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Locos ended the season on a high with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Buckie Thistle to lift the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup for the first time in their history. Mark Souter fired home the winning spot kick after a nervy 90 minutes had ended goalless.
Paul Coutts and Nathan Meres were unavailable for Locos but Myles Gaffney returned from injury and Tam Reid was named on the bench having served his suspension. Locos had the better of the early stages, keeping the ball in advanced areas but failing to test Stuart Knight in the Highland League Champions’ goal, with the keeper called into action only to comfortably gather a Calum Dingwall free kick.
Gradually, the Jags came into the game more and there were some anxious moments for Locos in defence as they came under pressure. Scott Adams lifted an attempt well over the bar before a Cole Anderson shot from the edge of the box took a deflection on it’s way past the post.
Thistle then hit the woodwork twice. A spectacular Jack Murray effort bounced back of the upright before a hooked ball across the box by Sam Morrison glanced off the bar.
Both teams would have been looking for more after the break but again clear chances were hard to come by. Buckie looked dangerous following a corner early in the half but Ellis denied them on a couple of occasions as Locos struggled to clear. Ellis was called upon again after 77 minutes to make a good save from substitute Andy Macaskill but the deadlock couldn’t be broken.
And so to penalty kicks. After Jack Murray and Aidan Wilson scored the opening penalties, Ellis saved from Max Barry and Dingwall gave Locos the advantage. The Railwaymen maintained that slender lead until Knight denied Blair Smith to even up the shootout at 3-3. Josh Peters hit the crossbar with the Jags eighth spot kick, handing Logan Johnstone the chance to win the cup but he too saw his penalty come back off the bar. Locos weren’t to be denied though as Ellis, who had calmly converted a spot kick of his own, saved excellently from Sam Pugh and club Vice-Captain Souter confidently swept home the winning penalty to trigger pandemonium among the Locos fans around the ground.
The campaign that started so disappointingly against Dean Donaldson’s Turriff United ends with Deano leading the club to their first trophy since 2016. It’s reward for the players hard work that saw an upturn in form in the second half of the season and nicely sets up the prospect of a full season under Donaldson next year.
