Manager Mark Cowie doesn’t want Fraserburgh to relinquish their grip on the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup after starting their defence with a convincing win against Huntly.
The holders triumphed 4-0 at Christie Park to set-up a quarter-final against Hermes at Bellslea on Wednesday February 7.
Cowie would like to continue their good record in the tournament.
He said: “It’s a cup competition, you want to get through and I’m delighted we did.
“The cup is sitting at Bellslea and we don’t want it to be leaving.
“You want to involved in the trophy hunt and we knew if we managed to get a result we’d have a home game to come.”
Ryan Sargent and Paul Young bagged braces for Fraserburgh and Cowie was particularly complimentary of the latter.
He added: “When Paul plays like that he’s above this level.
“He’s just a pest with his energy, an absolute pest. Sometimes he ends up doing other people’s work because he’s chasing and tackling players he shouldn’t be and in positions he shouldn’t be.
“But that’s because of his energy, he’s like a rash. Huntly had a strong midfield and Paul was excellent, Jamie Beagrie helped with his physicality and Paul had license to get forward.”
Sargent and Young at the double
On 25 minutes Huntly’s Angus Grant saw a cross-cum-shot from the right of the box deflected onto the right post by Kieran Simpson.
From the resultant Ryan Sewell corner Michael Clark’s header was cleared off the line by Lewis Davidson.
Two minutes later the Broch took the lead and seized control of the tie. Jamie Beagrie released Sargent on the right side of the area and he cut back onto his left foot and fired into the bottom left corner.
In the 34th minute Young made it 2-0. Goalkeeper Fraser Hobday miscued a clearance from outside his box with ball landing at Young’s feet and from 40 yards he found the unguarded net.
The goal stood despite Hobday protesting to referee Lewis Brown that he’d been fouled as he cleared.
Four minutes into the second half the outcome was settled. Greg Buchan and Aidan Sopel combined to find Sargent on the left, from his cutback Buchan teed up Young to score from eight yards.
The scoring was completed on 63 minutes with Sargent heading home Young’s cross from the right.
Injury blow and new recruits for Black and Golds
Huntly lost Alex Thoirs after five minutes to a dislocated shoulder.
But in more positive news pre-match they signed attacker Fin Allen, 19, on loan from Elgin and 18-year-old former East End attacker Leon Etko.
Boss Colin Charlesworth said: “We were poor all over and the lads know it. It’s one too many performances like that since I’ve been in charge.
“We need to change something to get out of the rut we’re in.
“We’ll bleed Leon in slowly because it’s his first chance in men’s football. It was good to get Fin on as a sub, I’m confident he’ll bring us quality.”
