Formartine United came from behind to beat Deveronvale 2-1 and advance to the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup semi-finals.
Matt Jamieson’s well-taken goal had put the visitors ahead early in the second half, but Mark Gallagher and Scott Lisle found the net to see the Pitmedden side through.
Formartine had the better of the opening exchanges, with Julian Wade denied a shot on goal by Robbie Allan’s recovering challenge and Graeme Rodger turning the ball over from point-blank range.
The home side had been in relative control until their backline had a shaky five minutes, with goalkeeper Ewen Macdonald nearly caught in possession by Kyle MacKillop-Hall before the Vale forward had a goal-bound effort blocked by Matthew McLean.
Wade, who joined from Brechin City in the summer, was Formartine’s best outlet and great work down the left allowed him to find space for a cross. He stood the ball up to the back post for Rodger, but the skipper sent his header over the top.
Tyler Mykyta’s left foot soon became an additional threat for Stuart Anderson’s men, with one pass with the outside of his boot picking out Aaron Norris to test Sean McIntosh. He then angled a shot across the goal but wide of the far post.
Formartine had a golden chance to go ahead before the break as Norris was chopped down during a goalmouth scramble. Jonny Smith took the penalty, but screwed his attempt horribly wide.
Vale had few sights of goal in the first half, but went ahead via a clinical finish from Jamieson. Formartine failed to clear their lines and the ball was headed into the winger’s path on the right side area, where he delivered a crisp first-time strike into the far corner.
It was the goal needed to sting Formartine, two-time winners of this competition, into life. And Wade sent a header over from Mykyta’s corner, but at the other end, they needed to remain focused, with Vale having a penalty shout waved away when MacKillop-Hall went down under Kieran Adams’ challenge.
They did get themselves level with 20 minutes to go, with Mykyta teeing up his former Aberdeen team-mate Gallagher to finish superbly past McIntosh.
Less than five minutes later they had turned the game on its head, with Mykyta again heavily involved as he jinked through the Vale defence and round McIntosh before squaring for substitute Lisle to crash home.
Mykyta and Lisle both missed chances for a third, but Formartine had done enough to reach the last four.
