Brora Rangers manager Steven Mackay was proud of his side’s comeback to salvage a 2-2 draw against Cove Rangers, despite the League One side claiming the Betfred Cup bonus point on penalties.
Brora had clawed back a two-goal deficit during the 90 minutes, with stunning strikes by Martin Maclean and Bjorn Wagenaar restoring parity after Cove had put themselves into a commanding early position through goals from Rory McAllister and Jamie Semple.
After both sides netted their first four penalties, the shoot-out was forced to sudden death when Brora goalkeeper Joe Malin and Cove’s Daniel Higgins saw their efforts saved.
After Colin Williamson had seen his penalty saved by Stuart McKenzie, the Cove goalkeeper netted the winning spot kick to secure a 6-5 triumph for Paul Hartley’s men.
“In the first half I felt we were too passive and let Cove dominate the proceedings. We said to them at half-time we needed a reaction, because we had fallen below the standards we had set in this competition and last season.
“In the second half we were much better and much more confident on the ball.
“It was nice to finish on a positive. I’m not going to get bent out of shape over penalties, I’m just pleased with how we responded.”
There was early controversy when Cove had the ball in the net after just nine minutes. Watson surged down the right flank before squaring for Jamie Semple, whose effort from just inside the box trundled into Joe Malin’s bottom corner.
Although it took no touch on its way through, referee Duncan Williams ruled Brown had made a motion to connect with the ball after consulting with the stand side linesman.
The visitors tried their luck from long range, with McAllister striking over after swivelling on the edge of the box, while stand-in skipper Connor Scully tested Malin with a powerful drive.
The Aberdeen side were gifted the lead on 18 minutes when Martin Maclean inexplicably played a backpass from just inside his own half straight to McAllister, and the former Peterhead man showed ruthless instincts to lift the ball over Malin.
Semple was not to be denied on 28 minutes, with the on-loan Motherwell midfielder powering a sweet strike into Malin’s bottom right corner from 25 yards to make it 2-0.
It was a blow for the Cattachs – however, they halved the deficit within a minute courtesy of an equally stunning strike of their own.
Andy Macrae helped the ball on to Maclean, who atoned for his error with a crisp effort which whistled into Stuart McKenzie’s top-right corner.
Malin made an outstanding triple save, with the former Ross County goalkeeper keeping the hosts to within a goal of the League One side on the stroke of half-time.
Malin initially did brilliantly to tip away McAllister’s effort following a ball over the top by Scully, before reacting to deny follow-ups from Adam Livingstone and Brown.
Brora showed a statement of intent at the start of the second half with Mackay bringing on Jordan MacRae in place of midfielder Dale Gillespie, with the forward denied by a fine fingertip save by McKenzie on 63 minutes.
The Cattachs pushed for a leveller, with defender Colin Williamson seeing a volleyed effort drift inches wide of the post midway through the second half.
The Sutherland outfit were not to be denied on 72 minutes, with Wagenaar levelling the scoring in stunning style when he found McKenzie’s top-left corner with a curling free kick from 25 yards.
Brora needed more excellent goalkeeping to deny Livingstone’s low strike and Ross Graham’s header in the dying minutes. However, there was to be no further breakthrough before the end of 90 minutes.
