Jamie Watt destroyed his old club Deveronvale with four goals to help Banks o’ Dee surge into the Morrison Motors (Turriff) Aberdeenshire Shield final.
Dee will face the winners of Saturday’s semi-final between Turriff United and Cove Rangers at a date and venue to be decided.
Dee were at full strength with plenty firepower up-top with the 39-year-old Watt, who won the Highland League title with Vale in season 2005-06, leading the line. Jack Henderson was on his right and former Keith favourite Luke Barbour lent support from just in behind.
Deveronvale had no absentees with top scorer Dane Ballard and the experienced Grant Noble both starting.
Thankfully by kick-off time the strong winds which had battered the Granite City all day had abated.
The first ever competitive game between the two teams at Spain Park exploded into life in the ninth minute when Dee were awarded a penalty kick for an innocuous challenge on Watt.
It appeared to be a soft award but referee Chris Fordyce immediately pointed to the spot.
Before the spot kick could be taken Vale assistant manager Mark Chisholm had to make the long trek across the width of the pitch to the stand for remarks made to the far-side assistant.
On the quarter-hour mark Vale’s Robert Scott saw his 12-yard drive come back off the bar.
But Dee went straight up the pitch and doubled their advantage when Watt beat Grant Pennet in the Vale goal from 15 yards, the veteran striker grabbing his fifth double in the last five games.
Forres Mechanics manager Charlie Rowley was an interested spectator at Spain Park to cast an eye over the Can-Cans opponents in the Highland League Cup in a fortnight.
On the half-hour it took a wonderful flying save from Andy Shearer to stop Scott from pulling one back with a curling 15-yarder.
Two minutes after the break Watt completed his hat-trick with another penalty kick after Michael Philipson had been brought down by Davidson.
Shortly after Paul Sutherland almost pulled a goal back with a brilliant 40-yard lob that Shearer stopped right on the line.
In the 55th minute Philipson played in Watt to score his fourth goal of the night with a crisp 10-yard finish.
On the hour Ryan Hall got in on the act made it 5-0 with a ferocious 10-yard volley from a back-post cross.
In the 68th minute Hall hammered home his second with a superb 12-yard angle drive into the roof of the net and 11 minutes later substitute Michael Taylor made it 7-0 with another superb finish.
