(19/03/2022 – BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE, DUDGEON PARK, BRORA)
Lossiemouth head north to take on title contenders and Highland League Cup finalists Brora Rangers this Saturday. The Dudgeon Park outfit will face Buckie Thistle in the showpiece cup game next month but first have to deal with the disappointment of their departure from the title race. Still with winnable games to play, Lossie can still achieve a points tally beyond 30, but first up the Coasters have this challenging jaunt north to deal with.
LEAGUE FORM (MOST RECENT RESULT FIRST)…
LOSSIEMOUTH – WLLLWW, GF 10, GA 15; LEAGUE POSITION – 13th
After three defeats in a row, Lossie returned to winning ways with a comfortable win against Fort William at the weekend, about which you can read here. Goals from Ross Archibald, Dean Stewart and Niall Kennedy sent Lossie on their way to the points as Fort lost at Grant Park for the third time this season. A trip to the Maroonery on the weekend was cancelled and Lossie had their feet up on Wednesday evening while Brora were at Buckie.
BRORA – LWWWDW, GF 23, GA 9; LEAGUE POSITION – 4th
Brora were coming to the boil nicely as the season wound down. Already in the final of the Highland League Cup after ousting Fraserburgh on penalties last weekend, Brora remained in the hunt for the title until Wednesday night (16/03), when a trip to Buckie Thistle went horribly wrong. The Cattachs suffered a 5-0 reverse – their biggest loss of the season – and playing for an hour after stand-in goalkeeper Lenny Wilson saw red. Come full time, Brora sat six points behind Fraserburgh having played a game more. Prior to that thumping loss, Brora had been playing well, with only one league loss (Brechin (H)) since the start of October.
EARLIER THIS SEASON…
17/11/2021 – Lossiemouth 0-2 Brora Rangers – Match Report
The pair last glared at each other across the darkness of a midweek November evening at Grant Park. Brora were winners, but only just – a pair of Jordan Macrae goals won the game with only a dozen or so minutes left to play as Lossie turned in a shift that left Brora miserable for a good hour and more. Click here for the match report.
LAST TIME AT DUDGEON PARK…
22/09/2022- Brora Rangers 2-2 Lossiemouth (Brora won 4-2 on penalties) – Match Report
Lossie have already visited Dudgeon Park this season, to face Brora in the semi-final of the North of Scotland Cup. Brora reached half-time two goals to the good after Adam Mackinnon and Matthew Wright found the net, but Lossie sent the game to a shoot-out when substitutes Brodie Allen and Fraser Forbes both scored late in the second half. Brora held their nerve to progress to the final, which they lost to Rothes at Grant Park.
LAST SIX LEAGUE GAMES AT DUDGEON PARK
17/08/2019 – Brora Rangers 7-0 Lossiemouth
31/10/2018 – Brora Rangers 6-1 Lossiemouth
11/11/2017 – Brora Rangers 7-0 Lossiemouth
31/08/2016 – Brora Rangers 7-0 Lossiemouth
14/11/2015 – Brora Rangers 2-0 Lossiemouth
14/03/2015 – Brora Rangers 7-0 Lossiemouth
Due to Covid, the last trip was on the 40th birthday of your narrator, and a 7-0 reverse did little to defuse the blistering hangover he’d brought north with him, one which was suitably recharged on the way home. A Paul Brindle hat-trick was the highlight of the afternoon as Brora eased into a league campaign that saw them lose just twice on the way to being declared Covid Champions in March 2020.
LAST WIN AT DUDGEON PARK…
04/10/2017 – Golspie Sutherland 2-3 Lossiemouth (NOS Cup semi-final)
Lossie’s last win at Dudgeon Park came in October 2017, when the Coasters saw off the challenge of Golspie Sutherland in the semi-final of the North of Scotland Cup. Ross Archibald, Ross Duncan and James McLaren all scored for Lossie before a late Lukasz Geruzel double breathed new life into Golspie. Lossie held on to book a place in the final.
WAY BACK WHEN…
18/02/2012 – Brora Rangers 0-2 Lossiemouth – Match Report – Match Photos
A snowy day in Brora saw Lossie turn up the heat early on, and an own goal from Stuart Golabek and one from Ross Archibald had this game won before half time.
TOP SCORERS…
Jordan Macrae is Brora’s top scorer with 25 goals across all competitions, with namesake Andrew the second highest amongst players still at the club. Dean Stewart has 5 for Lossie, including three in his last four games. Fourteen different players have found the net for Brora this season, the same number that have contributed to Lossie’s goal tally. It’s at the other end of the park Brora seem to be struggling, as long-term custodian of the gloves Joe Malin continues to miss out due to injury forcing Brora to sub in replacements, with latest volunteer Lenny Wilson lasting not even three games of football before picking up a red card.
ON THE DAY…
Updates and the like will be available on Twitter from before KO, with the usual post-match spread sometime later in the evening.
SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM PREDICTION…
They’re going to be in a really bad mood, aren’t they. Also, rain, and a few goals.