Buckie Thistle 3 - 5 Aberdeen

Goals from Alfie Bavidge, who scored twice, Adam Emslie, Dylan Lobban and an own goal saw the Dons edge out a battling Buckie Thistle side in an eight goal thriller at Balmoor Stadium.

Peter Leven took charge of a strong looking Dons side as they tried to emulate their first team counterparts by claiming a place in the final of the Aberdeenshire Shield.

First chance went in the fourth minute to Buckie’s Josh Peters who should have done better than shoot straight at Tom Ritchie after breaking clear.

But the striker was not to be denied on ten minutes when he took a McHardy pass in his stride, beat a man in the box, and slotted low into Ritchie’s bottom left corner.

The Dons drew level four minutes later when Aaron Reid fed the ball through to his strike partner Alfie Bavidge and the hitman wasted no time in firing the ball past Knight.

Only the post denied Buckie retaking the lead as Barry’s clever ball into the box was smashed goalward by the impressive Peters. The game was being played at a furious pace with both teams intent on attacking whenever possible.

Ritchie had to be at his best to turn a curling Adams effort to safety as the yellow clad Buckie team pressed for a second, Peters then heading a neat MacIver cross over from six yards.

Buckie were looking more likely to get the next goal and Adams fired wide after good work from Peters. But, slightly against the run of play, on 37 minutes, it was the Dons who grabbed the next goal, Adam Emslie cutting in from the right to fire past Knight from 12 yards with his left foot. A third goal in three games for young Adam in this competition.

Two minutes later it was 3-1 to the Dons, skipper Dylan Lobban’s twenty yard free kick taking a slight deflection on its way into the top corner.

Tom Ritchie was again in the thick of the action saving brilliantly with his feet from Peters as Buckie refused to be deflated by the quickfire double from the Dons.

A thoroughly entertaining first half with the Highland League side perhaps unfortunate to be behind at the break.

Half time – Aberdeen XI 3 Buckie Thistle 1

Both sides made a rather tentative start to the second period, no doubt aware of the importance of the next goal. A poor pass gave Finlay Marshall an opportunity, but Knight did well to parry the midfielder’s angled shot to safety.

Buckie got themselves right back into the match on the hour mark when centre back Murray ambled across the field before unleashing a fine left footed strike which beat Ritchie all ends up. Game on!

Aberdeen regained their two goal advantage as the game entered its final quarter, the counter coming about in somewhat bizarre fashion, a dropped ball from the referee being played into the box where the hapless Murray got the final touch to send it into his own net under pressure from Aaron Reid.

Barry fired wide for Buckie before Bavidge raced onto a great through ball from Stewart to round the advancing Knight and slide an angled finish into an empty net. Real quality in the execution of what looked like the clinching goal.

Buckie refused to lie down and substitute Keir fired narrowly over before ex Don Max Barry grabbed a third for the Highland League side but it was too little too late for Buckie as the Dons won through to a final which will see them face either Banks O’Dee or Huntly who meet tomorrow night.