A first-half Grant Mitchell effort helped Hermes progress to the second round of the North Regional Cup at Stonehaven’s Glenury Park.
Hermes manager Steve Watson said: “It was a really good win against a very strong Stonehaven side.
“I felt we could have been out of sight in the first half after Grant put us ahead from a corner.
“Callum Youngson had an effort that, had it gone in, would have been goal of the season.
“Jack Craig had an effort that was not far away but Reece Duncan in the Stonehaven goal did really well.
“We knew they’d come at us in the second half and they did, with Jacob Otto pulling off one really brilliant save when he tipped the ball on to the bar but we defended well on a really hot afternoon.
“This weekend we go to Stoneywood Parkvale, who have basically got a new team from last season and having scored six on Saturday, they’ll be confident going into this one so we’ll have to be at our best.”
Stonehaven boss Martyn Rollo said: “It was disappointing but I felt that if it was not for an outstanding performance from their keeper, we deserved to take the tie to penalties.
“The only goal also came from a set piece which is normally one of our strengths but we will regroup, do some work in training this week and aim to bounce back this weekend against Culter in the League Cup semi-final.”
Holders Culter had Willie Mathers and Callum Dunbar on target in the victory at Islavale while Rothie Rovers, runners-up last season, won by the same scoreline at Dufftown where Craig Smith and Stuart Hodge were the scorers.
A Nikolas Wozniak hat-trick and a double from Gavin Byers eased Dyce through at Ian Mair Park where Lossiemouth United were the visitors and Colony Park had Ryan Park (2), Tyler Mason and Cammy Fraser on the scoresheet as they accounted for East End in Inverurie.
At Spain Park, Harry Woods (2), Harvey Yeats, Scott Milne, Finn Kemlo, Callum McGregor and Callum Nicol all found the net as Banks O’Dee JFC hit seven without response against New Elgin while Nairn St. Ninian had Keiran Duffy (2) and Charlie Fonweban on the mark as they defeated Fraserburgh United 3-1 at Showfield.
In a one-sided contest at Whitehills, Bridge of Don Thistle hit double figures with doubles from Cammy Bowden, Kyle Gauld, Adam Joji and Brett Findlay and singles from Bradley Deans, Declan Milne, Toby Mitchell and Stewart Rennie seeing the Jags into the next round.
At Heathryfold, an Adam Reid brace gave Sunnybank a 2-1 success against Ellon United and in a high scoring contest at Stauff Park, Stoneywood Parkvale overcame an interval deficit to get the better of Glentanar 6-4.
Arran Smith (2), Sol Beagrie and Dan Mair were the men who mattered for Buchanhaven Hearts in the 4-1 win against Newmachar United who responded with a Ryan Cormack free kick and Longside progressed 5-3 on penalties at Forres Thistle after the game had ended 2-2.
Hall Russell United also required spot kicks at home to Deveronside after a 1-1 draw, in which Morgan Conway’s counter for the hosts was cancelled out by Keane Matheson, with the home side going through 5-4 and in the sole second round tie, Owen MacIntosh scored a treble as Maud won 9-1 at Cruden Bay with Kyle Buxton (2), Scott Whelan, Mathew Keith, Callum Kelly and Murray Esson also finding the net.
NRJFA REGIONAL CUP – First round: Forres Thistle 2-2 Longside (3-5 pens), Banchory St. Ternan 2-0 Burghead Thistle, Banks O’Dee JFC 7-0 New Elgin, Buchanhaven Hearts 4-1 Newmachar United, Colony Park 4-1 East End, Dufftown 0-2 Rothie Rovers, Dyce 5-0 Lossiemouth United, Hall Russell United 1-1 Deveronside (5-4 pens), Islavale 0-2 Culter, Nairn St. Ninian 3-1 Fraserburgh United, Stonehaven 0-1 Hermes, Stoneywood Parkvale 6-4 Glentanar, Sunnybank 2-1 Ellon United, Whitehills 0-12 Bridge of Don Thistle.
Second round: Cruden Bay 1-9 Maud.
Conversation