Dee-light as ex-juniors prove to be spot on
BRORA RANGERS 3 BANKS 0’ DEE 3
(Dee won 4-3 on pens)
An incredible first half set the tone for a cracking GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup first-round tie.
It was The Cattachs who came out of the traps flying and goals from Gregor Macdonald and Ally Macdonald put them firmly in the driving seat.
Brora’s perfect start was dealt a double blow when Mark Gilmour pulled one back from a penalty, then Mark Nicolson was sent off by the referee halfway through the first half.
Lachie Macleod squared the game before the break.
Jordan Macrae seemed to have sent the 10 men through, but Macleod nabbed his second of the game in the final minute to set up a dramatic penalty shoot-out, which the former Junior side won 4-3.
KEITH 0 FORRES MECHANICS 2
Forres Mechanics eased their way into the second round of the competition with another solid defensive display.
After a goalless first half, it was the visitors who were gifted the lead when a cross from the right was headed into the top corner of his own net by the unfortunate Lewis Coull.
Ben Barron is beginning to build up a scoring streak and he clinched the match with a second 13 minutes from time from the penalty spot after an impressive run past four players was unceremoniously halted in the penalty area.
BRECHIN CITY 4 ROTHES 2
A Botti Biabi hat-trick was the highlight of Brechin City’s 4-2 victory over Rothes at Glebe Park.
The Speysiders grabbed the lead after just three minutes when Aidan Wilson fired home from the edge of the box, but City levelled four minutes later when Grady Mcgrath converted from a penalty after Marc Scott had been fouled
in the box.
The visitors regained the advantage in the 24th minute when Greg Morrison drilled the ball home from 18 yards, but City equalised three minutes before half-time when Biabi swept home a Scott cross.
Biabi blasted home another Scott cross seconds after the restart to give City the lead for the first time and the ex-hearts and Falkirk striker completed his hattrick and the scoring with just a minute remaining when he slotted home a spot-kick after Scott had been fouled in the box.
DEVERONVALE 1 BUCKIE THISTLE 3
Buckie Thistle advanced to the quarter-finals, but Vale gave them ahardtimetomakethenext round.
Both teams had chances in a first half that swung back and forth, but Thistle opened the scoring with four minutes left of the half as Jack Murray’s header was deemed to have crossed the line following a corner.
Vale keeper Sean Mcintosh put up the shutters as he kept Buckie
at bay in the second half, but Vale hit back in the 71st minute as Dane Ballard headed home from close range.
Andy Macaskill converted a penalty eight minutes from time before Max Barry sealed the tie a minute from time.
HUNTLY 2 FORMARTINE UNITED 3
A three-minute spell in the first half saw a quick succession of goals.
Robbie Foster opened the scoring in the 26th minute heading Cameron Blacklock’s cross in from a tight angle.
One minute later, Adam Morris chipped a glorious second.
Formartine pulled one back when a long throw by Matthew Mclean into the box was fired through the Huntly defence by Johnathan Crawford.
A deflected Aiden Combe shot tied the scores in the 56th minute, then Formartine grabbed a stoppage-time winner to face Buckie Thistle in the next round after a long throw from Mclean was headed in by Crawford.
LOSSIEMOUTH 0 NAIRN COUNTY 3
Nairn got off to a flying start with two goals inside the first 10 minutes.
Ciaran Young was on hand to side-foot an Andrew Greig cross into the net from close range in the fourth minute, then he was at it again five minutes later after Connor Gethins sent him clear of the Lossie defence.
The Wee County put the game to bed when they added a third 10 minutes from time, Liam Shewan netting with a predatory finish at the back post after Sam Gordon fired it across the face of the goal.
FRASERBURGH 1 INVERURIE LOCOS 2
Inverurie Locos went into halftime a goal to the good thanks to a fine strike by Nathan Meres.
The former Huntly man collected Lloyd Robertson’s pass and stroked it into the bottom corner from just outside the penalty area.
Locos’ veteran forward Garry Wood drew a foul out of James Beagrie in the penalty box and got up to convert the spot-kick, finding the bottom left corner from 12 yards.
The Broch pulled one back when Sean Butcher directed Paul Young’s cross past Andy Reid, but there was to be no dramatic turnaround as the visitors held on.
TURRIFF UNITED 4 CLACHNACUDDIN 0
In an early kick-off at The Haughs, Turriff’s Ewan Clark intercepted a short passback to roll a fourthminute opener past Martin Mckinnon.
Clark converted a penalty after Callan Gray was upended in the 21st minute and, seven minutes later, the striker completed his hat-trick.
Regular Clach scorer James Anderson missed an open goal chance to reduce the leeway.
But, in 66 minutes, Clark got his fourth and his second from the spot after Gary Warren was sent off for a last-man challenge on him.