
Forres Mechanics: Harkness, Allan, Macpherson (Penwright 84), Grant, Sharp, Bremner (Chambers 78), Whyte, Scott, Wardrop, Green (Shallicker 76), Milne. Unused Subs: Duncan, Moore.
Referee: Douglas Ross.
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Weather for Fraserburgh
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
