Aberdeen 5 Buckie Thistle 3: Jags crash out of Aberdeenshire Shield at semi-final stage
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A TALENTED young Aberdeen side proved to be too good for Buckie Thistle in the semi-final of the Aberdeenshire Shield on Tuesday night.
The Jags were beaten 5-3 by the Dons at Balmoor Stadium, in Peterhead – where they were without their manager Graeme Stewart, who is away working in the United States.
While Stewart was in Houston, his side had a problem dealing with a lively Aberdeen attack.
"To go out in a semi-final is disappointing, but the thing that jumps out at me is letting in five goals," Stewart said. "I've not seen the goals, but if you score three you should be winning so it's not good enough.
"We went into the game thinking we had a good chance of winning so to go out in a semi-final is disappointing. We beat them last season and we are a better team now.
"I was getting updates on the game from my brother and Andy MacAskill, who is injured, and I've got a report from Lewis (Mackinnon, assist manager) on the goals, so we will get to the bottom of it."
Josh Peters opened the scoring for Jags on 10 minutes – but it was 3-1 to the Dons at half-time thanks to goals from Alfie Bavidge, Adam Emslie and Finlay Marshall.
Jack Murray pulled a goal back on the hour mark – but he put through his own net for 4-2 before Bavidge's second wrapped up Aberdeen's spot in the final.
Max Barry, formerly of Aberdeen, grabbed a late consolation for the Jags when he netted the eighth goal of the game late on.
Buckie will look to recover from the defeat when they take on Inverurie Loco Works at Harlaw Park on Saturday.
A dedicated Stewart hopes to be back in the country in time to lead the Jags into the game – with his flight back from the USA arriving on Saturday morning.
"I booked the trip thinking I wouldn't miss a game but the cup game was moved," he explained. "I'll be back for Saturday as long as there are no delays.
"Inverurie are going to come good at some point. This will be the third time Deano (Dean Donaldson, new Inverurie manager) has played us this season – so he has had a few looks at us.
"We had some good wins against Turriff when he was their manager but they will have learned a bit.
"We know it is going to be difficult. Deano has had three or four weeks now to get ideas in place and he is a good coach."
Huntly were beaten on penalties by Banks O' Dee in the Aberdeenshire Shield's other semi-final on Wednesday night.
Garry Wood gave the Aberdeen side the lead inside five minutes, before Ruari Fraser equalised after a quarter of an hour.
The match made it to penalties level, with Banks O' Dee winning 4-3 on spot kicks to set up a final with Aberdeen.
