Buckie Thistle will travel to Forres Mechanics a week on Saturday in the semi-final of the Highland League Cup after edging out Inverurie Locos at a breezy Victoria Park last night.
Scott Adams’ 26th minute strike proved crucial in a keenly-contested quarter-final that finished 1-0 to the Jags.
Buckie boss Graeme Stewart said: “I’m over the moon to be in the semi-final although I don’t think we played well. It was maybe our worst performance in the last 15 or 16 games.
“That said, we’ve won the game and should have won it by a couple more goals.
“I can think of Locos having one half chance in the first half but in the second half we had some great chances.
“Kevin Fraser cleared a shot that was going in off the line, then Scott Adams had one disallowed when he probably should have left it to go in, but it’s great to win when you know you’ve not played well.”
There was little to choose between the two teams in the early stages as Locos looked to avenge Saturday’s 5-1 home league defeat at the hands of the Jags.
An in-swinging Neil McLean cross evaded a couple of inrushing Locos forwards in the 14th minute, the ball finding its way through to the waiting hands of Kevin Main.
Six minutes later Ross Still headed high over at the back post as the visitors continued to set the pace.
At the other end Kyle MacLeod really should have opened the scoring for the Jags but he shot weakly at Andy Reid from six yards.
Locos replied with a 15-yard angled Robert Ward grounder which flew a foot past the upright.
But Buckie took the lead in the 26th minute when Mark McLauchlan fed Adams and he hammered the ball under the diving Reid from 12 yards.
In the first minute of the second half Ward fired high over the crossbar from 15 yards with only Main to beat as Locos went in search of an early equaliser.
Andy MacAskill had the ball in the Locos net in the 58th minute but the assistant referee raised his flag and the goal was chalked off for offside.
Locos replied with a long-range Sam Burnett effort which sailed yards wide of the target.
With the wind at their backs Buckie were trying their utmost to put the game to bed with a second goal but Andy Reid and his defence were well-organised.
Locos manager Richard Hastings felt that his side’s performance was a distinct improvement on Saturday’s disappointing 5-1 home league defeat against the Jags.
Hastings said: “We certainly gave a better account of ourselves.
“That was more like us, but it probably hurts more than Saturday’s game because it was one mistake from ourselves at a time when Buckie weren’t really in the game at all.
“It’s hard because the boys put so much into it and to come away with nothing is obviously really disappointing.”
Highland League: Brechin City and Huntly pick up maximum points on the road
