Saints Subdued

Regional Cup 2 Round — Saturday 31 January 2009
Banchory St Ternan I Culter 2 (at Milton Park, Crathes) H-T 0-0
Scorers: Banchorv: Keith Home (611 Culter Martin Shand (49) Allan Ynuncison (90+4)

 

Culter left it very very late to win through to the next round of the Region& Cup but overcame a resolute Banchory side who were determined not to double their record against their more fancied opponents.
The Deesiders from down the valley started on top with Ryan Stott setting up Martin Shand in the 1 minute but he only managed to blast the ball wide. ln a match dominated by the midfield good play was at a premium but Culter won a corner taken by Ryan Stott but Derek Craigie’s header drifted harmlessly over. At this stage the much hyped derby was tame until Saints sprung into action but Martyn McDonald made a complete fluff of a decent opportunity when free in the box. With 24 minutes gone a Lewis Mckimmie corner almost produced the opener but Adam Wilson’s looping header was well saved by Greg Sim in the Saints goal at the expense of a corner. Saints then rallied and produced some fine flowing football and almost took the lead when Martin Cooper dallied on the edge of the area but Keith Home made a hash of the opportunity when he slid the ball wide. Saints were then back on top but Keith Home’s low effort was saved by John Farquhar at the expense of a corner. With just over half an hour played Culter almost took the lead when Derek Craigie wheeled in the box before sending in a grounder which struck the angle of the post and then went behind for a corner. The Culter men dominated the rest of the first half but had to wait until the 45th minute to produce a chance when Martin Shand and Lewis McKimmie combined but the former shot wide from decent position
At the start of the second period Allan Youngson tried his luck straight from the kick off and the Saints keeper had to look lively to tip the ball over the bar for a corner. The half was barely 4 minutes old when Culter took the lead when a Murray Rattray free kick was hammered home via a deflection by Martin Shand. This sprung the game into life with Saints desperate to get back into it but they had to contend with the mobility of the Culter wide men and they managed to get rid of one of these when a shocking challenge on Ryan Stott left the mercurial Cuter wide mare requiring a stretcher. Long serving Cohn Craik replaced the injured man but it was Saints who got themselves back into the game when a humph up the park was collected by Keith Home who rounded Ryan Pressley before sending an acute shot into the back of the net. The play then sprang from end to end with a myriad of subs being used but just before he was taken off Derek Craigie had a golden opportunity to win the tie but he shot wide from a good Allan Youngson pass. Deep into the half Saints almost took the lead when a great McCormack ball was thumped against the post by Martyn Brooks, With the ref looking at his watch for the umpteenth time Culter were awarded a free kick just outside the area and Allan Youngson stepped up to send an absolute beauty into the back of the net to give the Deesiders the tie.

Banchory: Sirn, Bowden, Shand, Kelly. Douglas, McRae, Ogeton, Henderson, McDonald, Home, Cromar, Substitutes: Cruickshank, Strachan, McCormack, Brooks, Reid.
Culter Farquhar, Wilson, Rattray, Cooper, Pressley, M Robertson, MeKimmie, Shand, Craigie, Youngson, Stott. Substitutes: Sim, Craik, Adam, H Robertson, Garioch
Referee: R. Cobb