TWO early first-half goals propelled Inverurie Locos into the Morrison Motors Turriff Aberdeenshire Shield Final, with a hard fought win over Fraserburgh.
A stunning strike from Steven Park followed by Bruce Cormie's goal did enough for Locos, wi
th Fraserburgh being reduced to ten men after Zak Conway's sending off.
This was the first ever meeting between these sides in this competition, and Locos looked to make it five wins in a row. Dave Cormie made five changes to the Turriff starting XI.
Within a minute, the Harlaw Park side were almost ahead. Bruce Cormie was sent through on goal by Andrew Bisset, but his effort was well kept out by the onrushing Dickinson.
But the visitors did make the breakthrough on nine minutes. Steven Park found himself in space 25 yards out, before letting loose a sweet strike which flew into the goal.
It got even worse for Fraserburgh a couple of minutes later. A well-worked move by Locos led to Craig Ross slipping the ball through onto Bruce Cormie who finished exquisitely under Dickinson, a move which spilt the Fraserburgh defence apart and put the away side firmly in the driving seat, leaving the Broch with an uphill task.
The home side had chances. Jamie Beagrie whistled an effort wide of Andrew Reid's post, before Steven Main fed off Michael Stephen's short pass after the veteran forward had done well to hold off the presence of Park. Main's low cross found Zak Conway who was lurking unmarked in the area, but his first touch was disappointing as he couldn't control the ball.
It was almost disaster and game over for the home side after half an hour when Andrew Dickinson horribly miskicked a backpass played to him, and with Ryan Broadhurst in close proximity, the Broch shotstopper was relieved to see a goal kick awarded before Broadhurst could latch onto the ball.
Early on in the second half, Steven Main tested Reid with a cross-cum-shot that the Inverurie keeper to well to keep hold of.
Zak Conway received his marching orders soon after for a second bookable offence, this time a foul on Reid, followed by an on-field stramash in which a further three players' names were put into the book by referee Steven George, and play had to be stopped for several minutes due to an injury inflicted on Reid.
Fraserburgh almost got the goal that would have taken them back into the game and set up a largely nervy last 20 minutes or so for the visitors. Another pinpoint ball from Steven Main picked out Allan Hale who had made a run into the middle of the penalty area and smashed a brilliant first-time volley into the roof of the net, although the linesman's flag had been raised for offside.
The home side started to look a better side after being reduced to ten men, and were certainly creating more oppurtunities for themselves. Steven Main was again the provider from the left, Allan Hale again got on the end of the cross but this time he glanced his header over.
Main then had a curling effort that flashed just wide of the far post late on in the game, but Fraserburgh could not muster up a goal in the eight minutes added on for injury-time, and Dave Cormie's side reached their second Shield final in three years.
Fraserburgh: Dickinson, Conway, McBride, Stephen (Morrice 87), Ralph, N Main, Beagrie, West (Dickson 79), Hale, Johnston, S Main. Subs not used: Wemyss, Garden, Leask.
Inverurie Locos: Reid, Davidson, Buchan, Wilson, Park (Mess 49), Merriman, Singer, Ross, Broadhurst, Cormie (Gauld 26), Bisset. Subs not used:Stuart Craib, Djahansovzi, Neill.
