Banks o’ Dee won the GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup at their first attempt by defeating Inverurie Locos 1-0.
In a keenly contested final at Fraserburgh’s Bellslea the Aberdeen side won it courtesy of Magnus Watson’s excellent finish early in the second half.
Dee were promoted to the Breedon Highland League last summer and this success makes it a memorable first season in the division for Josh Winton and Paul Lawson’s side.
For the Railwaymen – two time Highland League Cup winners – their wait for a first trophy since December 2016 continues.
Cagey opening
Banks o’ Dee handed a debut to former Formartine United and Cove Rangers defender Jevan Anderson, who was signed last week from Elgin City.
Inverurie Locos were without Jevan’s brother Cole who was cup-tied having played for Formartine United earlier in the competition.
Jonny Smith was also cup-tied for the same reason, while Garry Wood was out with a foot injury.
The early exchanges were cagey with neither side wanting to concede early chances.
Dee had the first effort in the fourth minute when Anderson’s long throw broke for Kane Winton, but his strike from 15 yards was easy for goalkeeper Andy Reid.
On 17 minutes another Anderson long throw was allowed to bounce through to Neil Gauld inside the six-yard box but the former Locos striker was crowded out before he could get a shot away.
The Railwaymen were keen to utilise the pace of Sam Robertson and Robert Ward in attack and on one occasion the latter did get in behind the Dee defence only to lift a snap-shot over from 17 yards.
In the 34th minute Banks o’ Dee were dealt a blow when striker Lachie MacLeod was forced off with a back injury. Chris Antoniazzi was his replacement.
A couple of minutes before the interval Gauld looped a header from Antoniazzi’s left-wing cross into Reid’s hands.
Second half breakthrough
The first real moment of quality resulted in Banks o’ Dee taking the lead on 53 minutes.
Antoniazzi drifted in from the left flank and clipped a great ball in behind for Watson, who gathered possession on the right side of the area and unleashed a superb right-footed shot into the top left corner.
Shortly after the hour mark Dee could have added a second, they broke from an Inverurie corner and after Greg Mitchell’s slip Watson and Gauld were two on one against Sam Burnett.
But Watson couldn’t find his team-mate who would have been through on goal.
Inverurie upped the tempo in the bid to find an equaliser. In the 65th minute Calum Dingwall’s well-struck free-kick from 25 yards was parried by goalkeeper Andy Shearer but Nathan Meres scuffed his effort on the rebound.
At the other Gauld freed Watson on the right side of the area and on this occasion he found the side-netting.
Back came the Railwaymen with Sam Robertson and Mitchell combining down the left to tee up Dingwall but Shearer again kept out his strike from the edge of the box with a fine save.
Robertson was next to have a go with a lob from the left angle of the box which dropped on to the roof of the net.
Things settled down again after that flurry with chances being harder to come by. Banks o’ Dee were quite content with the score while Inverurie were pushing more bodies forward in pursuit of an equaliser.
In the closing stages the Railwaymen flung plenty of bodies and crosses into the box but Dee defended stoutly to claim cup glory.
