Depleted Brora Rangers produced a magnificent display to defeat Brechin City 2-0 in the quarter-final of the GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup.
Dale Gillespie’s first half penalty and Jordan MacRae’s header earned the Cattachs – who only had 11 players available for the game – a place in the semi-finals.
In the last four Brora will face either Rothes or Fraserburgh away from home.
Manager Craig Cambell only had 11 players available for the trip to Glebe Park as a result of injury, Covid isolation and others being unable to get time off work to travel to the game.
And one of those players was goalkeeper Josh Gorton who had been signed on an emergency loan from Dundee Junior club Lochee United prior to kick-off.
Depleted Brora make good start
Despite their difficulties the men from Sutherland started well and hit the woodwork after 12 minutes.
Gregor MacDonald floated in a free-kick from the left and Jordan MacRae’s looping header bounced back off the left post before Mark Nicolson fired narrowly wide on the rebound.
Shortly after MacRae was almost through on goal after a neat one-two with MacDonald.
Brechin’s first threat was on 20 minutes with David Cox’s cross from the right finding Ewan Loudon, but he fired over the crossbar.
Then in the 33rd minute Marc Scott worked goalkeeper Gorton with an angled shot, but the save was routine and shortly after a Cox cross-cum-shot evaded both the net and his team-mates.
On 38 minutes Brora took the lead with referee Scott Lambie penalising Jamie Bain for a trip on Max Ewan inside the box and Gillespie confidently fired the penalty into the right corner.
The Hedgemen’s best chance of the first period presented itself three minutes later.
Cox’s cross from the left was headed down by Scott for Garry Wood, but Gorton was perfectly positioned to block the striker’s header at point blank range.
Cattachs double up
Brechin could potentially have been reduced to 10 men in the 55th minute when Cox appeared to headbutt Millar Gamble, but ref Lambie opted for a yellow card rather than red.
On 59 minutes Brora increased their advantage after hitting the frame of the goal seconds before.
Gregor MacDonald’s inswinging corner from the right caused problems and Nicolson’s effort rebounded off the left post.
But when Brechin cleared Ally MacDonald returned the ball back into the box and with goalkeeper Jack Wills static on his line the home defenders allowed the ball to bounce and MacRae nipped in to net with a header.
In response the home side huffed and puffed, but they never looked like mounting a comeback, with their only decent effort a Michael Paton drive in injury time that was well saved by Gorton.
Brora could have won by more with Gregor MacDonald firing wide when clean through in the closing stages.
- The other three Highland League Cup quarter-finals – Buckie Thistle v Inverurie Locos, Forres Mechanics v Clachnacuddin and Rothes v Fraserburgh – were postponed because of waterlogged pitches.
Those ties will now be played on Wednesday March 2.
Meanwhile, the draw the draw for the semi-finals of the competition has been made and Brechin/Brora will travel to Rothes or Fraserburgh in the last four and Forres or Clach will host Buckie or Inverurie.
Those ties are scheduled for Saturday March 12.