Aberdeenshire Shield: Reaction and report as Banks o’ Dee’s unbeaten run continues with victory against Turriff United

Co-manager Josh Winton was pleased to see Banks o’ Dee extend their unbeaten run to 11 matches with victory against Turriff United in the Morrison Motors (Turriff) Aberdeenshire Shield.

The Aberdeen outfit, who have triumphed in this tournament twice in the last four seasons, won this first round tie at Spain Park 2-0 thanks to goals in either half from Sam Pugh and Liam Duell.

Dee’s last defeat came on August 20 against Aberdeen in the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup and they will be at home to the Dons again in the quarter-final of the Shield on Wednesday November 12.

Winton said: “There wasn’t a great deal in it, but we’re delighted to be in the next round.

“We’re on a good run at the moment and it’s important we try to keep it going.

“We know how important momentum can be in football. Sometimes it can get you through games where you maybe don’t quite reach the levels that you’re capable of.

“We know it will be a tough game in the next round against Aberdeen and it’s a game we’ll look forward to when it comes around.

“They were very good the last time we played them, but we’ve made a fair bit of progress since then.

“We’ve got some important players back and our team is more settled now which is important.”

Match action

Despite the best efforts of both sides, there was a dearth of goalmouth action in the first period.

The closest Turriff came was an Owen Kinsella header off target and a Miller Keir drive from 25 yards, which flew high over the bar.

At the other end Joe McCabe headed narrowly wide from a Pugh corner, but in the 35th minute the hosts broke the deadlock.

Ramsay Davidson curled in an inviting cross from the right flank and Pugh met it with an excellent diving header which sent the ball into the bottom left corner of the net.

On 58 minutes Banks o’ Dee gave themselves a two-goal cushion.

A ball in behind the Turra defence gave Duell something to chase and after getting the better of Glen Donald he lashed his finish beyond goalkeeper Lee Herbert.

Donald was unhappy that the goal was given because he felt he had been fouled by Duell, but referee Joel Kennedy dismissed his appeals.

United can’t come back

Despite the introduction of Timi Fatona, Ryan McLean, Sam Garnham, Murray Thompson and Mackenzie Taylor from the bench after falling two behind, United were unable to mount a comeback.

This defeats ends their four-match unbeaten run and means they’re without a victory against Banks o’ Dee in 13 meetings stretching back to July 2016.

Boss Warren Cummings said: “They had a moment of quality with their first goal and losing the second goal was disappointing because it knocks the stuffing out of us a wee bit.

“We don’t have any complaints with it either, Glen should have dealt with it.

“Our endeavour and attitude was good, but we didn’t have the final bit of quality to test Daniel Hoban.”

[Source: Press and Journal]