Tuesday 4 October
Aberdeenshire Shield 1st Round: Huntly 0 Buckie Thistle 2

Huntly were knocked out the Aberdeenshire Shield by worthy winners Buckie Thistle whose second half display saw them comfortably book a place in the semi-finals writes Grant Turner.

Huntly started the brighter of the two and after only a minute Richie Taylor had a shot parried by Main, after McGowan provided the set up. Two minutes later and the winger tested Kevin Main who once again came up trumps.

A through ball from jerry O'Driscoll in the 8th minute released Matty Gairns but Paul Lamberton was on hand to clear his former team-mate's cross behind for a corner. From the resultant flag kick by Levi Stephen, Scott Anderson nodded the ball on for Taylor who saw his attempt cleared off the line.

The Jags first effort at goal came in the eighteenth minute and it was former Huntly midfielder Donnie Munro, who returned to the Jags starting line up, who let fly from just outside the area however his effort was off target.

At the other end Jerry O'Driscoll headed a deep Levi Stephen cross just past the back post but as the half began to draw to a close it was Buckie who were to pass up the best chances of the opening half.

With six minutes to go before the break Mike Macdonald got clear on the left and his excellent delivery meant that Jamie Shewan was left with a simple header but he wasted it nodding the ball over the bar. Stuart McGuigan then repeated that feat heading over from Neil Murray's cross.

Half Time: Huntly 0 Buckie Thistle 0

Early in the second half Buckie got their noses in front. Stuart McGuigan found himself clear on the right wing and his ball to the back post was met by the unmarked Jamie Shewan who took it first time on the half volley to net.

Huntly came close to levelling shortly after but winger Gary McGowan saw a rasping drive clip the crossbar.
Richard Bowman came to his side's rescue moments later turning a Neil Murray shot round the post.

It was two-nil shortly after the hour mark and once again it was a right wing cross that was attacked and finished at the back post. This time Mike Macdonald was the executioner ghosting in to net from an acute angle.

Huntly were seemed to be lacking something up front as a poor effort by former Jag Richie Taylor went wide of the post.

With a quarter hour remaining, Matty Gairns fouled Stuart McGuigan outside the area. Following the decision, Scott Anderson was given a straight red card for dissent following his verbal attack on Referee Mike Ritchie. From the resultant dead ball, McGuigan fired wide of goal.

Some neat passing across the Buckie midfield brought out another attack which saw sub Mark Hamilton come close from a header.

Andy Low had been causing his former employers a lot of problems and set up Neil Murray with six minutes remaining as the full back brought out a good stop from Bowman. With the game into stoppage time, Low came close to capping off a fine performance hitting narrowly wide.

Huntly have now failed to net in all cup competitions this season and have managed 1 win out of their last four home games.