Selection headaches for Fort William as Inverurie score win at Claggan
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FORT William had a whopping 14 players missing but they asked questions of Inverurie Locos before losing 4-0 in the Highland League on Saturday at Claggan Park.
A variety of factors mean Fort were without so many players but the performance was improved compared with the previous weekend when they were crushed 6-0 at Forres Mechanics.
It was only 1-0 at the interval after Jordan Leyden's goal on 23 minutes.
However, clinical Locos took the game away from Fort in the second half with goals from John Maitland, Gordon Forsyth and Joe McCabe.
Fort, with three straight league losses and a minus 11 goal difference, will have it all to do this Saturday when they face Wick at Harmsworth Park.
Nairn County are just three points from top spot in the Highland League following their impressive 4-1 weekend win at Deveronvale.
Vale, managed by former Nairn assistant boss Ally Macleod, went into this one on the back of a victory at Clach the week before, while Nairn were aiming to bounce back from their 2-1 loss at Wick Academy.
Nairn marched in front on 19 minutes when Conor Gethins guided a terrific header past keeper Rhys Fyfe when he met a free-kick from Greg Main.
The Banff side had little time to recover from this when they found themselves 2-0 down as Kenny McKenzie finished from close range.
The hosts sought a way back into it and Gary Harris scored from the spot on 36 minutes after Martin Macdonald conceded a penalty.
Nairn, however, regained their two-goal advantage early in the second half when Gethins pounced to score with his second header of the afternoon.
The gloss was added to the victory for the visitors when summer signing Tony Wallace netted with a fine 16-yarder.
A below-par performance led to Clach crashing to a 2-0 Highland League defeat at Lossiemouth at the weekend.
Lossie, who were on a high following their victory the week before at Fraserburgh, are now mid-table ahead of their game at Nairn County this Saturday.
Tony Ross headed the hosts in front after 28 minutes when he connected with a cross from Willie Mathers.
The Inverness side, who won their opening day fixture at Wick before losing to Deveronvale, tried to find a way through but good defending from Lossiemouth kept them out.
An impressive individual goal from Shawn Scott seven minutes from time but the contest beyond reach.
Champions Brora Rangers, now bossed by Ross County's former captain Richard Brittain, showed they will be prehaps even tougher to topple this season as they ran out 8-1 winners at Buckie Thistle.
Steven Mackay helped himself to four goals to hit the 10-goal tally already this season, Zander Sutherland chipped in with a treble and Paul Brindle was also on the scoresheet.
This means Brora are top of the table, having scored 22 times in just three fixtures.
Turriff United also have nine points from nine available after cruising to a 5-0 home win over Forres Mechanics, while Cove Rangers are joint top too following their 3-0 home victory against Keith on Friday night.
Strathspey Thistle have two wins from three games after scoring a 2-0 victory and Huntly.
Many people's hot tips as Brora's main challengers Formartine United dug deep to come from a goal down to see off Wick Academy 2-1 and Fraserburgh moved on to four points thanks to their 3-1 win at struggling Rothes.
*** This Wednesday, it North of Scotland Cup quarter-final night as Clach host Wick Academy and Strathspey Thistle welcome Nairn County to Seafield Park.
In the Aberdeenshire Shield, also on Wednesday, it's Fraserburgh v Deveronvale, Huntly v Banks o'Dee, Inverurie Locos v Keith and Turriff United v Cove Rangers.
