(29/07/23 – BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE – BELLSLEA PARK, FRASERBURGH)

The Coasters were undone by a man of the match performance from Fraserburgh’s Sean Butcher, who bagged a second half hat-trick off the bench on a windy day at Bellslea Park. A Dean Stewart free kick had given Lossie the lead only for Butcher to carve Lossie up after the restart.

The game started in bright sunshine, allowing some of the visiting (and a few of the home) support to see the old ground in colour for the very first time. Lossie had a familiar look about them, with the squad of last season all back for more, fleshed out with Brandon Hutcheson and the return of Fergus Edwards.

Things got brighter still for Lossie who started the game well and took the lead in the third minute. A free kick awarded to the Coasters just outside the Broch box was comandeered by Dean Stewart, and the ball was bound for the net as soon as it left his right foot, sailing beyond Joe Barbour. Lossie looked comfortable in front against a Broch side uncomfortable playing into the wind, with Cameron Farquhar only rarely called into action.

HALF TIME – FRASERURGH 0-1 LOSSIEMOUTH

The second half saw Fraserburgh come out a different side, probably after hearing some choice opinions from their frustrated management on their performance thus far, and the half time introduction of Butcher was the difference between the sides.

The sub got off to a slow start, thumping his first shot over the bar, the crowd, and fence behind the goal, landing the ball in the street, narrowly avoiding a blackening van circling the town. Having got his eye in, Butcher found the target soon after and scored the equaliser from inside the area, Shortly after the hour, Butcher gave the hosts the lead with a finish at the back post after an assist from Scott Barbour. A penalty fifteen minutes from the end offered Butcher the chance to complete his treble, and he made no mistake from the spot.

The closing stages saw Lossie freshen up the side to get minutes into the legs of Ross Morrison, Fraser Forbes and the returning Fergus Edwards, and while Lossie found themselves at the right end of the ground as time wore down, a second goal failed to materialise and the Broch saw out time on their way to the points.

The Coasters now host Forres Mechanics and Formartine United at Grant Park across the next two Saturdays.

FULL TIME – FRASERURGH 3-1 LOSSIEMOUTH

TEAMS…

FRASERBURGH – Joe Barbour; Bryan Hay, Kieran Simpson, Paul Young, William West, Ryan Sargent (Zane Laird (88)), Scott Barbour (Aiden Sopel (72)), Connor Wood (Logan Watt (72)), Greg Buchan (Josh Bolton (88)), Grant Campbell (Sean Butcher (46)), Ross Aitken; UNUSED SUBS – Lewis Davidson, Ryan Cowie, Edward Flinn

LOSSIEMOUTH – Cameron Farquhar; Dean Stewart, Ross Paterson, Liam Archibald, Ryan Farquhar (Fergus Edwards (72)), Brandon Hutcheson, Ross Elliott, Ryan Stuart (Fraser Forbes (59)), Lewis Mcandrew, Jared Kennedy, James Leslie (Ross Morrison (77)); UNUSED SUBS – Michael Weir, Ross Archibald, Baylee Campbell, Oliver Kelly

GOALS:

FRASERBURGH – Sean Butcher (54, 64, 75 (pen))

LOSSIEMOUTH – Dean Stewart (4)

REFEREE: Joel Kennedy

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