'Massive underdogs' Huntly ready for Formartine United cup test, says manager Allan Hale
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HUNTLY will be looking to reach a second cup final in as many years when they travel to Formartine United tomorrow night.
The Black and Golds have defeated Keith and Aberdeen to reach the semi-finals of the Aberdeenshire Cup and will be aiming to tee up a final with Fraserburgh when they travel to Pitmedden.
A cup final appearance would add to last season's clash with Banks o' Dee, which Huntly cruelly lost on penalty kicks.
Allan Hale's side go into the match off the back of a 2-0 defeat against Buckie Thistle at the weekend, while Formartine were surprisingly defeated 2-1 by Keith.
"We aren't reading too much into their result at the weekend," Hale said. "They've had a strong start to the season, have been consistent and will be difficult to break down.
"They've good a good shape about them, have good technical players and when they click it can be devastating.
"It'll be a difficult game – especially away, as their home record is consistent.
"We'll go into the match as massive underdogs, we're under no illusions, but hopefully we'll get a good level of performance out of the players.
"We are a young team with inconsistencies, but we have done well in cup competitions. It's great we are in two semi finals in two years, hopefully we can put in a challenge for two finals."
Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Buckie Thistle was far from uncompetitive, with early and late goals from Andy MacAskill ensuring the points remained at Victoria Park.
“We know Buckie’s quality so our game plan was to frustrate and limit the influence they had and we did that for large parts,” Hale said.
“We’ve got to ride our luck at places like that and we did that in 10 to 15-minute spell at the start of second half.
“They could have scored a couple more on another day. We had a go late on and got picked off on counter. It was a deserved win for Buckie.”
Hale said Huntly are running with a short squad at the minute, with Michael Clark, Andy Hunter, Liam MacDonald, Alex Thoirs, Zander Jack and Colin Charlesworth out injured.
“We’ve lost a few players and don’t have budget to replace them,” he added.
“But we have got a great group and we are working hard with the group we have got. There are a lot of boys that want to be here, and their work rate has been consistent over the last few games.
"We just need to sharpen up and be a bit more clinical.”
