Treble yell has Smith rocking as United go goal-crazy in quarters

Formartine United reached the semi-final of the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup after cruising past Huntly at North Lodge Park in Pitmedden last night.

Jonny Smith was the home hero with a brilliantly taken first-half hat-trick earning his club a semi-final trip to Deveronvale.

The 32-year-old was delighted with his night’s work, and said: “My goal where I wheeled and shot home was a good one, it was good to grab a hattrick but just great to get back to winning ways.

“We now travel to face Deveronvale in the semifinal of this cup, but we would fancy our chances whoever we were drawn against as there is a great confidence about us at the moment.

“That’s why we took those recent disappointing results so badly, we fancied going down to Brechin and winning and we also fancied our chances of a home win against Buckie Thistle last weekend, so it really is good to get back to winning ways.

“Having said that, take nothing away from Buckie, they deserved their win as we were well beaten.”

United’s early pressure paid off in the 13th minute when Jonny Smith’s superb downward six-yard header from a deep right-wing cross from player-manger Paul Lawson gave Storrier in the visitors’ goal no chance.

Huntly were dealt a blow in the 20th minute when former Turriff United striker Angus Grant appeared to slip on the far side of the pitch and he was stretchered off with what looked like a serious knee injury, Cameron Heslop coming off the bench to take his place.

On the half-hour mark danger-man Smith scored his own and United’s second goal of the night when his sublime turn left his marker for dead and the ball was nestling in the bottom corner of the net before Huntly keeper Storrier could move.

Five minutes later the game was almost over as a contest when Andrew Greig waltzed through the Huntly defence and fired a 15-yard grounder wide diving Storrier.

The home side were running riot and two minutes later former Aberdeen and Keith striker Smith completed a 24-minute hat-trick with another ferocious 12-yard effort.

There was no further scoring but the damage had been done with that blistering first-half salvo from the home side.

Jonny Smith gets his third for Formartine last night.