Huntly manager Colin Charlesworth is thrilled by Aberdeenshire Cup success over Buckie Thistle and wants to lead Christie Park club to first trophy success since 2007
Colin Charlesworth is determined to end Huntly’s 17-year wait for silverware.
The Christie Park side reached the Aberdeenshire Cup final last night after defeating Buckie Thistle 3-1 - they now play Banks o’ Dee for the trophy.
Having been an injured Huntly player when the Black and Golds lost to Dee in the Shire Shield final two years ago, current boss Charlesworth was frustrated when his club failed to end an honours drought stretching back to 2007.
The dominant Highland League force in the 1990s, Huntly have found success harder to come by in recent times and their manager is eager to change all that.
“It was 2007-08 when the club last won something (the SFA Challenge Cup) and that is definitely too long for a club like Huntly,” said Charlesworth.
“For how well this club is run and how many good players are in the squad, getting to cup finals has to be a regular thing so we have to do it more often. We have given ourselves as good a chance as anyone to win a cup now.”
Two Angus Grant goals including a penalty, and a Ross Still header overturned Buckie’s half time lead at Christie Park given to them by an early Joe McCabe counter.
It was enough to earn a place in the final at Charlesworth’s old stomping ground, Inverurie’s Harlaw Park against Dee on Sunday, November 17.
“It was a great feeling. It is a lot more enjoyable as a manager as well but also more nerve-wracking in the lead up to winning.”
Charlesworth admitted his team was lucky not to be more than 1-0 down in the opening quarter of the contest, but was impressed by their recovery.
“We got off to a bad start and it could have been worse. Buckie came out flying and were the better team for at least 15 minutes, hemming us in.
“Our keeper made two really good saves and they missed a couple of gilt-edged chances so we rode our luck at that stage. But after that we got a foothold in the game and finished the half the better team.
“In the second half it was our turn to come out flying and it was pretty much one-way traffic up until we got the score to 3-1. We knew Buckie would chuck the kitchen sink at us and come at us so it was all about protecting the lead and defending properly.
“You say the old cliche at half time, how the next goal is massive and you look to start fast and score early and the momentum swings with you, and that’s exactly what happened.
“We forced a couple of corners, we got the penalty and you would put your money on Angus Grant scoring from the spot right now.
“We've got a tight, close-knit squad and everyone played their part in the game. We used 16 players and every single one of them contributed.
“The subs who came on, the standards didn’t drop. I could have started any one of my 20 players last night and we would have been strong.”
The Huntly boss knows that every member of his squad will want to be in his cup final starting eleven, and that can trigger some strong league performances in the lead-up to the big match.
“That’s the good thing, we’ve got five weeks now to the final and I’ve got 20 players fighting for a cup final place.
“Every single one of them wants to be in my team come the Sunday of the final and that can only stand us in good stead for league form.
“If the lads turn up and produce performances like I know they are capable of doing, we can go on a good run between now and the date of the final.”