Turriff United travelled to Victoria Park to take on Buckie Thistle in the Aberdeenshire Cup week past Wednesday.
Manager Kris Hunter made four changes to the side which had claimed their first victory of the season at home to Strathspey the weekend before with Fraser Hobday suspended after his sending off in the competition there was a debut in goal for Jacob Otto, with Roy McBain, Lewis Buxton and Angus Grant dropping out to be replaced by Liam Norris, Michael Ewen and the debuting Lee McAllister.
Buckie Thistle had an early opportunity to take the lead as an uncharacteristic error from captain Cameron Bowden with the slack back pass saw Otto racing off his line but he was beaten to the ball by Sam Robertson who lashed the ball past him but it rebounded off the post.
Turriff fired back with a good run through the middle by Robert Ward looking to add to his double from the weekend but his shot let him down as it sailed over the bar.
With thirteen minutes on the clock Turriff found themselves behind in the game with the added kicker of being at the hands of a former player. A corner from the right was played back to the edge of the area where midfielder Andrew MACASKILL was waiting to pounce, and pounce he did as he fired the ball home past the despairing dive of a full length Otto.
A few minutes later and Buckie thought the y were in again as a failure to stop the cross from the right saw the ball make its way all the way to the back post to Mark McLauchlan but his shot across goal went wide of his opposite post.
With twenty five minutes gone it was two as another cross from the right went unblocked and Sam ROBERTSON beat Ethan Smith to flighted ball to nod home.
Buckie had two chances in quick succession as former Buckie player Drew Copeland was robbed of the ball in central midfield by MacAskill who played the ball through for Robertson but his effort was deflected wide for a corner, the corner in made its way through a crowd of players to Kevin Fraser but the former Caley target shot wide of the post.
There was a break in play for the players as a fuse box went on fire – possibly the most exciting part of the game up to that point for the Turriff fans in attendance on the night.
The warning signs were there and it wasn’t about electricity as another corner in was taken well on the volley by Sam Morrison but he couldn’t keep his shot down as it went sailing over the bar.
With forty minutes gone it was three, another unchecked cross into the box was collected by Andrew MACASKILL, who duly dispatched his effort past Otto with ease as the keeper made his feelings about the lack of a marker on the dangerous midfielder abundantly clear.
Two minutes before the end of the half and MacAskill almost had his hat trick as he jinked his way through the midfield to the edge of the area before letting fly with a superb effort which cannoned off the bar and down before bouncing out to safety.
HT Buckie Thistle 3-0 Turriff United
The customary half time substitution came with Keir Smith coming on in place of Lee McAllister who had suffered a fairly torrid forty five minutes at the hands of MacAskill.
Smith had an immediate impact as his header down the line for Robert Ward saw the striker beat two men on his way to the by-line before firing in a cross which was launched behind by the Buckie defence.
Some good intricate play between Norris, Ewen and Luke Kinsella down the left saw Luke beat Shaun Wood twice leaving Wood sat on his behind watching the youngster cross the ball in but the cross was again cleared as Buckie broke quickly through the middle with Robertson shooting into the side netting.
A Fraser free kick in to the back post was headed towards goal by Sam Morrison but despite having the beating of Otto the post was in the way as the ball hit the upright and bounced out of play.
Turriff had improved in the second half and got a slight reward for their efforts as some good battling by Michael Ewen in middle of the park saw him win the ball and lay the ball out wide to Keir SMITH, Keir did well to jink past his man cutting back in on his left foot and curling and effort over and round the hapless Herbert in the home goal from twenty yards out.
That only seemed to anger Buckie Thistle though as they kicked back into gear and Otto was called into action twice as he got down low left well to block a close range effort before tipping a long range screamer onto the post.
Buckie closed out the game with two late goals as corner was headed home by the unmarked Sam MORRISON on eighty one minutes and this was followed up by a break away goal as Declan MILNE raced through and fired home the fifth booking Buckie’s place in the next round with a tie against Fraserburgh.
Turriff United round out the month with a home tie at home to Fraserburgh this weekend before travelling to Harmsworth Park to take on Wick Academy on the 7th September. They then welcome Formartine United to The Haughs on the 11th before travelling to face Clachnacuddin on the 14th. They then take a break from league duty with an as yet undetermined opponent in the Scottish Cup on the 21st before rounding out the month with a home tie against Buckie Thistle on the 28th as they return to league duty.
FT Buckie Thistle 5-1 Turriff United
