The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Fraserburgh to the four
Dickson’s strike means Broch come out on top in Harlaw Park goalfest
Fraserburgh will be in tonight’s Scottish Cup second-round draw after edging out Locos in a seven-goal thriller at Harlaw Park.
The game looked all but over midway through the first half, the Broch were 4-1 up thanks to Paul Campbell’s quickfire spotkick double, Willie West’s downward header and a superb Marc Dickson curler but Locos rallied after the break with goals from Paul Broadhurst and Neil Gauld.
Locos were at full strength with top scorer Gauld partnered by Chris Angus up front but the Broch had a handful of players out, including injured strikers Gary Harris and Scott Barbour and fullback Ryan Cowie.
In the fourth minute Fraserburgh took the lead from the penalty spot, Paul Campbell was bundled over in the box by Greg Mitchell, referee Stewart Luke immediately pointed to the spot and Campbell himself made no mistake from 12 yards.
Two minutes later the Broch were awarded another penalty, this time it was Daniel Crisp who barged over Willie West and once again Campbell gave Andy Reid no chance, hammering the ball down the middle.
The game continued at a furious pace and within two minutes Locos threw themselves a lifeline when Jordan Leyden’s cross picked out Angus eight yards out and his bullet header flew high past Peter Tait into the roof of the net.
The action continued unabated and in the 20th minute the Broch made it 3-1 when Lewis Davidson’s looping cross was headed down and past Reid into the corner of the net by West.
Amazingly, two minutes later Dickson, in his testimonial season, added another with a brilliant 18yard curler which gave Reid no chance.
Only a brilliant finger-tip save by Reid three minutes from the break stopped West from notching another.
Locos manager Neil Cooper no doubt had a few choice words to impart to his players at the interval.
The Broch striker came close to grabbing another in the 65th minute but Reid raced from his goal to block Campbell’s drive on the edge of the box. In the 68th minute Locos pulled one back when Broadhurst headed home a Neil McLean corner kick from three yards.
In the 86th minute Locos made it 4-3 when Gauld nodded in an Angus cross from six yards to set up a grandstand finish, but Fraserburgh just held on to progress.