Saturday 6 August
Buckie Thistle 0 Huntly 0
Both teams had to settle for a point following today's draw at Victoria Park despite both having some decent chances to claim all three points writes Grant Turner.
Three minutes in, a Ross Campbell slip allowed Stuart McGuigan to run free but Richard Bowman stood up and turned his former team mate's effort around the post to keep the match level.
Two minutes later Russell Guild got ahead of the Jags defence 25 yards out but his attempted chip from the edge of the area flew high, wide and not very handsome.

Ross Campbell headed over after the quarter hour mark from a Levi Stephen free kick while Gary McGowan also failed to find the target from a dead ball ten minutes later.

It took the visitors 36 minutes to register an attempt on target. Mark Gray delivered a cross into the back post which found its way to O'Driscoll and despite having time on the ball he failed to trouble Main with a low shot.

It was an even first half with both teams battling for everything, as reflected in the growing crime count. The final effort of the half from the visitors saw a Simon Scott free kick headed clear but when it fell to Gary McGowan the winger, who had been fouled by Neil Murray in the first place, volleyed a low effort that was well handled by Kevin Main.

With the first half into stoppage, Campbell made a good block to deny the Jags an opener when he blocked a David Angus effort.

Half Time: Buckie Thistle 0 Huntly 0

A poor clearance by Kevin Main at the start of the second half saw the keeper clear as far as Matty Gairns who broke forward to tee up Stephen who fired wide of the post.

There was virtually an entire team of former players on the park and one of them was claiming a penalty in only the fourth minute of the half, to no avail. Levin Stephen was running on to a Jerry O'Driscoll through ball when he felt he was pushed in the back by Neil Murray, the ref felt otherwise.

Neil Davidson rattled the cross bar with a thunderous 20 yard effort on the 57th minute at the Jags came out looking to get their noses in front however their cause was not to be helped two minutes later.

The Jags were reduced to 10 men just before the hour mark and once again it was one of the "former" brigade who was at the centre of the controversy. Jerry O'Driscoll was racing through on goals when Kevin Small pulled him back just outside the area which resulted in a straight red.
Levi Stephen took the resulting free kick, Kevin Main made the save and Jerry O'Driscoll's effort from the rebound was scrambled around the post making Small's sacrifice worthwhile.

John Coutts became the second Buckie player to hit the woodwork with a curling effort from 18 yards that was lofted over Richard Bowman but came back off the crossbar to the frustration of the substitute.

Jerry O'Driscoll headed wide from just two yards but he very nearly gained an assist when he played in Levi Stephen who shot from a tight angle but Paul Lamberton was there on the line to make the clearance.

The match was swinging from end to end and John Coutts saw his effort blocked by Richard Bowman but Ross Campbell then had to produce the heroics to block Kevin Souter's shot on the rebound.

Both teams created chances in the closing stages with Neil Davidson coming close to a winner with a header that Richard Bowman did well to save.

The Champions almost won it with four minutes remaining when N Reid got the ball on the overlap and crossed into the back post only for Gairns to head over from close range.