Forres Thistle and Burghead Thistle battle out draw in North Region junior football Championship clash
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Forres Thistle had to settle for a point in Saturday’s north junior championship derby clash with neighbours Burghead Thistle.
Having missed some valuable players in recent weeks and been on the wrong end of a few defeats, Forres were delighted to welcome back captain Calum Gemmell, Ricky Wardrop and Matty Fraser to the starting line up.
Away side Burghead had first half wind advantage, keeping Forres penned back with the home side more threatening on the counter attack.
The home team took the lead after 13 minutes when Fraser managed to free himself in the box to meet a long thrown from Connor Aubrey and poke it home from close range.
Burghead hit back and Ryan MacBean sent a header low towards the corner that home keeper Rian Wilson tipped wide.
James Fraser soon shot wide for Burghead and up at the other end Neil Moir with some excellent skill on the left hand side saw him find Fraser in the box but he shot wide.
The second half started with Forres penning Burghead back, using the wind but like the first half it was the team against the wind who scored early on in the half. A through ball from Lewis Mullen found Fraser who was free on the edge of the box and he placed the ball into the bottom corner giving Wilson no chance.
The home side went pressing for a winner and Jamie Souter ran down the left wing and played a one-two with Fraser but his shot was well-saved by Burghead keeper Aidan MacDonald.
MacDonald then denied Moir with a superb block, before thwarting Souter while Wardrop fired a good chance wide.
MacDonald’s best save came late in the game as he somehow kept out a Moir 20-yarder heading for the top corner.
