Brora target is to be 'best of the rest', says Josh Meekings after midweek derby win
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Josh Meekings has declared that Brora Rangers' target for the end of the season is to finish "best of the rest" behind the top two in the Highland League.
He accepts that Buckie and Brechin won't be caught but wants to see the Cattachs picking up maximum points in their remaining six games, starting with this weekend's trip to Inverurie Locos.
The assistant manager was speaking after Brora bounced back from Saturday's 4-3 loss at Banks O' Dee with an emphatic 6-1 midweek victory over Wick Academy at Dudgeon Park.
"We'll set the target of winning every game that we play," Meekings said. "We're going to have some tough games, we're going to be light on numbers in terms of our squad at times, but we're up for it.
"Best of the rest is where we want to be. There is no complacency from anybody within the squad. It's all about setting the standards and keeping them high.
"We want maximum points from every game. But if we don't do that, we make sure we're not getting beaten. Best of the rest would be the ideal scenario for the end of the season."
Leading 1-0 at the break after Ross Gunn's strike on the half-hour mark, Brora took charge in the second period with further goals from Tony Dingwall (2), Andy Macrae, Ali Sutherland and Jordan MacRae.
James Mackintosh got a consolation goal for Wick.
Meekings said: "In the first half we got ourselves into good areas, or we'd get through their press and then would play the wrong pass, or in the final third make the wrong decisions.
"It was about being patient. We were dominant in the second half – I felt that we played the football that we want to play. We made the right decisions at the right times. We were a bit more patient.
"It's important that we make the right choices in the final third because when we do that we're a good side and we hurt teams.
"Andy and Jordan have been scoring goals all season and it was great to see Tony and Gunny get on the scoresheet as well from the wide areas. There were lots of positives."
Meekings felt the "only downside" was James Mackintosh's close-range goal for Wick following a corner.
"Perhaps that's just me being a defender, and being a bit picky, but we just don't want to be conceding from set-pieces," Meekings said. "It's an easy thing to manage – go and win your battle in the area. It just felt too easy.
"But, trying to keep it positive, it's great to bounce back after a tough weekend."
Brora made the breakthrough on the half-hour mark when Ross Gunn raced onto an incisive through ball on the left and slammed it low past Graeme Williamson.
The Cattachs doubled their lead on 49 minutes when Tony Dingwall's corner from the left eluded everyone in the box and found its way in at the far post.
Four minutes later Dingwall was released on the right and he had plenty of time to pick out Andy Macrae for a tap-in.
After two Wick corners came to nothing, Brora charged forward and a quick exchange of passes created an easy finish for Dingwall with 55 minutes gone.
The Scorries pulled one back in the 62nd minute when Richard Macadie's corner on the left was knocked in by Mackintosh from close range.
Six minutes later, Brora again sliced open the Wick defence and Ali Sutherland made it 5-1 with a clinical finish.
Jordan MacRae rounded off the scoring with four minutes remaining when he lashed the ball in from a tight angle.
At full-time the Sheena Manson Memorial Trophy was presented to Brora captain Martin Maclean by Sheena's son John.
Sheena was a highly respected committee member of both the football club and the social club at Brora and was a well-known face around the Highland League. She died in 2021, aged 89.
