Buckie Thistle manager Graeme Stewart admitted he didn’t fancy his side to win their SPFL Trust Trophy penalty shoot-out against Brora Rangers.
The Jags progressed to the third round of the Challenge Cup with a 4-2 victory on penalties following a 1-1 draw at Victoria Park.
Buckie had lost their last four shoot-outs and boss Stewart was worried the barren run would continue.
He said: “Thankfully we got the monkey off our back with the penalties.
“I wasn’t fancying it, I have to be honest, I just didn’t fancy us.
“We’d lost our last four penalty shoot-outs so we didn’t want it to go to penalties.
“The players were told to hit the target and all the penalties were outstanding, apart from Sam Urquhart’s, he nutmegged the goalkeeper.
“He was probably nervous after missing his last one, but the rest were outstanding and Lee Herbert pulled off two great saves.
“He’s shown what a big part of the team he is, he’s developing all the time and will become a top Highland League goalkeeper.”
The draw for round three is at 1pm on Monday with Buckie in the hat alongside clubs from the Championship and two sides from Northern Ireland and two from Wales.
Reflecting on the 90 minutes, Stewart added: “It was a great game between two top Highland League clubs, we maybe just edged it on chances.
“Brora were good in possession and have some very good players, but the best thing for me was they didn’t create many chances.”
Keepers impress
In an entertaining first half Brora goalkeeper Joe Malin produced superb stops to deny Josh Peters and Kevin Fraser.
At the other Lee Herbert did well to claw away Colin Williamson’s quickly taken free-kick and an Andrew Macrae drive was deflected just wide.
Buckie broke the deadlock four minutes after half-time with Peters volleying Shaun Wood’s pinpoint cross into the left corner from 14 yards.
Seconds later the Jags hit the woodwork with Andrew MacAskill’s deflected shot bouncing against the right post before Malin blocked Fraser’s attempt on the rebound.
On 71 minutes the Cattachs levelled as Macrae broke through following a fine one-two with Gregor MacDonald before rounding Herbert to score.
In the shoot-out Herbert saved MacDonald and Jordan MacRae’s efforts from 12 yards.
That meant successful spot-kicks from Sam Urquhart, Peters, MacAskill and Sam Pugh sent Buckie through.
Positives for Cattachs
Brora boss Craig Campbell said: “Credit to Buckie they were the better side in the first half, although we did compete, we didn’t play like we have in the last few games.
“We know coming to Buckie it’s difficult, they started the second half better and got their goal.
“We had a bit of a rugged 15 or 20 minutes but when we brought Dale Gillespie on and changed the formation we came back into.
“Andrew Macrae’s equaliser was a great footballing goal and after that either team could have nicked it because it was end to end.
“When it goes to penalties it’s a lottery but credit to the boys for coming back from 1-0 down.
“In the past we could have crumbled but they showed resilience and got us back into the game.
“Credit to their goalkeeper he’s had a couple of good saves, Gregor’s penalty maybe wasn’t the best but I can’t give him too much stick for that.”
