ALL-CHANGE FOR THISTLE BUT CLARK GOAL TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE AT VICTORIA PARK

Huntly beat Highland League champions Buckie Thistle 2-1 last night to book an Aberdeenshire Shield quarter-final against Aberdeen.

Colin Robertson and Michael McGinlay grabbed the Huntly goals at Victoria Park.

The home side pulled one back 10 minutes from time through Gary Clark but it was a case of too little too late.

Huntly were unchanged from the side which drew 2-2 at home to Turriff United in the Highland League last Saturday.

But in stark contract, Buckie manager Gregg Carrol changed the entire team from the one that started against Brechin City in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup last weekend.

Former Lossiemouth centre forward Shawn Scott made his Buckie debut, having served his three game suspension and he was partnered up front by the transfer listed Craig MacMillan.

In the second minute Paul Young came close to opening the scoring for the visitors when his inswinging corner kick came off the top of the crossbar and went over.

At the other end Craig MacMillan fired in a fierce 30-yard volley which Ross Bremner in the Huntly goal gathered at the second attempt.

In the 22nd minute Huntly took the lead when a Grant Campbell 25-yarder was touched on to the bar by Darren Strong in the Buckie goal and Robertson was on hand to ram home the rebound from three yards.

It was far from a classic with both teams struggling to get to grips with a pitch which was soft in some places and bobbly in others.

Huntly doubled their advantage on the hour mark when McGinlay picked up the ball 25 yards out and hammered an unstoppable drive high past the outstreched arms of Strong in the Buckie goal.

Lewis MacKinnon tested Bremner with a dipping 35-yard drive and shortly after the visiting goalkeeper made a brilliant flying stop to prevent MacMillans 10-yard effort from reducing the leeway.

Bremner again came to his side's rescue in the 77th minute when he stretched out a long leg to stop a point-blank effort from Buckie substitute Andrew Gardiner.

Buckie pulled a goal back in the 80th minute when Gary Clark drilled a low drive through the forest of legs from the edge of the 18-yard box.

In the final minute Buckie were reduced to 10 men when Graeme Stewart was shown a straight red card by referee Scott MacDonald for using an elbow on Stuart Scone.

Report Dave Edwards, Press & Journal