Saturday 13 August
Huntly 3 Deveronvale 1
in association with highlandleague.net, Photos courtesy of Newsline Scotland

Huntly scored two goals in the opening 21 minutes of this match to give the visitors a mountain to climb and interestingly it was the return of Matt Gairns to the right wing that saw the black and golds thrive writes Grant Turner.

The former Buckie Thistle man broke clear down the right in only the 7th minute of the game and his cross was spectacularly bulleted beyond Ross Bremner by the diving form of Jerry O'Driscoll.

Russell Guild set Gairns away on the quarter hour mark with a cross-field ball and he delivered into the head of O'Driscoll but his header was too high and skimmed over the bar.

The same pairing combined again in the 21st minute as Huntly doubled their lead. Again it was Matty Gairns down the right but this time Jerry O'Driscoll was at the far post and he fairly hammered it home to the delight of the home support.

Levi Stephen fired over minutes later following a poor clearance from the visiting defence.

The Vale were still looking to find their touch in front of goals and after Ross McWilliam had fired over Paul Urquhart at least make Richard Bowman work although his shot failed to trouble the former Buckie stopper.Deveronvale pulled one back just five minutes before the break. Stephen was penalised for a foul 25 yards out which was Mike McKenzie effort tipped over the bar by Bowman. McKenzie took the corner kick from the left and found Mark Smith at the back post, the lanky red head firing home on the half volley to set up an exciting second half.

Half Time: Huntly 2 Deveronvale 1

Amazingly, just like in the first half, Huntly got off to a flier once more although this one could be put down more to opportunism than design. Jerry O'Driscoll had knocked the ball down with the intention of feeding Russell Guild but it appeared Ross Bremner had it covered. Nevertheless the big keeper inexplicably spilled the ball allowing Matty Gairns to collect 15 yards from goals and he moved it onto his left foot and slotted it home.

This had came after Mark Smith came close to levelling the game when he headed just wide after a deep Mark Chisholm cross. On the other side of the fourth goal Mike McKenzie got in front of Ross Campbell in the 53rd minute but he shot wide of the post, passing up a fine opportunity.

With 18 minutes left, Guild was given time on the ball and drilled the ball low forcing Bremner to save.