The new Scot-Ads Highland League season kicked off this weekend, with Buckie Thistle the visitors for Lossiemouths opening fixture. The visit of the title chasing Jags was always going to be an entertaining game, but interest in the game was raised significantly with the summer departure of Shaun Scott to Buckie.

The opening act took place in the centre of the pitch, with Lossie reluctant to force too far forward in case Buckie tore straight back into them. Buckie had the bulk of possession and were creating the better chances, but appeared to suffer from the lack of sharpness that cost them often last season. The opening chance fell to McDonald for the Jags but he hit his shot just wide.

Lossie were growing in confidence as the game progressed, and were keeping Buckie to shots from range. On the half hour, Lossie almost snatched a freak opener, when Smith tried his luck from thirty yards after seeing Main off his line, but the former Lossie keeper dashed back to his line to tip the ball over the bar.

Buckie continued creating chances, and Souter put another shot just wide after some slack defending from Lossie offered him room. Not long after, Biscuits was booked for dissent, and Lossie looked like they would continue to cause Buckie problems.

Not so. Five minutes before the break, and a Buckie corner was headed out of the box where it landed at the feet of Greg PIRIE, who cracked a shot of the top of the post and in. It was a goal Buckie deserved on the balance of play, but they could not add to it before the half-time whistle sounded.

Half-time: Lossiemouth 0 Buckie Thistle 1

The key to the remainder of Lossies afternoon was to keep Buckie on the leash immediately after the break, to prevent them from racking up a few more goals, and they managed comfortably in the opening spells. They had Dunn to thank for keeping it to a one-goal deficit after an excellent point-blank save from McDonald just before the hour.

Soon after, unfortunately, the second goal duly arrived, when Neil DAVIDSON fired the ball past Dunn from the corner of the box. The Lossie keeper was doing his best to keep the home side in the game, with a half-dozen fine saves from within his six-yard box, but the home support feared the worst.

Their fears were confounded with ten minutes to go when Buckie made it 3-0. The Lossie defence gifted Shaun SCOTT a free run in on goal, and he chipped Dunn to make it three. Lossie continued to press for a goal to open their account for the season, but a corner for the home side was turned into an impressive counter-attack by Buckie, who tore down the pitch with some smooth passing before the ball was tucked away by Neil DAVIDSON.

A bad result, but Buckie will beat better sides by more goals this season, and the first half showed the Lossie side can compete for spells with the top sides. With Gary Youngson and Craig Morrison still to be added to the squad after their return from holiday, Lossie may yet end up surprising a few of the better teams before the season is out.