Fraserburgh manager Mark Cowie hailed his players after they defeated Morrison Motors (Turriff) Aberdeenshire Shield holders Banks o’ Dee 5-4 on penalties.
The sides were level at 3-3 following 90 minutes of pulsating first-round action at Bellslea.
In the shoot-out, there was an element of controversy with Dee goalkeeper Ross Salmon saving the Broch’s third kick from Scott Barbour, which would have kept the scores at 2-2.
But assistant referee Dave McLaren ruled Salmon had been off his line when Barbour struck the ball and referee Daniel Donohoe awarded a retake which Barbour scored.
Dee were furious, particularly because there was a delay in McLaren communicating the decision to Donohoe due to his headset not working.
Cowie, however, didn’t want that to detract from the display from his Broch players.
He said: “It was a really good game and I don’t think you can begrudge us winning. There was a bit of controversy at the end, but I don’t want that to take away from how well we played against a very good Banks o’ Dee side.
“The linesman must think he’s off his line and the officials have a tough job, whether we’d won or lost it I wouldn’t want to criticise.
“I said to the players that was more like us and that’s the Broch I want to see more often. We can tidy up a few bits but on the whole, I was really pleased with how we played and I’m really pleased to get into the quarter-final.
“The teams in the Aberdeenshire competitions are very talented, but so are we because we’ve won the Aberdeenshire Cup and we’re through to the next round of the Shield.”
Dee disappointment
Banks o’ Dee boss Jamie Watt added: “My thoughts on the decision in the shoot-out was that the goalie (Joe Barbour) was screaming at the linesman trying to get a retake.
“The linesman eventually gave it and said Ross was three yards off his line, to me it seemed like somebody who was making it up.
“That pivotal decision made a difference. It’s a harsh way to lose but we’ve got to take it on the chin.
“We took the game to Fraserburgh and penalties are a lottery.”
Neil Gauld struck a ninth-minute opener for Dee, finishing at the second attempt after Lachie MacLeod flicked on Marc Young’s cross from the left.
That was Gauld’s 352nd goal at Breedon Highland League level which takes him beyond his friend and former team-mate Cammy Keith in the all-time list.
But the Broch equalised on 21 minutes with Sean Butcher sweeping home Ross Aitken’s low cross from the right.
Quarter of an hour later the hosts took the lead when debutant Jason Selbie clipped Paul Campbell’s heels in the box and the striker dusted himself down before converting from 12 yards.
Two minutes shy of half-time ref Donohoe awarded Banks o’ Dee a penalty when MacLeod went down under Jamie Beagrie’s challenge and Gauld netted from the spot.
On 61 minutes Gauld completed his hat-trick, stabbing home the rebound after Mark Gilmour’s shot was blocked.
Fraserburgh rallied with Barbour tapping home in the 80th minute after Kieran Simpson headed down Greg Buchan’s free-kick.
In the shoot-out, Hamish MacLeod hit the crossbar with Dee’s third kick which meant conversions from Simpson, Campbell, Barbour, Ryan Sargent and Bryan Hay sent the Broch through.
