INVERURIE Locos' title hopes took a severe blow at the weekend with a heavy loss at Fraserburgh and now only 68 points can be attained as a maximum, a total that can be overtaken by five other teams.

Manager Dave Cormie was a boss hurting badly when talking about the game and where he sees Locos heading in the immediate future and looking further ahead.

He said: "Fraserburgh are a very good side and if you get your best team on the park you will do well. Michael Stephen was exceptional and they had their strongest team on the park while we had a bad day. Ten minutes after half time they had scored their second, then a third, then we tried to chase to get back.

"For our part we asked questions of Neil McLean who answered back superbly but we didn't get on the end of his crosses. Paul Jarvie conceded four goals but it has to be noted he also saved a penalty and made some other good saves, so he possibly saved us from a hiding.

"It was noticeable we lacked pace at the back. I was lucky enough to be Huntly boss when we beat Locos 2-0 for much the same reason but things take time with regard to players I want in. I got this job because something was wrong but frankly at times it shows it's not got a lot better. Fans want to know what's going on but we ask them to be patient."

A rebuilding of a Highland League side has to be done in cycles and is something the Inverurie side has not had to be done in a big way but Cormie feels it has to be addressed.

"Having a crop of young boys on the books is fine but blooding them in the middle of a League challenge is not so easy. There's good young players that will get their opportunity but not a lot are in the natural defensive positions.

"Even the win against Brora did not mask some of the problems we have because the level of performance also showed we lack a natural ball winner of the type of Barry Somers or Andy Walker who've been here in past seasons.

"We have been runners up three seasons in a row well with a bit of luck that could have been three titles in a row. But we have to look at the rebuilding process because players are getting older. Mark Simpson was one who held his hands up and said he'd not had a good game but trying to give reasons for it not going to plan is another thing.

"Things go in cycles success-wise but there is nobody hurting more than myself as a Locos fan as well as Locos manager, but I have to get it to work and it has to be worked the way I want it to, but it will take time."

Fraserburgh knocked Locos off the top of the league with a vintage team performance - and Michael Stephen was man of the match with another two terrific strikes, making it six goals in two games for the Broch legend as the home side ran out 4-0 winners.

Russell McBride returned to the home side after almost 18 months out with a knee injury. Ryan Christie was also included in the squad while Lewis McKimmie was listed on the bench for the Locos; both players having come back from long lay offs themselves, but the Locos squad was decimated by injury, illness and unavailablity.

Inverurie had the first shot of the match inside the first 15 minutes and Michael Thomson made a good stop from Neil McLean's high dipping ball. Thomson then made an excellent save from former Aberdeen striker Scott Michie, turning the ball away with his foot.

Paul Jarvie was then put under the limelight, stopping Michael Stephen from four yards out after Kevin Norris had headed the ball across goal. Locos then pressed and pressed but couldn't create chances, and paid the full price, going 1-0 down on 33 minutes.

The Broch broke up the pitch from an Inverurie corner, and Dean Elrick's shot deflected off Scott Buchan before falling to Michael Stephen 25 yards out, who scored a netbursting strike.
It was almost 2-0 just 60 seconds later, as a goalmouth scramble and a mishit clearance fell to Norris, but he steered just wide of the target.

Michael Thomson then showed why he is the first choice keeper this season with another great stop, this time from the head of Craig Ross, as the Broch waited anxiously for the half-time whistle.

Fraserburgh started the second half with two goals, the first coming from Graham Johnston. Michael Stephen made a rampaging run and his cross found 'Gizzy' unmarked six yards out, and his diving header doubled the scoreline.

In no time at all, it was 3-0, with Jamie Ralph scoring his third goal for the club, an absolute beauty from outside the area that flew into the bottom corner and Fraserburgh were content to make it more.

Scott Michie then came close for the Harlaw Park club drilling a 12-yard effort wide. Inverurie got more chances to pull a goal back as the game wore on, but couldn't find then net.

Graham Johnston then missed a spot kick, as Jarvie pulled off a good save at his bottom right-hand post, with quarter of an hour left as West was adjudged to have been pulled down in the box.

Michael Stephen then scored another cracker to put the Broch 4-0 up and put the game beyond doubt. Stephen turned two defenders before producing a wonderful strike straight into the top corner on 83 minutes.

In injury time, Fraserburgh had a goal chalked off for offside, Johnston forcing Jarvie to tip the ball onto the bar, and as the ball came down, the former Dundee United shot-stopper overhead kicked the ball back off the bar. Mark Dickson ran in to make the scoreline what he thought was 5-0, only for referee Scott MacDonald's assistant to put his flag up, despite
Fraserburgh celebrating another victory at Bellslea Park.

Cormie concluded by commenting on latest target, the high scoring and experienced Martin Johnston: "The board has given me their backing to go out and look for players I want to bring to this club, to strengthen the squad for the future not just a player or two for a quick fix.

"Martin is a player I know very well, I took him to Cove while I was boss there so I know his strengths and I have made him aware I would not necessarily see him as a striker, it has been discussed the role I'd see him playing.

"We have spoken at length and I believe if he doesn't join us, it will be for reasons other than football reasons. I have made my pitch the right way so I have to see what he decides."

Fraserburgh: Thomson, Milne, McBride (Christie 63), Dickson, Ralph, Elrick (Garden 85), Norris, West, Main, Johnston, Stephen Subs: Hale, Hay, Dunbar.
Inverurie Locos: Jarvie, Milne, Buchan, Wilson, Simpson, Mess, McWilliam, Youngson, Michie, Ross, McLean Subs: Gauld, McCulloch, McKimmie, Park, Christie.