Elgin City came from behind to defeat Banks O’ Dee 2-1 and progress into the third round of the SPFL Trust Trophy.
Dee who made the breakthrough midway through the first half through Chris Antoniazzi – one of five former Black and Whites in the visiting line-up.
City levelled through Russell Dingwall’s penalty shortly after the interval, with summer signing Dylan Gavin going on to net his first for the club to send Elgin into the next round.
Elgin boss Allan Hale was thrilled with the character his side showed to progress following a difficult start.
Hale said: “We knew all about Banks O’ Dee, and we knew they would come here and show their intent.
“In the first half I thought they were excellent, they stopped us gaining any momentum in the game and caused us problems the players had to solve for themselves.
“After giving away a poor goal, we asked for a reaction at half-time, and for half an hour in the second half I thought we were different class.
“We showed what we were all about. It’s three wins in a row, and we’ve got the momentum behind us.”
Dee were gifted the lead on 22 minutes, when a slip-up from Jack Murray presented the ball straight to Antoniazzi, who punished his former club with a clinical effort high into the net.
Dee kept a tight grip on their lead for the remainder of the half, with the final chance falling to Dingwall on the stroke of the interval, but the midfielder could not get enough power behind his effort from distance.
Gavin had the ball in the net early in the second half after latching on to a Dingwall corner, but he was penalised for a foul.
City were handed the perfect chance to equalise on 55 minutes when Dingwall was hauled down by Hoban, with the midfielder stepping up to clinically dispatch the spot-kick.
Elgin turned the game on its head on 66 minutes when a moment of slackness in the visitors’ defence allowed Gavin in on goal, with the Irishman making no mistake in slotting past Hoban to secure his side’s progression.
Banks O’ Dee co-manager Paul Lawson said: “I thought we were excellent. We played really well, and it was probably a 15-minute spell in the second half where we lost our way a little bit.
“We want to be at this level – we don’t shy away from that. It was a good test for our boys, which I think we stood up to. I really can’t complain.”
Connor Wood seals Fraserburgh comeback win over Forfar
Breedon Highland League side Fraserburgh progressed to the third round of the SPFL Trust Trophy after a stirring comeback to win 2-1 against Forfar Athletic at Bellslea.
Josh Skelly had the first chance of the match for the visitors on 15 minutes, but screwed his shot wide of the post.
The opener was only delayed by three minutes when a corner broke to Scott Reekie, who fired home an angled drive past the helpless home goalie Joe Barbour.
Fraserburgh Bryan Hay made a great block on 20 minutes to deny Skelly from doubling Forfar’s lead.
The Broch’s best chance of the opening period came on 31 minutes when Josh Bolton found Jake Garden at edge of box. His shot was heading for the top corner before keeper Marc McCallum tipped it over.
Mark Cowie’s men started the second half brightly, and Aidan Sopel twice went close, while Scott Barbour saw a goal-bound effort saved by McCallum at the second attempt.
Fraserburgh had another great chance to level on 64 minutes when Stuart Morrison hauled down Scott Barbour to concede a penalty – but McCallum saved Kieran Simpson’s spot-kick.
Forfar’s Ross Maclean then saw his header from Skelly’s cross finger-tipped away by Joe Barbour as the visitors looked to kill the game off.
However, the Broch found an equalise on 76 minutes when Bolton’s ball over the top found Scott Barbour, who drilled a shot high past McCallum.
Fraserburgh then scored a sensational winner four minutes from time after Scott Barbour’s chip to back post found Connor Wood, who bulleted a header home from close range.
The Broch’s progress in the Challenge Cup – the victory over Forfar just their second-ever in the competition – came during a seven-day period where they have also beaten Highland League champions Buckie Thistle 3-1 away from home, while they held last term’s league runners-up Brechin City 0-0 at Bellslea on Saturday.
Fraserburgh assistant James Duthie said the performances over the previous two games, and in the second half against Forfar were “exactly what we’re looking for”.
Duthie singled out talisman Scott Barbour for an “absolutely outstanding” showing, adding: “I thought the first half we were a wee bit tentative and it didn’t really look like we believed we could win – and that’s what we were speaking about at half-time.
“I thought in the second half they were outstanding, especially the last 25 minutes.
“There was that belief, a bit more intensity, playing higher up the pitch, getting on to second balls more and having a bit more quality.
“They reacted really well to the penalty miss, showed good character, and once we got one goal, I thought we would go on and win it – and we did, which was really pleasing.
“It’s really important for the club to get to the next round, and now we’ll get a different challenge, whoever we get, so it’s really good.”
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