New junior side Banks O’Dee JFC bowed out of the Scottish Junior Cup at the opening stage when they went down 4-2 to West of Scotland Third Division outfit Newmains United at Balmoral Stadium.
The Aberdeen team got off to a perfect start when Cody White fired them in front after six minutes and the same player almost made it two when he saw his header come back off the post.
However, 10 minutes before the interval Keiran McGuire levelled to see the side go in level at the break.
The visitors were the first to strike in the second half, McGuire notching his second, before Connor Osprey equalised to bring Dee right back into it.
It was Newmains who finished the stronger though, Mark Fitzpatrick making it 3-2 before an unfortunate own goal put the game beyond Dee, who saw Harvey Yeats given a straight red right at the death.
Positives to be taken for Dee boss Robb
Although his side ultimately lost, Banks O’Dee JFC boss Mark Robb saw plenty to encourage him, particularly in the first half.
Robb said: “I thought we were outstanding for the majority of the opening half and we could have been three or four up.
“We’ve had Matty Robertson from the first team with us for the past wee while, to get himself fit and help the boys, but unfortunately he picked up a knock and you lose that bit of experience.
“We’re a very young squad of mostly the Cove Youth 2005’s, with a few from Albion and Westdyke, so it’s very much a learning curve for them.
“With the first team being at home, there was a clash but with Cove being away, Balmoral was available which was fine, particularly for the ex-Cove boys who played there regularly.
“Our aim is to hopefully provide three or four boys for the Highland League squad on an annual basis and conversely, it hopefully gives the first team a conveyor belt of talent every season.
“This year it’s a completely new squad who are all learning and getting used to it and the aim this year was to do that and see where we get.
“I do think that, as we play under the Banks O’Dee banner and a young group, we’re seen as a bit of a target, but with four tams going up at the end of the season, I’d like to see us pushing at the top end of the table.”
On Saturday, Dee are back at Spain Park with Islavale the visitors on McBookie.com Championship duty.