Formartine United manager Stuart Anderson was pleased to progress to the first round of the GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup with victory against Wick Academy.
The Pitmedden side won 2-0 away at Harmsworth Park in their preliminary round tie.
Jonny Smith’s header from Daniel Park’s cross gave United the lead after a quarter of an hour and Mark Gallagher’s finish 10 minutes from time, after Graeme Williamson saved a Park free-kick, sealed the win.
Formartine will face Huntly at Christie Park in the first round a week on Saturday.
Anderson said: “We’re doing OK considering the players we’ve got missing. You want to win every game regardless of the competition and it’s pleasing to be in the next round.
“We had a few good chances in the first half, but Wick’s goalkeeper made some good saves.
“They had a lot of possession without really hurting us, but they were never really out of the game.”
Wick’s best moment in the final third was Mark Macadie’s first-half effort from eight yards which Ewen Macdonald tipped over.
Scorries player-manager Gary Manson was disappointed to exit the League Cup at the first hurdle.
He added: “I wasn’t too disappointed with the first half, even though we were 1-0 down.
“I asked for a bit more quality and composure in the final third, but the second half was a bit of a non-event for us.
“We could have played until midnight and not scored. It’s the story of our season.
“Everyone plays the game to win trophies and be involved in cup finals and that’s another season gone by where we’re not going to get that.”
Strathspey Thistle 2-3 Lossiemouth
Joe Russell hopes Lossiemouth can enjoy a good run in the GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup.
The Coasters reached the first round with a 3-2 win against Strathspey Thistle at Seafield Park.
Boss Russell said: “Cups are a good distraction from the league if you can get through and it helps build confidence.
“For the sides in mid-table, it can be a great thing to have a cup run and hopefully we can get that.
“I thought we were in control, but we couldn’t put the game to bed and when Strathspey got their second they put us under some pressure.
“But we got there in the end and managed to see the game out.”
— Lossiemouth FC (@lossiemouthfc) October 29, 2022
Ryan Stuart gave Lossie an early lead, finding the net when Liam Archibald returned the ball into the danger zone after Dean Stewart’s initial effort had been saved.
Ross Archibald scored the second for the visitors at the back post with barely 11 minutes played.
Aiden Cruickshank pulled one back for the Grantown Jags scoring direct from a corner, but Liam Archibald’s header made it 3-1 to Lossie at the break.
Ben Cullen finished off Cruickshank’s cross with a quarter of an hour left to set up a grandstand finish but the visitors held out and will face Nairn County in round one.
Strathspey manager Charlie Brown said: “We know we’ve got quality going forward, but defensively we’re struggling.
“We need to stop crosses coming into the box because that puts the defenders under pressure.
“We need to work harder all over the park, the players know that and they accept that.”