There was early pressure form Formartine in the opening minutes of the game. Great build up play on the right saw a shot from Stuart Cumming hit the target but he failed to trouble John Campbell in the Fort William goal.

Formartine were getting comfortably into the game with great link up play all over the field. A great opportunity fell at the feet of Stuart McKay as a delightful cross of the ball from Mark Young was just behind McKay who managed to connect with a bicycle kick but it flew wide.

Fort William found themselves with there first opportunity of the match. It was a free kick, 35 yards out, taken by Sean Ellis who failed to take full advantage of a great chance to test Stewart Gray, for the first time in the match, with a poor strike going wide.

More pressure was added when Formartine found countless opportunities to go ahead in the match. The first opportunity fell to Stuart Shinnie with a left footed curl gliding over the wall brushing past the post. In the fourteenth minute Barry Somers rose to a delightful ball from the wing, again heading the ball just wide.

Surely with all this pressure it would not be long until the 214 support at Lodge Park would be celebrating a Formartine goal. In the nineteenth minute Fort William found themselves down to 10 men for a couple of minutes as central defender Graham Bamber received some medical help on the touchline.

Still with one man down Fort William got there first shot on goal from a corner. It was weakly defended with the clearance seeing the ball dropping nicely to Michael Gillespie who sweetly volleyed it at the Formartine goal.

It took twenty four minutes for the home team to open the scoring. Good build play on the left wing by Mark Young taking it passed Simon Shields; he then drove it into the box where it was met by Stuart Cumming who blasted it into the goal to give Formartine the lead.

A beauty of a second would soon be added by Stuart McKay on the half hour mark. Alister Graham won the ball on the half way line threaded it through to Barry Somers, He carried on his run then with a top class cross, with the outside of his right boot, was met sublimely with a thunder bolt strike by Stuart McKay who left the keeper shell shocked by such a great goal.

Fort William was struggling to get passed a well organized defence lead by Mark Simpson, who played superb throughout the whole match.  It should have been three nil at the half way stage when Mark Young found himself free in the box only to hit a low powered shot to John Campbell's right hand post. Support was arriving at the back post by Young chose to shoot rather than to square the ball to his teammate.

Half time: Formartine United FC 2 - 0 Fort William

Twelve minutes in to the second half where the Fort William defence was caught sleeping at a quick throw in freeing Stuart McKay who crossed the ball to Barry Somers who miss controlled the chest down and the chance was gone.

The third for Formartine came at the expense of a slip up form the Fort goal keeper. John Campbell came to collect a cross from Alister Graham which he missed then at the back post Barry Somers pounced on the opportunity to make it three.

Mayhem broke lose when referee Thomas Shaw gave Fort William the soft pen when Sean Ellis appeared to dive in the six yard box. The cry of justice rang out from the home fans as a great save from Stewart Gray stopped Fort William opening their account in the sixty sixth minute.

Two minutes later where more controversy was added in the Fort William box. Stuart McKay was clearly brought down in the box and the referee waved the appeal away. Things calmed down in the last twenty minutes as Formartine looked to increase their lead. Substitute Callum Imray, with his first touch of the game narrowly shot wide.

A last ditch attempt for Fort William to salvage something from the game was turned down by the Formartine defence who were top class through out the match.

Full time: Formartine United FC 3- 0 Fort William
Reporter: Craig Pirie