Banks o’ Dee reached the Morrison Motors (Turriff) Aberdeenshire Shield final with a dramatic 4-3 penalty shoot-out victory against Huntly at Christie Park.
The semi-final tie finished level after Ruari Fraser cancelled out Garry Wood’s opener for the Aberdeen side, who then prevailed on spot-kicks.
Dee won the Shield for the first time in 2022 and will have the chance to do so again against Aberdeen later this month.
Fast start
It took Dee only five minutes to break the deadlock. Ramsay Davidson teed up Michael Philipson on the right side of the box and his net-bound shot was diverted away by Fraser.
But Hamish MacLeod gathered the loose ball on the left side of the area and picked out Wood to fire into the top right corner from 10 yards.
Shortly after Black and Golds goalkeeper Fraser Hobday did well to turn Mark Gilmour’s 16-yard drive round the post, but in the 14th minute the hosts levelled.
Ryan Sewell’s free-kick from the right was missed by Dee goalkeeper Daniel Hoban and when the ball dropped Fraser’s shot was deflected into the net off Jevan Anderson.
Seconds later the visitors were almost gifted the lead again when Kane Winton dispossessed Alex Thoirs and played in Lachie MacLeod, but Hobday made a good block.
Dee continued to look dangerous with a Hamish MacLeod having a shot from the edge of the box saved by Hobday, who also repelled a Wood header from Gilmour’s corner.
Anderson had the ball in the net in the 24th minute after a spell of pressure, but the offside flag was up.
Just after the half hour mark Huntly almost took the lead with Fraser crossing from the right and Thoirs’ knockdown help towards goal by Hunter, but Hobday flew to his left to save.
Tie in the balance
Chances were harder to come by at the start of the second half, but just shy of the hour mark Huntly’s Lewis Crosbie broke away, but his left-footed shot lacked the power to beat Hoban.
The tie was very much in the balance, but with quarter of an hour left Banks o’ Dee almost took the lead again.
Philipson’s ball in behind released sub Dayshonne Golding, who knocked the ball past Hobday, but with the net gaping Ross Still got back to clear.
Soon after Golding teed up Lachie MacLeod to score, but again the offside flag was up to deny Dee.
As time ticked down Dee sub Chris Antoniazzi blazed over from 12 yards and at the other end sub Brodie Allen headed over from six yards from Isaac Evan’s corner, then another sub Callum Murray shot straight at Hoban.
In stoppage time Hoban made two superb saves to keep out an Angus Grant effort and Andy Hunter’s free-kick.
In the shoot-out Huntly appeared to be in command when they Hobday saved from Antoniazzi to give them a 3-1 lead, but Hoban kept out Michael Clark and Grant’s attempts which meant conversions from Philipson, Lachie MacLeod and Golding sent Dee through.
