Mark Gilmour was left wondering what might have been after Banks o’ Dee exited the Scottish Cup against Hamilton Academical.
The Championship side progressed to the fourth round of the competition with a 2-1 victory at Spain Park, but they were hanging on in the second half against their Breedon Highland League opponents.
Accies were two up at half-time courtesy of a brace from Oli Shaw. Dee dominated the second half, but only found the net once through Michael Philipson and missed out on reaching round four for just the second time in their history.
Midfielder Gilmour, 26, said: “You could say it’s a missed opportunity. We always knew how big a challenge it would be, but the way the game went the feeling is mainly frustration.
“I think that’s testament to the boys and how we’ve played against a Championship team, the overriding emotion is frustration.
“We know what we’re capable of, we’ve got a squad of really good players.
“On another day our chances go in and it’s possibly a different outcome, it just wasn’t to be.
“We knew in the first half we’d have to be resolute in our shape without the ball and that they would have spells of possession being a Championship side.
“It was disappointing to be 2-0 down at half-time, we spoke at half-time about if we could get the next goal it would change.
“We did that and then we created enough chances to get something from the game we thought.”
Shaw makes the breakthrough
In the early stages Banks o’ Dee did well to nullify Hamilton’s attacking threats, but in the 28th minute the visitors took the lead.
Stephen Hendrie hooked a pass down the left flank, Nathan Cooney misjudged the flight of the ball and that allowed Shaw to get in behind.
The former Ross County striker still had plenty to do, but produced a superb right-footed finish into the top right corner from 16 yards.
Shaw failed to hit the target from a good position as the interval approached, but just seconds shy of the break he didn’t waste another opening as he headed Steven Bradley’s cross from the left beyond goalkeeper Daniel Hoban.
After the restart Dee put the full-time side under sustained pressure and with the chances they had could, and perhaps should, have forced extra-time or even won the tie in 90 minutes.
Dee have their moments
In the 56th minute Accies goalkeeper Charlie Albinson, at full stretch, tipped Iain Vigurs’ 30-yard free-kick onto the right post.
Six minutes later Dee did find the net. Mark Gilmour broke into space on the right and found sub Andy Hunter inside the penalty area, it looked like the striker had been crowded out only for him to tee up Philipson whose precise finish from 14 yards nestled in the bottom left corner.
The goalscorer and Vigurs then went close with efforts from distance.
Hamilton were rattled and Hunter and Gilmour combined on the right in the 71st minute to tee up Liam Duell, who shot over from 12 yards.
Sub Max Alexander then wriggled out of a challenge and stung the palms of Albinson from 20 yards with the off balance Kane Winton unable to convert the rebound.
In the 82nd minute Ally Stark was next to have a go, but he pulled his volley wide from 14 yards.
Dee’s last decent chance fell to sub Chris Antoniazzi in the dying embers, who blazed over the crossbar from close range, after good set-up work from Hunter on the right of the area.
Co-boss proud of his players
Banks o’ Dee co-manager Josh Winton said: “We had enough chances in the second half to force extra-time and maybe even win it.
“We’ve had some chances in the box where we haven’t hit the target which is the disappointing thing.
“It’s frustrating, but there’s also a lot of pride. I’m really proud of the effort in the second half.
“The appetite, desire and hunger they showed against a full-time team was fantastic.
“We’ve got to be pleased with our efforts in the competition. We’ve beaten a League Two side (East Fife in round two) and performed with real credit against a Championship side.”
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