Hermes will face Kirriemuir Thistle at home in the quarter-finals of the Quest Engineering Cup after eliminating city rivals East End at Lochside Park in a 4-0 win.
The only goal of the first period came midway through the half, when Dom Rae slipped the ball through to Jack Craig and he shot beyond Caleb Wilson in the visitors’ goal.
The second arrived after the home side were awarded a penalty. Although Callum Youngson’s spot-kick was parried by Wilson, Joe Burr was the first to react to double Hermes’ advantage.
Rae then knocked in the third after a cross found him at the back post, before substitute Jordan Reid, now free of injury, latched on to a long ball up the park and slotted the ball past Wilson to make it four.
Lochside Park co-manager Neil Dawson was pleasantly surprised with his team’s performance after a long lay-off, saying: “It’s been five weeks without football so we didn’t really know what to expect, but it was a good win all things considered.
“It was a tough period for us before the break and we missed a few games due to the weather. I felt we were strong at the back on Saturday and we play East End at home again this weekend in the league.
“I expect things to be different this Saturday and they’re a good side.
“We’ve a difficult month with Ellon United away and then Montrose Roselea at home (after that), but three out of our four in January are at home, where we always fancy our chances.”
Dawson isn’t too concerned Culter have now taken over from Hermes at the top of the Premier League, adding: “There’s still an awful lot of football to be played and everyone has to play everyone else.
“Culter and ourselves are the form sides at the moment and, despite losing at the weekend, Ellon are also doing well.
“We dropped a couple of poor points at Montrose before the break, having had a goal chalked off which we believe should have stood, but, as I said to the squad, we need every one of the 20 to be fit and ready as everyone will be required, particularly when the midweek matches return.
“Other than Ryan Begg, with a broken nose, everyone is fit at present and we require a collective push.
“Kirrie in the next round of the Quest will be a tough one. In my 15 years in management, this is a trophy I’ve never managed to get my hands on, but we’re at home and we’ll fancy our chances.”
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