Formartine United0–3Buckie Thistle

The score-line is an adequate reflection of Buckie’s superiority in a game where their appetite for success was visibly greater than Formartine’s. The fact that the home side were the holders of the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup and this was the semi-final thereof raised supporters’ expectations that their team would battle tooth and nail to retain it. An abject performance where they were unable to sustain any significant periods of pressure against a well organised, but by no means outstanding side, and pretty much the same as the one they defeated a couple of weeks ago gave the lie to that. A few Formartine players have now got a substantial credibility gap to close before they can persuade supporters that they are worth the money they pay to see them. Short-changed doesn’t seem to quite cut it.

Formartine, to be fair, started as if they were serious about retaining the silverware: it was after they were subjected to determined challenge as the game progressed that they were found wanting. The first few minutes saw them putting Buckie under some pressure down the right. Duguid made a bold run before feeding French and the big forward imposed himself on Duncan enough to get in a fierce drive from about 15 yards. The immaculate Main in the Buckie goal got strong hands to the ball and beat it away to safety. French had another, more trundling effort clutched at the base of the right upright and in these opening five minutes Formartine looked as if they were well up for this one. Five further minutes elapsed and the initial Formartine impetus faded enough for Buckie to show their teeth. A swift interchange between Adams and Kleczkowski was enough to leave the latter with a fleeting glimpse of goal. His quickly taken shot from inside the right corner of the box was hard and accurate but not enough to beat Shearer who was well positioned to make the block.

The game then morphed into a typical end to end cup final but neither side had the guile or composure to hold the ball enough to develop sustained pressure on the other’s rearguard. Thus, the end to end stuff continued with the cup holders unable to impose themselves on the visitors who as the half progressed, seemed to grow in confidence giving as good as they got and possibly just a little more . Formartine efforts from Anderson , McKeown and French [each from around 15 yards range] that failed to find the target were offset by another drive from Kleczkowski [just too high] and a fierce, close range one from Adams that produced a great reaction save from Shearer.

A minute before half time Buckie got their noses in front when Angus having slipped his marker in midfield, swung over a swirling lob that attracted the attention of centre half Hay as well as keeper Shearer. For a fatal split second, each seemed to leave it for the other, hesitating just enough for KLECZKOWSKI to nip between them and bang the ball into the far corner of the net apparently nut megging the big keeper in the process. Buckie then went in for half time with their tails up and Formartine were left chasing the game.

The second half began as the first had with a brief flurry of Formartine activity down the right with French at the head of it. A blistering shot on the turn from the forward looked netbound before Main got enough onto the ball to divert it to safety. A combination of doughty Buckie defending and good work by Main was enough to see this peter out within a couple of minutes and Buckie beginning ever so slightly to assert themselves. It was never to the extent of leaving Formartine to chase shadows but they not only had the lead but were beginning to call the shots in different areas of the park. It simply seemed that they were in the driving seat and Formartine were unable to do enough about it to turn things around.

After a flurry of Buckie pressure round the Formartine area the ball was cleared hastily to five or so yards beyond the box where a joust for it between Clark and Heggarty saw the former booked for what a player with a more pristine reputation might have escaped without censure. Andy LOW is a specialist in free kicks from that range and produced a perfectly judged, immaculately placed delivery that beat both wall and keeper on its way to the top left corner of the net. This 61st minute extension to the Buckie lead put the game beyond the reach of an insipid Formartine. Buckie continued a high energy approach where they challenged for every ball and by and large bossed Formartine. Formartine were either unable or unwilling to do much about it and Buckie, clearly determined not to make the sucker error of lapsing concentration just after scoring, raised the level of demand on Formartine.

Formartine huffed and puffed - but lasted only 3 further minutes before the final nail was driven into the coffin of their cup aspirations. A decent Formartine attack from a break down the right by Duguid saw Keith’s downward header from the full back’s cross easily taken by Main and the ball was worked forward at pace forcing substantial back pedalling by the home side. Angus spearheaded the break and drilled the ball clinically past Shearer from around 15 yards. At that point Chairman Cadger’s favourite adornment was as good as gone from the boardroom.

Even at 3-0 down and half an hour to go there is reasonable expectation that cup holders would be able to produce enough pressure to pin back their opponents even at the expense of creating gaps at the back. There was no significant rearguard action from the holders who looked well beaten for the remainder of the game.

This is the second successive home defeat where Formartine looked like they simply lacked the guts and gumption to overcome spirited resistance from a decent side that just had that wee bit more desire about them. Perhaps there is enough kudos in performing well at Brora to satisfy inflated egos but if it isn’t there for more games against teams some of them perceive to be less prestigious, then there is a serious problem.