Deveronvale 0  Buckie Thistle 1

 

Worthy winners.  That just about encapsulates the Jags performance on the night.

The only damper on the evening was when a number of Vale supporters broke one of the team bus windows with a volley of stones.

After almost an hour and a half enduring the tuneless, wordless chanting from a small section of the Vale following, it was a delight to see the Thistle fans celebrate their team's late winner.

The game got underway with Buckie operating a 3-5-2 setup, but the home side were quicker out of the traps and had Thistle floundering on the slick surface, after Lewis MacKinnon had volleyed narrowly wide in the second minute.

Non-stop Vale pressure in conjunction with nervous, inept play by the hoops allowed the home side to exert almost non-stop pressure and the Banff support were soon on their feet, screaming for a repeat of Saturday's result.

Tony Low was booked, rather softly in 11 minutes for an innocuous challenge on Watt and it began to look ominous, but the Jags stuck to their task and in 15 minutes, a deep cross was curled into the Vale box by Mike Macdonald.

Craig MacMillan got in a powerful, downward header, but although it beat Blanchard, the ball rebounded off the outside of the upright and went behind.

Two minutes later, Brian Neill joined his team-mate in the book for another soft challenge, as he contested a loose ball with his marker.

Buckie were gradually taking a grip though and it became the home side's turn to be on the back foot, their frustration manifesting itself when Clark found himself booked for a hefty, illegal challenge on Neill on the half hour.

From the ensuing free kick, Lewis MacKinnon whacked the ball around the defensive wall, but the woodwork again saved Blanchard's blushes.

Thistle's dominance was showing and Craig "Franny" MacMillan set up Lewis MacKinnon, with a superb slip, only for an offside flag to deny him a great opportunity.

Four minutes from half time, David Macrae whacked a dipping shot narrowly wide of the mark, after a quickly taken free kick by Neill, and the interval arrived with the scoresheet still blank.

There had been little evidence of Vale's alleged passing game thusfar and after the interval their tactics remained rigid, as they continued with the "route one" approach.

Buckie were playing excellent football, especially on the left flank, where Mike Macdonald played his part.

Dlugonski flattened Mike on the edge of the Vale ‘box in the 49^th minute and was rightly cautioned, but Neill sent the free kick well over the crossbar.

The Banffers were becoming more and more desperate in their efforts to knock back the green and white tide, which threatened to engulf them and a couple of crude and cynical fouls by Scott Fraser on Lewis MacKinnon drew no more than a lecture after the second assault.

Vale began to adopt a similar pattern to Buckie's, sticking five in midfield to try and shore up, with the result that for a spell, there was stalemate, although the Jags remained the more positive outfit.

In 71 minutes, Bremner became the third red-shirted player to be cautioned, for a foul, then show of dissent.

Thistle maintained the pressure though and with 12 minutes remaining, Brian Neill hit the bye-line to cross, for Tony Low at the near post and the winger's head-flick found Steven Bruce in the clear, but "Marra" shot wide from 12 yards, to the dismay of the Buckie fans.

Five minutes from time, Fraser was eventually yellow carded, along with Marra, following an altercation between the two after the Vale player practically assaulted the Jags' front man on the half way line.

 With only three minutes of regulation remaining and the prospects of extra time looming, Thistle tied it up, when Tony Low cut the ball into the ‘Vale box, allowing BRIAN NEILL to net with an angled shot from 8 yards.

It was only justice for the hard working Jags players, who had run themselves into the ground in an effort to redeem their blip on Saturday against the Banff side.

The Jags players ran down the clock after that and it was celebration time as their joyous fans let off steam and contemplated their first final of the season, on Saturday 8^th September, against the winners of the Locos v Keith Semi final to be played next week.

All in all, a satisfying match which saw Thistle regroup after a shake opening 20 minutes or so, to dominate the tie and create a multitude of chances, before finally ensuring they progressed to the Final.

There were no failures on the night, but mention is due of Jamie Shewan, who excelled throughout, completely snuffing out the threat of John Coutts, who was substituted late in the second half.

As the team coach left the car park to return to Buckie, a rain of missiles ensured that Gordon Mayne will be faced with a hefty bill to replace a side window on the coach.

The police attended promptly, but the perpetrators, possibly members of the self styled "Valley Youth Crew" had long since melted into the protective shadows and side streets.

Huntly on Saturday then and another early and important hurdle for the Jags, who will benefit from a rest day the following Saturday, before resuming with an away match at Mosset Park, then home to Fort William, before the Aberdeenshire Final Tie, as stated earlier.

Jags' Lineup: Main, Shewan, Grant, Macrae(R Davidson70), Matheson, Small, T Low, Neill, MacKinnon, MacMillan, Macdonald(Bruce75). Not used: Lamberton, Stewart, Edmond.

Vale Lineup: Blanchard, Dolan, Dlugonski, Chisholm, Fraser, Clark, Urquhart(Cowie51), Bremner, Ewen, Coutts(Robertson80), Watt.

Referee: Mr F McDermott.