Former Aberdeen striker Darren Mackie is confident lightning will not strike twice when the Dons face Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup this weekend.
The Doonhamers head for Pittodrie on Sunday buoyant after their 3-0 fourth round replay win against Premiership opponents Dundee and they would love nothing more than to take another top-flight scalp.
Facing the Dons will bring back great memories for the travelling support who watched their side humble Jimmy Calderwood’s Aberdeen team 11 years ago by winning an epic semi-final 4-3 at Hampden.
Mackie, who played in the infamous game at the National Stadium, does not expect Derek McInnes’s players to suffer the same fate which befell his team in 2008.
He said: “The team is pretty solid these days and not one which is prone to slip-ups.
“Aberdeen had their bad result in the last round against Stenhousemuir at home before putting it right in the replay last week and a result like that one sharpens the focus.
“Derek McInnes has his players pretty well drilled and while it will be a tough game I expect Aberdeen to get through unscathed.”
Aberdeen were strong favourites in 2008 just as they will be again on Sunday for the television fifth round tie at Pittodrie but Queens, managed by former Don Gary Naysmith and featuring League Cup winner Nicky Low, not to mention 37-goal striker Stephen Dobbie, will head north in confident mood.
Mackie, however, insists a strong Aberdeen performance will be enough to secure victory on Sunday and with it a place in the quarter-final.
The former Don said: “There are shocks every season in cup competitions and it just so happened that we suffered when Queen of the South beat us at Hampden in the semi-final.
“Stephen Dobbie, who played against us in 2008, is having a fantastic season with Queens with 37 goals to his name so far but I just cannot see it happening again to this Aberdeen team.
“Aberdeen have good players in every position and their manager has them well prepared for every game they play.
“If Aberdeen play anywhere near how they have been in the last couple of months I expect them to go through to the next round.”