Brora Rangers attacker Connor Bunce expects plenty more twists and turns in Highland League title race ahead of crunch clash with rivals Brechin City
Brora Rangers are gearing up for a potentially season-defining match this weekend at the top of the Highland League.
The Cattachs still sit at the summit despite a 3-2 defeat to Buckie Thistle last weekend, boasting a better goal difference than Brechin City – who are now level on points with Brora – by 27 goals.
With seven games still to play, Brora and Brechin will face off on Saturday in a game that will have a huge impact on where this season’s league title will end up.
Whoever can claim victory will have the advantage once again at this late stage of the season, and the likes of Connor Bunce know exactly what is at stake.
“You can’t say it for definite, but whoever does win on Saturday will have the advantage going into the last six games, so it’s massive,” the attacker said.
“It’s not a position I’ve been in before, so that’s exciting. I’m sure most of the boys in the Brora team have been in this situation before, so they will push us through.
“It’s fighting at the other end of the table, which I’m not so used to. Every game really does feel like a cup final, even though I know that’s something that gets said a lot.
“Genuinely, going into every game it’s never easy, and other teams are looking to stop you from winning the league – that’s exactly what Buckie did to us on Saturday.
“I’m sure even after Saturday there will be plenty more twists and turns for both teams to come. Both teams have a lot of big games coming up even after this weekend, so I think there’s a long way to go in this title race.
“We just have to take it step-by-step. The main priority this week in training will be Brechin, and then after that we will look at the next cup final.”
Of course, if this weekend’s match ends up as a draw, the title race will remain in the balance.
In that case, goal difference could become a genuine possibility to decide the championship, with Brora having a significant advantage on that front – and even closing in on 100 league goals this season.
“The longer the season has been going on, with how tight it has been, it’s looking more and more likely that it will come down to goal difference,” Bunce continued.
“It’s good that we’re so far ahead, and that’s credit to the boys going back to before I joined. To be 27 goals ahead with seven games to go is pretty amazing to be honest.
“I think my first game was against Rothes, and we were three or four up at half time. The message in the dressing room was that we needed to go and get more, because we knew it could come down to goal difference at the end of the season.
“That’s the mentality I need to get into myself, which is another main reason I moved to Brora. I want to have that winning mentality, and I haven’t been able to get that anywhere else so far.”
While competing for silverware brings pressure to deliver every single time they step out on to the pitch, Bunce finds that he is still able to enjoy the ride.
In fact, these positions are exactly why he made the move to Dudgeon Park from Clachnacuddin earlier this season.
“I can definitely still enjoy it, but there are nerves going into every game now,” he added.
“I’m not used to it, but this is exactly why I made the move, to be fighting for league titles and going for trophies.
“The boys are in a cup final as well, going for a treble. Even though I’m cup-tied for that, it’s an amazing feeling to be around, and it’s exactly why I moved.”
