Hermes took advantage of most of the scheduled card being cancelled to leapfrog Culter into third place in the McBookie.com Superleague with a 3-1 victory over bottom of the table Deveronside in Banff after a run of indifferent results.
Following a goalless opening period, the visitors went in front early in the second half when good work by Joe Burr and Jack Tait down the left saw the resulting cross dummied by Jordan Reid, giving Jack Craig the opportunity to tap the ball home.
However, the advantage did not last long and Deveronside levelled on the counter after a Hermes corner saw them break up the park and win a free kick from which a miscommunication between Tait and keeper Greg Simpson gave Damian Wojkic the chance to equalise.
Hermes went back in front after an hour when Jack Tait was brought down inside the box and Callum Youngson tucked the resultant penalty away.
With twenty minutes remaining, Youngson sealed the points when he shot home from twenty yards after a Craig lay off.
Hermes boss pleased his side were able to play
Hermes manager Neil Dawson was relieved to get the game played.
He said: “It was fine to get a game and, of course, the three points which keeps us in touch with the teams around us.
“I felt we played it a bit safe in the first half, which is understandable given our recent run, and we told the players that at the interval.
“It was a frustrating opening but they listened and we saw the improvement after the break.
“It’s been frustrating recently because we haven’t managed to get our best players all playing at the same time.
“Our captain Connor McKenzie was out and Ryan Begg was only just back after a hamstring problem so we’ve had a few injuries to contend with.”
Next up for Hermes is a home league clash with Hall Russell United. The Hermes boss knows there are no easy matches in the Superleague.
He said: “If you take Banks O’Dee out of the equation, it’s a really tight league and if, as I expect, Dee move up to the Highland League next season, it’s pretty open in terms who would be favourites.
“We’ve still got four league games still to play as well as the McLeman Cup tie at Montrose Roselea to look forward to so there’s still a bit of football to be played this season.”