Highland League: Buckie Thistle and Brechin City set for thrilling end in title race

The winner of the Highland League will be decided on Saturday afternoon as Buckie Thistle and Brechin City, the top two in the division, go head-to-head in a mouthwatering encounter at Victoria Park.

Buckie Thistle and Brechin City meet at Victoria Park to decide the Highland League title.

Leading the Hedgemen by a point, Buckie Thistle hold the advantage going into the final day of the season and Graeme Stewart’s men require just a point to secure the title and set up a Pyramid Play-Off against Lowland League champions Spartans. However, after setting up the title showdown on Wednesday with victory against Keith, Brechin City can take the glory should the prevail. Andy Kirk’s men have only lost one match all season and defeated Buckie earlier in the campaign at Glebe Park.

A crowd of more than 2,000 spectators is expected on the Moray coast, 750 of which will come from Brechin, and their chairman Kevin Mackie said: “There is just so much excitement for this game. It looks as if we have at least six or seven buses going up.”

Buckie finished second to Fraserburgh last season by three points, with Brechin a further four points back in third place. However, both teams have improved markedly since then and are well clear of the rest of the teams. The winner of the play-off against Spartans, the first leg of which is next weekend, will go on to face the team that finishes bottom of League Two.