Peterhead overturned an early deficit to beat Cove Rangers 2-1 in the opening game of the Betfred Cup.
Jamie Masson gave Cove the lead from the spot but first-half goals from Derek Lyle and Rory McAllister had Peterhead in front.
Harry Milne hit the bar twice in the second half for Paul Hartley’s side but they were unable to find an equaliser in the first north-east derby of the season.
Jim McInally handed debuts to Aidan Smith and Scott Hooper, summer signings from Annan Athletic, while fellow new addition Ben Armour was on the bench. Cove had to do without Jamie Redman and Martin Scott, who picked up knocks in midweek, with Sam Burnett drafted into the midfield.
Both teams’ first competitive game of 2019-20 comes on the back of title-winning campaigns, with Cove gearing up for their first SPFL season by playing the League Cup for the third time.
They were given an early warning shot at Balmoor when Scott Brown flashed a volley past Stuart McKenzie’s near post, after promising work from McAllister.
Jordon Brown brought a smart save out of Greg Fleming after a mistake by his brother Jason. His header played Cammy Eadie into danger and Mitch Megginson got the better of their duel, before crossing for Brown. His low strike was clawed away by Fleming.
The season was less than 15 minutes old and Jason Brown will have wanted the ground to swallow him up. He was caught in possession by Megginson, who drove into the area and shot for goal, only for a tumbling Brown to block with his arm. Referee Gavin Duncan was on the spot to give the penalty, with Masson sending Fleming the wrong way.
Megginson limped off after just 17 minutes and Hooper followed suit, before Lyle levelled the scores. Jack Leitch’s corner was directed towards the back post and Lyle connected well, with the ball creeping inside McKenzie’s far post.
Peterhead now had a foothold in the game and were growing in confidence, with Scott Brown and McAllister combining well to tee up Leitch in space. However, he scuffed his shot straight at McKenzie.
A heroic goal-line clearance from Harry Milne kept the scores level, after McAllister beat Scott Ross and appeared to have picked out the far corner. However, Milne back-pedalled to head the ball away and McKenzie kept out Lyle’s rebound.
Duncan awarded his second spot-kick six minutes before the interval when Darryn Kelly was adjudged to have tripped the striker while he was going for Paddy Boyle’s cross. McAllister opened his account by rolling the penalty beyond McKenzie’s grasp.
Six minutes into the second half Cove hit the woodwork, with a cross-shot from Milne deceiving Fleming and coming down off the underside of the bar. He did it again moments later, this time turning Burnett’s pass against the frame of the goal.
The fingertips of Fleming denied Jordon Brown a tap-in, after further great work from Milne to deliver the ball towards the back post.
