Kevin Fraser savoured his first goal after two years on the sidelines and hopes to win silverware with Buckie Thistle again.
The Jags midfielder is preparing to face Fraserburgh on Wednesday night at Victoria Park in the quarter-final of the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup.
Fraser’s strike in Saturday’s win against Clachnacuddin was his first since recovering from a groin injury sustained in August 2022.
The 33-year-old said: “The goal meant a lot to me, I’ve had a lot of ups and downs with injuries in the last couple of years.
“I wasn’t sure if I was going to come back. It’s probably down to Graeme Stewart when he was manager, Lewis MacKinnon (current manager) and Hamish Munro (player-assistant manager) that I have come back.
“They kept me sane really with phone calls, keeping in touch with me and keeping me involved.
“I tore my groin on my left side, I’d done it on my right side before and when I got an MRI scan and they didn’t think I needed an operation.
“But when I went back to training I still didn’t feel right. When I got another MRI scan I was told I’d have to get an operation.
“Thankfully I got it and then the recovery was 10 months.
“When I tore my right groin a bit of bone came with the muscle and it grew back itself.
“But with my left one it was a clean snap and it had to be knitted back together.
“It was on my mind that I was maybe finished in terms of playing, but after my operation I decided to give it one more chance and I’m glad I have done.”
Trophy target
During his time with Buckie, Fraser has won the Aberdeenshire Cup and the Breedon Highland League in the 2016-17 season.
He was unable to play a part in Thistle’s league triumph last term and ahead of facing Fraserburgh added: “It’s a big game because we want to try to win silverware.
“The boys won the league last season, I wasn’t part of that, but I want to try to win something this season.
“It’s never an easy game against Fraserburgh, we’ll have to be up for it.”
Meanwhile, captain Willie West believes the cups take on even more importance for Fraserburgh given their start in the league.
After Saturday’s defeat to Brora Rangers the Broch are 12 points off the summit.
West, 36, said: “The cups are always important, but we’re quite a bit off it in the league so the cups are probably our best chance of silverware.
“But Buckie away is probably the hardest draw you can have in the competition so it’s another tough game.”
Fraserburgh have been missing some key players in the early part of the campaign, but West has been encouraged by the displays of some of the Bellslea outfit’s youngsters.
The skipper added: “Jake Garden has played almost every game, it doesn’t seem to faze him that he’s playing Highland League after playing boys’ club football last season.
“He’s been a standout and has done really well. Flynn McKay is another one who’s doing well and I think we’ll keep seeing more of him.
“Joshua Hawkins did really well on Saturday playing in the middle of the park.
“It’s good to see them coming through and hopefully they keep doing well.”
The winner of the tie will visit Huntly or Hermes in the semi-final.
Formartine’s Crawford happy to be top of the tree
Johnny Crawford hopes to keep his good goalscoring run going to help Formartine United and allow him to continue winding up his team-mates.
The defender has netted eight times in all competitions this season ahead of Wednesday’s Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup quarter-final against Banks o’ Dee at North Lodge Park.
Crawford is currently United’s top scorer which has led to some banter with Dominica international striker Julian Wade, who has netted twice this term and has been Formartine’s leading marksman in the last two seasons.
Crawford, 34, said: “My goal return as a defender has been good, but my job is to keep the ball out of net. At the start of the season we weren’t keeping enough clean sheets.
“But in the last five games we’ve only conceded two goals which is more like it.
“It’s good to chip in with goals and help the team and hopefully the goals keep coming.
“If I could get into double figures I’d be delighted because I’ve never managed to do that before.
“There’s been a wee bit of banter between myself and Julian about how many goals we’ve scored.
“I think he’s a wee bit stressed out about it but I’m sure he’ll catch me soon enough.
“If he doesn’t catch me I’ll be disappointed and I think he might be in tears!
“Julian takes it in good spirit, he’s a great guy. I sit next to him in the dressing room and it’s just a bit of banter between us.
“Julian’s our main man really and he’s been excellent for us, but I like winding him up that I’m the new fans’ favourite.”
Tough clash awaits against Dee
On tomorrow’s tie with Dee, Crawford added: “The cups are competitions you always want to win.
“But every tie difficult and Banks o’ Dee are a good side we’ve got to be at our best.”
Meanwhile, Banks o’ Dee’s Mark Reynolds is looking forward to the challenge of trying to reach the last four of the Shire Cup as they play in midweek for the sixth time in seven weeks.
The former Aberdeen, Dundee United and Cove Rangers defender said: “It will be another tough game, every game is difficult and if you don’t turn up you’ll get a doing.
“We need to try to take more of the chances that we’re creating.
“It’s a heavy schedule at the moment going Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday, Wednesday.
“But if you want to compete on multiple fronts you need to do it and we look forward to that.”
The winner of this tie will visit Dyce or Aberdeen in the semi-final.
Huntly want to aim for trophies
Huntly manager Colin Charlesworth believes they have the tools to challenge for Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup glory.
The Black and Golds – who have won their last three matches – face Junior side Hermes on Wednesday at Christie Park in the quarter-final of the Shire Cup.
Boss Charlesworth said: “We know it will be a really tricky tie, but we have to have confidence in our group of players.
“We’ve not hidden away from the fact we want to compete in all the cup competitions.
“The club has stepped forward in recent years and this season the target we have is to reach a final to give ourselves a chance to get a medal.
“You play football to be involved in finals and to try to win things. We have to set targets and we have to think we’re a team that’s capable of doing that.
“When players sign contracts of the length that Ryan Sewell has and that Angus Grant, Brodie Allen, Ross Still, Fraser Hobday and others have they can see there’s a long-term project.
“They can see there’s a team that could push on and try to win medals.
“I’m delighted Ryan has signed on again. With the group of players we’ve got signed up long-term hopefully that can give us the platform to go and challenge for trophies.”
Junior side up for the cup
Hermes are unbeaten in 10 games at the start of the season and manager Steve Watson said: “We’re full of confidence after starting the season well.
“It’s always good to play Highland League teams and that was one of the reasons we wanted to get into the Aberdeenshire and District FA.
“Being in this competition gives us great games like this. We’ve never been past this stage of the competition before but hopefully if we play well we can do something.”
Dyce boss ready to meet familiar faces
Alfie Youngson used to coach some of Aberdeen’s starlets but is hoping they have an off night against Dyce in the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup.
The Junior outfit welcome the Dons to Ian Mair Park tomorrow in the quarter-final of the competition.
It’s likely the Reds will field a youthful line-up and Dyce boss Youngson is particularly familiar with midfielder Findlay Marshall – who is also on loan at Cove Rangers – and striker Alfie Bavidge – who has been loaned to Ayr United.
Youngson said: “I used to coach the Dyce Boys’ Club 2006 team and that team had Findlay and Alfie in it.
“Five or six of my boys played in that team with them so there will be a bit of friendly rivalry.
“Alfie moved on very young, but we had Findlay for a while, they’re two great kids and two great players.
“It’s good to see what they’ve gone on to do. I’ve watched Findlay a few times recently and I think he’s been brilliant.
“Hopefully if he has a good loan at Cove this season we can see him pushing into the first-team at Aberdeen.
“But for the first time ever I hope he has a bad night when he’s playing us.”
Youngson admits his side are underdogs against full-time opposition but is determined to enjoy the experience.
He added: “Everyone at the club is excited about it and it will be a great experience for us.
“I hope they bring along a few first-team boys because you want to face the best players you can.
“We know it will be difficult, but we’ve got a good set of players and on our day if we play well and Aberdeen have an off day then we’ve got a chance.”
Conversation