Clachnacuddin and Inverurie Locos played out an exciting yet goal-less draw at Grant Street with the hosts finishing the match with 10 men.
The Lilywhites were at a numerical disadvantage for the final half hour after defender Michael McRobert was sent off for denying Locos striker Kieran Shanks a goalscoring opportunity.
Clach boss Jordan MacDonald singled out goalkeeper Martin Mackinnon for helping his side secure a point.
He said: “Martin took so much pressure off of us after we went down to 10 men. He made two or three outstanding saves and every cross ball was his.
“It was a very even first half, there wasn’t much to separate the two teams.
“We got the ball down and passed it around on a heavy surface but we always had to be on our toes to the danger of the Locos high wingers and Kieran Shanks through the middle.
“We knew that Locos were going to step it up in the second half and they did.
“They still didn’t cause us too many problems until we had Michael McRobert sent off for a last-man challenge with half an hour still to go.
“After that the desire to keep a clean sheet and gain a valuable point was superb, we kept our shape and worked really hard, and to a man they were outstanding.”
Inverurie Locos manager Richard Hastings made no excuses.
He said: “We always expected Clach to work hard in difficult conditions and we knew they would be tough to beat.
“We did have three or four clear-cut chances but our finishing was not what it should have been when we hit it straight at the keeper.
“It wasn’t as if we didn’t create any clear-cut chances so it was disappointing not to have taken any of them, but I can’t fault the boys’ effort, it all came down to the quality of our finishing really.
“We weren’t really under any pressure ourselves, we never looked like losing a goal and it was fairly one-way traffic but you have to give Clach credit for digging-in, especially when they want down to 10 men. It just wasn’t our day.”
The former Caley Thistle and Canadian international defender went on to add: “We maybe didn’t create as much as we have done in other games this season, but ultimately there were chances there to win the game and we didn’t take them.
“The conditions were fine, the pitch was very heavy and that made it difficult for both sets of players.
“It was obviously a disappointing result for us but we’ll take it on the chin and move on.”
Brora Rangers 4-0 Deveronvale
Brora moved up two places to fourth spot in the Highland League table with a comfortable victory over Deveronvale at a wintry Dudgeon Park.
A double apiece from Cattachs strikers Jordan Macrae and Matthew Wright was enough for the home side to claim all three points.
Brora boss Craig Campbell admitted there was a degree of controversy over his side’s second goal.
He said: “Referee Gordon Morrison admitted that he had made a mistake in awarding us a free-kick at our second goal but I think he also got it wrong in the second half when Jordan Macrae got his head kicked in the box and he gave nothing.
“There was a covering of snow on the pitch and underfoot conditions were difficult for the players and as the game went on the temperatures dropped and it became a little bit slippery.
“I think the league table was a little bit false in terms of the number of games some teams have played but we are now up to fourth spot after this excellent three points.”
Brora opened the scoring when Macrae converted a Wright cross from close-range then on the half hour they increased their lead when Dale Gillespie’s hotly-disputed free-kick came back off the post and Matthew Wright tapped the ball home.
After the break Brora stretched their lead thanks to strikes from Macrae and then Wright.
Vale boss Craig Stewart said: “The game kind of turned on referee Gordon Morrison’s bad decision to give them a free-kick in the lead up to their second goal.
“The former Clach striker held his hand up and apologised to us at half-time, so credit to him for that as not many referees ever admit to making a mistake.
“That kind of knocked the stuffing out of us though we were still in the game and 2-0 to them at half-time probably flattered Brora as we did have a couple of chances of our own.
“I don’t think we did enough in the second half to be perfectly honest. There’s no doubt that Brora deserved their win, although I don’t there was four goals in it.”
Meanwhile, Brora announced new contracts for a key quartet on the back of their 4-0 win.
Strike pair Andy and Jordan MacRae have penned extensions with the Cattachs until 2024.
Former Ross County youngster Gregor MacDonald and midfielder Martin Maclean have also inked new deals, with their contracts running until 2025.
Brora Rangers announce new deals for key quartet after 4-0 win over Deveronvale
