CHARLESWORTH AT DOUBLE FOR BUCKIE

Highland Champions look forward to Scottish Cup fourth-round draw after win at Bo'ness

Buckie Thistle reached the last 32 of the Scottish Cup with a thorough performance against East Superleague junior champions Bo'ness United on Saturday.

Martin Charlesworth was the Buckie match-winner with two brilliant pieces of opportunism, the first in the forth minute taking the wind out of United's sails and silencing the big home support.

Buckie manager Gregg Carrol was delighted with his side's approach.  He said: "They put us under incredible pressure for much of the game but failed to create too many clear-cut chances.

"When you come to places like this you need to be organised and we certainly were.

"We have been playing the same system for the last 10 weeks, although our wide players didn't get on the ball and Bo'ness had a lot of possession, especially in the middle of the park.

"They threw players forward near the end of the game and that allowed us to create two or three more chances and it really could have been three or four nil for us.

"Martin Charlesworth hadn't been playing too well and he's been left out for weeks, although he did come off the bench against Cove last week and did quite well.

"He was fantastic against Bo'ness but I know what he is capable of.  Sometimes he can be lazy but now he is back in the team he needs to keep up this level of performance.

"We don't give many goals away, teams can come and throw long balls in all day as far as I am concerned as over the course of the last few weeks we have looked very solid at the back.

"We are now in the forth round of the Scottish Cup and unless we get Celtic or Rnagers away from home, we would be very happy indeed with a home draw against anyone.

"The Scottish Cup is special.  You have to earn the right to progress in the competition and I think we have."

Buckie stunned the vocal home support when they took a forth-minute lead.  Zander Sutherland's cross along the six-yard line picked out Charlesworth and although his effort wasn't hit with pace he got enough behind it to send the ball squirming through goalkeeper Ryan McGurks's legs and over the line.

The Jags booked their place in the forth round in the 57th minute when Robbie Brown's free kick was nodded down by Mike Morrison into the path of Charlesworth who steered the ball wide of McGurk from the corner of the six yard box.

Report by Dave Edwards, Press & Journal