Plucky Brora Rangers ventured south into the Highland League heartlands and left with a surprise win, following a strong second half performance. While Lossie fielded a squad of experienced Highland League players, little Brora sent what they could – a mishmash of those left over from the mining industry, those for whom an escape route from the far north had yet to materialise.
Their fans came down from the north in the knowledge the game against Lossie would be a struggle, but still they came. All the fans who’ve been going for years – and they’ve all been going for decades, even those who haven’t – had seen an unruly gang of youths relieve them of their old scarves, strips and trackies as they passed through Elgin and were forced to buy shiny new ones for the day, and such was the rush to have them replaced the labels were still attached to most items of merch.
For a Lossie supporter, spoiled by years of watching players trousers the big bucks just for playing football, seeing these staunch advocates of the Corinthian spirit in the flesh, these men of honour, these heroes playing with such heart, it brought a tear to the eye. Or that could have been the weather, it’s hard to say.
And for the northerners to have travelled so far to watch a team of mere mortals, some saved from the footballing scrapyard that is the SPFL and below and now playing purely for the jersey in the lower leagues, taking on a side widely rumoured to be trousering upwards of £2 a week? These wageless journeymen in second hand kit up against the Ferrari driving superstars of Lossie? The mismatch was so obvious as to be unfair; unsporting, even!
But Brora were to win this contest, skipping past their wealthy opponents who swanned about a misty Grant Park lighting cigars with used fivers. Martin Maclean turned home a first half opener before goals from Zander Sutherland and Steven Mackay made sure of the points late on. Their victory reminded all in attendance of that old tale of David v Goliath, with Lossie the giant slain by this unlikely opponent, this heartening example of northern soul, this penniless club that headed south and ventured into the lions den and used only their spirit to tame the marauding beast that was Lossie.
The win allows Brora to stay within sight of the top of the table, although with the clubs in the top four spending money like it’s going out of fashion it’s hard to say for how long Brora will be allowed to dream of a maiden title win.
Full time – Lossiemouth 0-3 Brora Rangers
Lossiemouth – Errol Watson, Anthony Ross, Scott Dunn, Christopher Ross, Grant Mitchell, Greig Watson, Ryan Farquhar, Liam Archibald, Jordan McBain, Ryan Green, William Mathers
Brora Rangers – Joseph Malin, Scott Houston, Ally Macdonald, Ross Tokely, Grant Munro, Dale Gillespie, Martin Maclean, Richard Hart, Alexander Sutherland, Steven Mackay, Andrew Greig