Inverurie Locos eventually got the better of Turriff United in the first round of the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup at the Haughs.
The Garioch side will travel to face Banks o’ Dee, conquerors of Keith, in the quarter-finals.
In the sixth minute Locos almost opened the scoring when a deep cross from former Don Kieran Shanks picked out Neil Gauld but his header was brilliantly parried by young United keeper Tim Findlay.
Shortly after a collision between between Findlay and his right back Owen Kinsella almost created a chance for Locos’ Robert Ward but the keeper recovered in time to clear the danger.
Findlay again came to the home side’s rescue in the 26th minute when he flung himself to his left to get a strong hand to a curling Gauld drive.
The hosts almost took the lead on the hour mark when Locos keeper Andy Reid did well to get a fingertip to Rory Brown’s close-range effort.
But in the 63rd minute Locos took the lead when Calum Dingwall drilled a superb curling 25-yard free kick past the helpless Findlay.
Inverurie Locos doubled their lead in the 73rd minute with a thunderous 25-yard strike from Andy Watt which was in the back of net before Findlay could move.
Five minutes later, the game was all but over when Robert Ward ran onto a Ross Still feed to beat Findlay with a low shot into the corner.
United scored a consolation goal with 10 minutes left left with Murray Cormack finding the back of the net but within two minutes Kieran Adams restored Locos’ three-goal advantage.
Locos boss Andy Low said: “I thought we were in control of the first half without really threatening.
“The longer that went on Turriff gained more confidence and five minutes before we opened the scoring Turriff were the better side.
“We now face a really tricky trip to Banks o’ Dee in the next round. They are the equivalent of a top Highland League side and they have been for years.”
Spain Park men too strong for Keith
North Superleague leaders Banks o’ Dee progressed to the quarter-finals of the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup with a 6-1 victory over Highland League side Keith at Spain Park.
The home side netted twice inside the opening five minutes through Lachie Macleod and Michael Philipson before Robert Armstrong added a third with only 17 minutes on the clock.
Armstrong grabbed the fourth after 34 minutes before Philipson made it five three minutes later.
Keith pulled a goal back through Przemyslaw Nawrocki after 63 minutes before Armstrong completed his hat-trick two minutes from time as Banks o’ Dee set up a home clash against Inverurie Locos in the last eight of the competition.
Elsewhere, Dyce Juniors will head to Deveronvale in the next round after beating fellow Superleague side Hermes 4-3 on penalties at Ian Mair Park after the tie finished 2-2 after 90 minutes.
Sam Robertson fired Dyce into an early lead before Hermes, who had Grant Mitchell sent off five minutes into the second half, responded through goals from James Cairns and Luke Barbour.
But Robertson levelled late on from the penalty spot before Dyce held their nerve to progress on spot-kicks on Hermes’ first appearance in the Aberdeenshire Cup.