Formartine entertained defending champions Cove Rangers at North Lodge Park today,.Formartine's first home game in front of a huge 751 crowd; but their excitement was extinguished with two quick Cove goals which resulted in them dropping their first three points of the season.

Formartine started off positively with an early chance straight after kick off. However, Cove were awarded a free kick early on to stamp their authorities on the new Highland League team. It was taken by Ritchie Livingstone but easily dealt with by Formartine's keeper Stewart Gray.

It only took four minutes for Cove to open the scoring with only their second opportunity of the match. It was a delightful deep cross Livingstone and Milne heading down to set up Paul Tosh who calmly slotted it passed Gray.

Two minutes later and Cove had their second. Clark Bain was taken down carelessly by James Seivwright in the six yard box from behind and the Referee Brian Braidwood pointed to the spot. Kevin Webster composed himself and with precision slotted it to the right hand side. 2-0 Cove after seven minutes.

Formartine stunned by their opponents' two quick goals picked themselves up and had a couple of chances of their own. The two strikers Stuart McKay and Barry Somers linked well giving chances at the Cove goal; however Cove's goal keeper Stuart McKenzie was stopping them in the process with good saves.Formartine's Stuart Shinnie went close with a twenty yard volley forcing McKenzie to make a good save.

The home crowd was stunned when a 50/50 tackle with Bain and Darren McGuiness resulted in McGuiness having to be stretchered off only 25 minutes into the game, Callum Irvine coming on as a replacement forcing a reshuffling of the back four..

Formartine's best opportunity came in the thirty fourth  minute from a route one kick from Gray which was flicked on by Somers to McKay who found himself one on one with McKenzie but failed to fully test the keeper who saved with his legs. Even nearer to half time a Stuart Cumming free kick was headed onto the upright by Somers.

A much quieter second half was dominated by end to end stuff with Formartine looking for a way back into it and Cove looking to wrap the three points up. Marc Young came close with a terrific bicycle kick; however the referee, who had a busy game, gave a foul against Young. 

Ross Forsyth saw a left foot shot taken well by the Cove keeper then at the other end Gray had to be clever to turn a Roddy Black shot round his left post

In the closing stages, McKay got away from the Cove defence but found no takers for his cross

As the final whistle blew the huge home support at North Lodge Park was pleased with their team's performance as they went down gallantly to a quality team. It had been a day of warm sunshine, music from the Buchan Pipe Band and the match ball parachuted onto the park. A day to remember .