Fraserburgh manager Mark Cowie is thrilled to be through to the final of the 2020-21 Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup.
The Broch, who are the Shire Cup holders, came from behind to defeat Keith 4-1 at Kynoch Park and will now face Formartine United in the final of the competition carried over from last season.
Cowie said: “Being in a cup final is a great thing and it’s where you want to be.
“I’ve said to the players we want to be challenging on every front.
“Our old foes Formartine are awaiting us which is good.
“We’ve gone up against each other for years and it’s two good sides going head-to-head.
“Hopefully the fans can return in their droves for that game.
“We’re well supported and we want them to see us play in cup finals so hopefully that date can be set once the restrictions are lifted a bit.
“It’s good for the players to be in finals, but you want the fans to be there as well, it’s good to give something back to them.”
‘Game of two halves’
Reflecting on his side’s performance to beat Keith, Cowie added: “It was a game of two halves for us, first half we were sloppy.
“It’s an easy cop-out to say that the preparations have been hampered with the way things are with players missing and a lack of games.
“I think it showed for 45 minutes and after a word or two at half-time we were a different animal in the second half.”
Keith handed competitive debuts to seven new signings and three of them combined as the Maroons took the lead after seven minutes.
Luke Emmett found Michael Ironside in space on the left and his low cross was finished off by Przemyslaw Nawrocki.
The Broch’s responded well with Paul Young twice testing home goalkeeper Craig Reid.
But just after the half hour mark Fraserburgh equalised. When Keith failed to clear Scott Barbour was first to pounce and poke the ball beyond Reid from close range.
Four minutes into the second half Ryan Cowie tested Reid after Gary Harris’ cross from the right was flicked into his path by Barbour.
But a minute later Fraserburgh were in front when Harris rifled a right-foot shot into the top right corner from the edge of the box.
Soon after Reid made a superb one-handed save to keep out Barbour’s bullet header before foiling sub Logan Watt.
With little over 20 minutes left Fraserburgh netted their third with Kieran Simpson’s downward header from Cowie’s inswinging corner finding the roof of the net.
With three minutes left the holders added a fourth when Barbour back-heeled the ball across the face of goal for sub Campbell to tap home.
Defeated Wilson proud of his players
Keith co-manager Tommy Wilson said: “We had a few guys who came in and played without any training because of Covid.
“I thought the guys were excellent in the first half against a really good Fraserburgh team.
“It was a competitive game, we created a few chances and I’m proud of the players.
“In the second half we ran out of steam a little bit and Fraserburgh turned the screw and upped their game.”
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