Formartine United2–0Fraserburgh

Until this game came around, it seemed that Formartine were going through a seemingly never ending phase of being unable to deliver a win – OK, they produced the expected win against Fort Willliam but beating up little boys hardly proves you're a man any more than taking the points off the lowest placed club in the history of the league makes you a title contender. However there's no doubt about it that this season at least, the Broch come into that category and are leading the pack bombing along in the slipstream behind Cove and their current 100% record. By some perverse quirk of fate Formartine have something of an Indian Sign over the Broch who started this game on the back of four successive defeats - spread over a year or more - at the hands of United. That said, they were in cracking good recent form and well fancied to put an end to United's run of victories over them and started the game as if that was well within their capabilities to deliver. They set out to take the game to their hosts and took no more than a minute or two to show their teeth. Their first offensive thrust was down the right flank. Dickson driving forward from deep fed Davidson ahead of him and he took the ball into the box from not far forward of the goal line on the right and delivered a crisp shot -cum -cross at head height towards the back post. This was cleared at the cost of a corner which in turn was cleared up the park by Jevan Anderson. Cameron Buchan was on to it and fed the ball over the top to Greg Buchan who blasted down the middle with clear intent of a shot at goal. However young MacPherson had the legs for him and remaining goalside of the forward closed him down, jockeyed him wide of his intended route and picked the ball off his toes before drilling it forward towards Rodger.

This was rather more assured looking defending than United have delivered in recent home games and gave rise to some slight hope that the slippery slope of defeats and soft goals conceeded was coming to an end. The game was none too pretty - neither side showed an abundance of early cohesion but the work-rate was there and United in particular showed a keen appetite for the second ball. In the wake of MacPherson's clearance to Rodger, his ensuing joust with Hay yielded a throw for United on the right about twenty five yards South of goal. Movement from midfield and forwards was good and with Stuart Anderson and Archie MacPhee pressing forward, the ball was soon played into the feet of Gary Wood who muscled his way forward into the box before cutting it back to meet the run of Graeme RODGER who stood on no cermony whatever in collecting it and skelping a scorching shoulder height drive beyond the left hand of keeper Tait into the net.

It's not often you can say that a side had a work rate superior to the Broch's but credit to United, they did and using this 6th minute opener as a foundation they began to show a slight edge across the various departments. It certainly didn't reach the level of domination but at this point in the game, they were, albeit slightly, the better side in terms of both workrate and creativity. They were beginning to carve out a few openings for themselves and for all that the visitors had a good share of possession they didn't look like matching United in converting it into effective pressure. The Broch defence was definitely the harder worked. An 18 yard shot on the turn by Wood in the 16th minute had Tait scrabbling to get the ball away from the base of his right upright before Cowie hoofed it into the not inconsiderable crowd. A couple of minutes later a dipping bobbling volley from Stott stotted past the base of Tait's left stick.

Although the foundation of United's dominance lay in appetite, attitude and desire for the ball they were in the main playing more inventive football and it was this creativity as much as anything else that laid the foundation for the decisive second goal. This was as well worked a goal as you will see in a long time. A bit of Broch pressure had been dismantled by the home rearguard and full back Smith made some space for himself near the edge of his own box before taking the ball past Davidson on his way up the left flank to deliver it to Greig. He in turn suckered a couple of attempted tackles before moving a few yards in towards the edge of the Broch box and delivering a perfectly weighted pass to Rodger who rode a tackle from Buchan to slide the ball a couple of yards forward/left to WOOD. The experienced striker saw the route to goal and deftly side footed the ball beyond the reach of Leask and into the net.

United were worth their two goal lead at this stage and with superior midfield possession were little troubled in retaining it until after the interval.

The second half opened with Formartine still dominant and playing with more determination and flair than the visitors who, for whatever possession their efforts yielded them, didn't look like they had the vision to seriously trouble United. They needed a change and did so just before the hour by replacing Greg Buchan with Gary Harris. This did them some good and for a while they showed signs of getting back into it although the United defence where teenager Jevan Anderson is growing in assurance and effectiveness with almost every game, never looked in significant danger and Main had few saves of any note to execute. For a while Broch played the ball around the fringes of the home box and a seeming decline in the sense of urgency shown in midfield didn't help keep the ball away from the predatory Harris. However this was but a phase in a game where United held the upper hand for more than long enough to win it. They rang a few changes by replacing new loan signing Norris (who looks like he needs a game or two yet to learn his role in the shape United play) with Kieran Lawrence whose direct running in and from midfield ramped up United's dominance. Greig was a constant irritant and turned markers inside out in their attempts to thwart his forward progress. This reached it’s conclusion when Paul Campbell tried to kick him up in the air with a waist high (not that high given the height of Greig, mind) challenge and was instantly dismissed.

With the numerical advantage that ensued, United had the space in which to show their pass and move skills as they capably ran down the clock for a more than welcome change in their recent fortunes.