Clachnacuddin climbed into the top 10 of the Highland League table with that man Gordon Morrison the difference between the Lilywhites and visitors Brora Rangers at Grant Street Park. The Cattachs couldn't break down the home resistance in the second half after the league's top scorer had netted during the opening 45 minutes despite the dismissal of home defender Steven Macdonald on the hour park.

The hosts first threatened on five minutes when Stuart Leslie ran onto Adam Naismith's neat pass but the striker could only blast his shot over the bar from a central position at the edge of the penalty area.

A quarter of an hour into the game, a Clach corner from the right by Andrew MacAskill was met by the head of Scott Davidson but the defender's effort was straight at Brora goalkeeper Daniel Bell who made the catch.

The opener arrived on 32 minutes when MacAskill again sent over a pinpoint delivery from a corner and this time it was Gordon Morrison who won the header and sent the ball crashing into the roof of the net from six yards out.

Brora's only chance of the first half was on 35 minutes when Gary Farquhar flighted in a corner from the right with the ball headed goalwards by Andrew Neil. Although stand-in goalkeeper Murray Kinnaird failed to gather at the first attempt, the danger was dealt.

Half time: Clachnacuddin 1 Brora Rangers 0

The visitors looked to get back on level terms six minutes into the second half when a corner from dead ball specialist Farquhar found the head of Scott MacAngus but the defender's effort was gathered on the line by Kinnaird.

Clach responded at the other end three minutes later when Leslie played in Andrew MacAskill down the right channel. He hit the by-line inside the box and attempted to find the net from an acute but his effort was parried by Bell.

The Lilywhites were controversially reduced to 10 men on the hour mark when central defender Steven Macdonald was shown the red card by referee Graham Fraser after becoming embroiled in an off-the-ball incident.

Morrison almost grabbed his second goal of the game on 77 minutes when he stepped up to take a free kick halfway inside the Brora half. He thundered the ball towards goal but it skimmed off the crossbar on its way over the top with Bell beaten all ends up.

On-loan Inverness CT midfielder MacAskill again tried his luck with the angle against him 10 minutes before the end when his free kick from the left side near the corner flag was punched clear by Daniel Bell.

Brora threw men forward in the dying minutes as they desperately tried to make their one-man advantage count and salvage a draw and the closest they came to a dramatic leveller was two minutes into injury time. Farquhar's corner into the box was met by the head of Neil but agonisingly for the midfielder on his return to Grant Street, his effort came back off the crossbar before being hacked clear by Murray Kinnaid.

Full time: Clachnacuddin 1 Brora Rangers 0