A second half double from Angus Grant inspired Huntly to come from behind to defeat Buckie Thistle at Christie Park.

Joe McCabe gave Jags an early lead and they dominated the opening half hour, but they were made to pay for failing to build on their lead, and Ross Still’s header added to the brace from Grant to send the home side through.

Buckie were without the injured Craig Cormack and Sam Morrison, while Darryl McHardy was unavailable. Ryan Fyffe and Innes McKay returned to the centre of defence, while Cohen Ramsay came in at left back with Dale Wood moving into midfield and Andrew MacAskill dropping to the bench.

The visitors looked sharp early on Marcus Goodall almost got on the end of a superb Joe McCabe cross two minutes in.
A minute later Lyall Keir retrieved the ball on the left and stood up a fine cross for McCabe to head beyond Calum Brodie from eight yards for the opener.

Keir then missed a great chance to make it two, pulling his shot wide from close range after more great work from McCabe on the right.

At the other end, Callum Murray burst onto a defensive slip to race clear, but he could only curl his shot wide of the right-hand post.
In the 18th minute, Brodie made a good save from a searing left foot strike from MacIver after he and Keir worked a nice one-two just outside the penalty area.

Murray missed another golden chance to level matters when he got to a long ball before the onrushing Ridgers, but his weak effort was blocked by the retreating McCabe and eventually cleared.

Ridgers then made a decent save low to his left from Grant’s back post volley, before MacIver fired a long-range drive straight at Brodie just before half time.

Huntly equalised two minutes after the break, referee Alex Ross awarding a penalty after Michael Clark went down in the area from a corner. Grant slotted the penalty low to Ridgers’ right to make it 1-1.

Jags almost found a quick response when MacIver played in Keir, but his low effort was well saved by the legs of Brodie and the rebound just evaded the incoming Cohen Ramsay.

Grant then pulled a good chance wide when the ball broke kindly to him 16 yards out.

The home side went ahead on 68 minutes when a corner from the left was fired to the back post for Ross Still to head home from close range.

Grant made it three just four minutes later with a low shot beyond Ridgers after he was played through on goal by Murray.

Josh Peters blasted a shot over the crossbar then Liam Harvey could only poke a tame effort straight at Brodie as Buckie looked in vain for a way back into the tie.

It wasn’t to be and it’s Huntly who go through to the final at Harlaw Park in November.

A hugely disappointing night for the Jags, following on from the 4-1 defeat at Brora Rangers at the weekend. The opening half an hour was as well as Thistle have played recently, but they continue to pay for missed chances and losing too many soft goals.

Two home league games up next, against Forres Mechanics on Saturday, then Nairn County next midweek.

Buckie Th: M. Ridgers, J. McCabe, R. Fyffe, I. McKay, C. Ramsay; D. Wood, S. Pugh (c); J. MacIver (L. Harvey 80), K. Fraser (A. MacAskill 63), L. Keir; M. Goodall (J. Peters 80).

Subs not used: H. Fitzgerald, F. Robertson, H. Munro

Scorer: J. McCabe (3)