Inverurie Locos 1-5 Buckie Thistle

Josh Peters fired Buckie Thistle through to an Aberdeenshire Shield Semi-Final meeting with Aberdeen with a superb hat-trick against Inverurie Locos at Harlaw Park.

Jags were quick out of the blocks and Marcus Goodall forced an early save from Zack Ellis with a close-range effort at the far post.

Buckie keeper Stuart Knight made a comfortable save from a Sam Robertson effort on 15 minutes, then the away side took the lead just a minute later. A cross from the right fell kindly for Peters, and he arrowed a tremendous strike into the top left corner from 12 yards.

Jack MacIver almost made it two with a snap shot five minutes later, but Ellis saved low at his left post.

Peters bagged his and Buckie’s second goal in the 34th minute, Jack MacIver latching onto a loose ball to feed Peters on the right of the penalty area, he turned and angled his shot into the bottom left corner.

Seven minutes later Peters returned the favour, playing in MacIver after a defensive slip from Locos and the Jags midfielder crashed a low right-foot effort across Ellis into the far corner for goal number three.

Lyall Keir replaced Marcus Goodall at the break after the Buckie youngster suffered a groin injury in the first half.

Locos almost pulled one back early in the second period, Greg Mitchell blasting a shot high towards goal from 15 yards, but it was well pushed over the bar for a corner by Knight.

Jags defender Joe McCabe hobbled off in the 56th minute, he was unable to continue after a late challenge and was replaced by Ryan Fyffe.

The home side then won a penalty on 64 minutes, Fyffe adjudged to have brought down Cole Anderson in the area. Paul Coutts slotted the spot kick just beyond the diving Knight into the bottom corner of the net.

Substitute Lloyd Robertson fired an effort wide after a quick counter attack from the home side, before Peters completed his hat-trick 14 minutes from time, pouncing on a Glen Donald mistake to slot confidently past Ellis from 15 yards.

Sam Morrison then made a welcome Jags return from the substitutes bench; he replaced Cohen Ramsay with Darryl McHardy moving to left back.

McHardy almost made it five with a clipped effort from 18 yards that beat Ellis but smacked off the crossbar, before Jack Murray did make it five from close range in injury time, slamming the ball home after great work down the right flank from MacIver.

Buckie Th: S. Knight; J. McCabe (R. Fyffe 56), J. Murray, D. McHardy, C. Ramsay (S. Morrison 77); D. Wood, S. Pugh (c); J. MacIver, M. Goodall (L. Keir 46), M. Barry; J. Peters

Scorers: Josh Peters (16, 34, 76), Jack MacIver (34), Jack Murray (90+1)

Interview with manager Graeme Stewart after the game:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/0d5bw53629xqwsl20sjrd/Spider-18.10.m4a?rlkey=99mlfjzii65fu3qmjcdxk1rue&dl=0