Close
Locos progressed in the R Davidson (Banchory) Highland League Cup courtesy of a penalty shootout after another absorbing game against Buckie Thistle. The Railwaymen raced into a two goal lead but Thistle hit back to level on the brink of half time. No goals were added in a second half that saw the visitors reduced to 10 men and Locos triumphed 4-3 in the shootout.
The experience of Paul Coutts and Mark Souter returned to team as Callum Duncan also came into the the starting lineup. It was Duncan who opened the scoring in the third minute, meeting Milosz Ochmanski’s inviting left wing cross on the volley.
Zack Ellis tipped a Fin Allen header over the bar and held a Ryan Fyffe effort before Ethan Cairns tried his luck from distance having picked up a loose pass and spotted goalkeeper Theo Simpson off his line. Cairns did double his side’s advantage a minute later though, latching on to Ochmanski’s forward ball before finishing off the inside of the right hand upright. It was just reward for a bright start in which Locos carried a threat with every attack. Cairns again went close, arrowing an effort just wide from the edge of the penalty area.
Thistle began to grow into the game though, and halved the areas through a stunning Lyall Keir strike from 25 yards. The visitors sensed an opportunity to get back on level terms and, after Josh Peters had fired tamely at Ellis, did just that in first half injury time. From a free kick in central position, Fyffe hit a low shot around the wall and inside the post.
The visitors continued their momentum into the second half. Ellis was called on to turn a Noble free kick over the bar and got a strong hand to a Peters effort. It wasn’t one way traffic though, and substitute Jack McKenzie forced a good save from Simpson.
With a little under a quarter of an hour to play, the Jags were reduced to ten men, with Peters shown a second yellow for dissent after he was penalised for a shirt pull. With the extra man, Locos dominated the closing stages without coming close to a winner. In the shootout at the Railway End, Simpson saved Coutts opening penalty but was ruled to have moved from his line and the Locos skipper made no mistake second time around.
Successful spot kicks followed from Noble, Cairns and Darryl McHardy before Lloyd Robertson and Aaron Nicolson saw their efforts saved. Duncan and Keir made no mistake to leave the teams level at 3-3 going into their fifth penalties. Mark Souter sent Simpson the wrong way and the pressure was on Marcus Goodall, who couldn’t bet Ellis.
Given how close these teams have been in the two games played seven days apart, it is perhaps fitting that this game was decided by a penalty shootout. Locos would certainly have felt a little hard done by if they been beaten twice after contributing so much across both fixtures. The draw for the quarter-final will be made on Monday, before Locos travel are back in league action at Deveronvale next week.
