Lossie made the midweek journey to Bellslea Park only to suffer their second 3-1 defeat of the season at the hands of Fraserburgh. In amongst a rash of bookings, penalties and chaotic refereeing, Tony Ross scored a stunning second half equaliser but the Broch fought back to win an entertaining game.

The visitors travelled east without Kevin Stuart and Sam Milton, but had Colin Charlesworth and Michael Dunn in the starting line-up, and Jamie Bagley and Sean McIntosh on the bench. The Broch, fielding the same starting eleven for the third game on the trot, went into the game on a winning streak going back seven games, a run which has kept them on the fringes of the title race.

The players spent the opening stages introducing themselves to each other via the medium of the tackle, with referee Graham Beaton happy to let the game continue while he paraded about in his all red outfit. Any Lossie fan thinking this was a lucky omen was to be sorely disappointed, as for all the hard challenges going on early doors, the game was a much better affair before Beaton got involved in the second half.

Fraserburgh took the lead midway through the first half. A Lossie attack broke down and the Broch swept back up the pitch. Lossie found themselves stretched at the back, and JJ Urquhart brought down Jamie Beagrie inside the area to concede a penalty. Allan HALE stepped up to send McConnachie the wrong way and put the Broch into the lead.

Lossie were giving their hosts a game and came close to an equaliser when Steven Sim headed over. McMullan, Biscuits and Strathdee were causing the home side all manner of problems, and a move involving the latter two should have resulted in the equaliser. Biscuits raced away down the stand side touchline and sent a teasing ball across the face of goal, but the outstretched leg of an unmarked Strathdee could only lift it over the bar from a few yards out.

The Broch almost made Lossie pay just before the interval, but Neil Main headed just wide from a corner.

Half time – Fraserburgh 1 Lossiemouth 0

Once the second half got under way, Fraserburgh didn’t hang about in their pursuit of a second goal, and had two cleared off the line in quick succession. Jonathan Garden claimed his shot from close range crossed the line, but Kevin Flett thumped the ball clear. Just before the hour, Garden and the Broch were again claiming to have scored, and this time the linesman even began jogging towards the halfway line, only for the referee to wave play on.

In between the two scrambled clearances, Lossie could have drawn level. A shot by Dan Smith looked to have given the youngster his first goal for Lossie but Marc Dickson headed the ball over the bar.

Following on from the period of Broch pressure, Lossie equalised. From a good distance outside the penalty area, Tony ROSS curled a ball towards the far post and, with the Broch keeper and everyone else standing watching, it shaved the post on its way in to draw the visitors level.

The Broch had numerous chances to retake the lead, but failed to make them count. Allan Hale blazed the ball out of the ground, and two half chances ended up on the roof of the net.

When they did go back in front, it was thanks to a controversial penalty award. Neil Main added to his long list of recent misdemeanours with a dive over the leg of Michael Dunn, a dive which started before Dunn had even considered making a challenge. Allan HALE stroked the ball past McConnachie to put the homesters back in front.

The game was in danger of getting out of hand, with Graham Beaton doing little to help. His ridiculous decision to book Shawn Scott for what he saw as a dive when the rest of the ground saw it as a slip on a greasy surface – Biscuits didn’t lose possession while on the ground, made no appeal for a penalty, and carried on playing until Beaton blew his whistle – infuriated the Lossie management team and caused a row which ended with manager Charlie Charlesworth being sent to the stand.

Beaton was then overheard informing Scott that he’d ‘been asking for it’, a comment which made no sense whatsoever based on Biscuits excellent performance on the night – he was given the man of the match award by the MMPG match reporter - adding fuel to the fire of conspiracy amongst the Lossie support, some of whom believe referees would prefer to see him booked as early as possible to keep him quiet rather than let him play on.

Referee Beaton would surely have choked on his whistle had the next chance gone in, falling as it did to Biscuits, but he could only knock the ball against the base of the post and out for a goal kick. Biscuits took a heavy knock in the process of shooting when he collided with the Broch keeper, but finished the game.

Fraserburgh added insult to injury in the dying minutes when they scored a barely deserved third, former Elgin City player Russell MCBRIDE putting the home side out of sight with a close range effort. Darren McConnachie made a point blank save in injury time to keep the score down, and Lossie headed home with nothing for their efforts.

Full time – Fraserburgh 3 Lossiemouth 1

Teams

Lossiemouth - Darren McConnachie: Steven Sim, Kevin Flett, Michael Dunn, JJ Urquhart, Martin McMullan, Anthony Ross, Dan Smith, Shawn Scott, Stuart Strathdee, Colin Charlesworth
Fraserburgh - Paul Leask: Bryan Hay, Russell McBride, Marc Dickson, Jamie Ralph, Neil Main, Jamie Beagrie, Jonathan Garden, Allan Hale, Graham Johnston, Steven Main

Lossiemouth - Sean McIntosh (Colin Charlesworth, 75), Jamie Bagley (Stuart Strathdee, 83)
Fraserburgh - William West (Jonathan Garden, 60), Robert Morrice (Jamie Beagrie, 75), Dean Elrick (Neil Main, 90)

Lossiemouth - None
Fraserburgh - None

Referee

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