Huntly reached the semi-final of the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup defeating Aberdeen 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw at Christie Park.
In a tense quarter-final tie the Black and Golds had the better chances and hit the woodwork twice.
In in the shoot-out Allan Hale’s men held their nerve netting all four penalties while goalkeeper Euan Storrier made two saves.
Huntly will face Formartine United at North Lodge Park next week in the last four.
Robbie Foster came in for the absent Andy Hunter.
A youthful Aberdeen side included Kieran Ngwenya, who has featured for the first team, as well as highly-rated striker Alfie Bavidge.
Cagey start
The visitors knocked the ball about tidily enough in the early exchanges but most of the possession was in the middle third and didn’t pose too much of a threat.
In the 10th minute however, Bavidge did well to create space on the edge of the area but the shot which followed was easy for goalkeeper Storrier.
Huntly enjoyed a good spell after that.
Kyle Dalling’s raking diagonal released Gavin Elphinstone down the right but his shot hit the side-netting.
On the quarter hour mark Ryan Sewell dragged an effort wide from 20 yards and Adam Morris did the same a few minutes later.
The Black and Golds continued to look the more likely and Elphinstone headed a Sewell corner on to the roof of the net after half an hour.
Five minutes before the break the woodwork thwarted the hosts with Ross Still’s looping header from Sewell’s left-wing free-kick hitting the crossbar before goalkeeper Blessing Oluyemi gathered the loose ball.
And before the first period was over Elphinstone had another effort, but his powerful strike from the edge of the area was straight at Oluyemi.
Woodwork saves Dons
The second half started in frantic fashion with both sides guilty of loose defensive play which allowed the other to counter-attack.
However, the final pass or cross went awry which prevented any serious efforts on goal.
After an hour the frame of the goal saved the Dons once again. Brodie Allen found space on the right flank and his cross ran through for Still at the back post and the midfielder cracked a shot against the left post from 10 yards.
Midway through the second period lively Aberdeen winger Adam Emslie burst away from two Huntly players down the left and his cross was sliced just wide by home defender Michael Clark.
The Black and Golds were continuing to chase the opener and at times they were guilty of forcing things too much and leaving gaps for the Reds to exploit at the other end.
In the 81st minute Findlay’s Marshall’s cross caused a moment of alarm in the home defence with Lyall Booth blasting his clearance against Dalling, but the ball ricocheted over the bar.
At the other end Morris wriggled free on the right side of the area but his Oluyemi parried his effort.
Despite the efforts of both teams penalties were required with Storrier saving Aberdeen’s first two spot-kicks from Dylan Lobban and Alfie Stewart.
That meant Still, Elphinstone, Dalling and Clark scoring won it for Huntly.
