INVERURIE Locos maintained their 100 per cent record with a 3-0 win over Brora Rangers at Dudgeon Park on Saturday (August 18), and lie in second place on goal difference only behind Buckie Thistle after just two League games.

The visitors had a goal disallowed in nine minutes when Gary Nicol headed home a Neil McLean corner from the left but a foul was given against the striker.

However, Nicol didn't take long to get on the scoresheet as three minutes later it was 1-0 to the title favourites. A thunderbolt Neil McLean effort was parried away to the right side by Michael Gray but winger Richie Singer composed himself and played it in for Nicol who cutely placed the ball into the corner for his fifth goal in a fortnight.

Sam MacKay made a lung-bursting run at the other end but the Locos defence regrouped and crowded him out as the youngster looked for options. In 26 minutes a good interchange of passes allowed Scott Michie to have the goal at his sights but the former Don fired well over the top.

Home keeper Michael Gray did well to tip over a Singer long range shot but was beaten right on half time when Gary Nicol curled a free kick round the wall and the ball nestled just inside the keeper's left post.

The second half saw both teams probing but little in the way of clear cut chances. In the 72nd minute Locos gave the ball away in midfield and the Cattachs who had battled away in the early part of the second half worked the ball out to the right where MacKay controlled the ball and swung it in. Keeper Kyle Reid struggled with the wet ball coming across but in the end the danger was mopped up.

However, Locos sealed the points two minutes later when Michael Steven upended Neil McLean in the box and Scott Michie sent the ball to the keeper's left with Gray going the other way.

A comfortable victory on a day of persistent rain and with Buckie, Deveronvale, Keith and Cove also winning with a bit to spare over the weekend, it is shaping up to be an exciting League race.

Brora Rangers: Gray, Steven (Finnis 77), Christie, K. Macleod (Gunn 28), Smith, Lewis, Mackay, Begg, Kennedy, G. Macleod, Sutherland (N. Denoon 56). Subs: Farquhar, McNiven.

Inverurie Locos: Reid, McCulloch, Scott, Wilson (Calder 39), Mess, Buchan, Singer (Ross 68), Youngson, Michie, Nicol (Gordon 46), McLean. Not Used: Milne, Simpson.