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Manager Paul Hartley and midfielder Fraser Fyvie spoke to the media after our 5-1 victory over Rangers B at Balmoral Stadium that secured a place in the semi-finals of the SPFL Trust Trophy.

Paul praised the players for making it through to our first senior semi-final since stepping up to the SPFL just three years ago.

He said: “The players have been magnificent since I came into the club.

“Their work rate and their will to win is excellent.

“Getting to a semi-final is pleasing for them, pleasing for the board and for our supporters.

“It’s something we can all look forward to.

“In semi-finals you are determined to get to a final, we will give it our best shot.”

Paul also applauded the players for starting the quarter-final clash with Rangers B strongly to ensure we were 4-1 ahead by the interval.

It meant losing Harry Milne, who was cautioned twice in the second period, wasn’t too much of a problem.

Paul said: “We were brilliant in the first half.

‘We started fast and kept up the momentum and played some excellent attacking football.

“We could have scored more than we did.

“They are a young team, so we knew they would have a lot of energy, but our start was terrific, our players showed great professionalism.

“When we were reduced to 10-men in the second half our discipline and organisation, defensively, was also brilliant.

“We knew this tie could produce a potential upset,  but we were on it and aggressive from the start, so that was never going to happen.”

Midfielder Fraser, who netted twice to bring his tally for the season so far to five goals, is delighted to have played his part in securing a semi-final clash with either Morton or Queen of the South, who meet in their quarter-final clash tonight.

Fraser said: “It matches the ambitions of so many people at the club.

“That starts at chairman Keith Moorhouse and the people who work alongside him, who have done so much over many years to get the club to where it is right now.

“The manager has also made it clear he wants to do well in the cups because it would obviously help to promote the club too.

“It lets people see what is happening up here – that there’s another club in Aberdeen that’s doing well and eager to keep on improving.”

Fraser was also asked to play in an attacking midfield role, so is pleased to have used that to his advantage to notch another couple of goals.

He said: “The manager has encouraged me to play a little bit higher up the park, which I’m loving.

“It’s with the aim of seeing me trying to get on the scoresheet a bit more, so it was very pleasing to add another couple.”

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