Hermes kept the McBookie.com Premier League title race alive with a comfortable 5-0 victory over Stonehaven – though Culter will be crowned champions on Tuesday if they win at Colony Park.
Cameron Cook’s own goal for Hive after just eight minutes at Glenury Park set Hermes on their way, and further strikes from Andy Davidson and Joe Burr late in the half meant the visitors went into the interval three goals to the good.
Jack Tait made it four 12 minutes after the restart and, with two minutes remaining, teenager Brunon Paszkiewicz scored the pick of the bunch when he met a deep cross and looped a header over the keeper and into the far top corner.
Hermes co-manager Steve Watson said: “Stonehaven away is one of the games that you look at and know it’s going to be tricky, so it was a good display especially as we had a number of players missing. Centre-back Ross Gibbon was at full-back and was man of the match in his first start of the season, while midfielder Ryan Begg did very well in his second start.
“Culter will win the league 100% and, while disappointing, it really is fine margins.
“Only Culter, Beith and Formartine United have beaten us this season and we do still have the chance of winning something when we go to Dundee North End on Saturday in the semi-final of the Quest Engineering Cup (2.30pm).”
Hermes rest players with one eye on cup final bid
Watson added: “I was involved with Sunnybank the last time an Aberdeen team made the final of this competition, so we know it’s going to be very difficult.
“We’ve done our homework on them and they’re a quality team, managed by former Aberdeen player Kevin MacNaughton, and they’ll have a strong support – but it’s one we’re really looking forward to.
“The likes of Dom Rae have sat out the past couple of games to avoid the risk of a suspension, so we’ll have a full squad available for Saturday.
“We’ve broken a lot of records this season in terms of the number of goals scored and it would be a shame if we end up with nothing to show for it, but we’ll give ourselves every chance of progressing to the final.”
Conversation