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On this day in 2020, Cove Rangers made the trip up to Dudgeon Park in what was only our second game of the campaign, the season delayed by the COVID pandemic. We had kicked-off with an impressive performance against Hibernian, taking the lead before the Premiership outfit rallied after the interval, and the meeting with Brora was to be a sensational affair.

This is an edited version of the match report which appeared on our website four years ago…

BRORA RANGERS 2-2 COVE RANGERS (5-6 on penalties)

Goalkeeper Stuart McKenzie was the spot-kick hero on a night of high drama at Dudgeon Park.

We eventually won 6-5 on penalties, after drawing 2-2 with Highland League champions Brora Rangers in a topsy turvy Betfred League Cup tie that had a bit of everything.

We should have had it done and dusted by half-time, could have lost, but eventually came through with pride intact, thanks to big Stuart, who saved twice during the shoot-out, then calmly slotted home the winner!

It’s a real shame no fans were allowed in to see it all unfold, but those who watched Brora’s live televised stream certainly got value for their money. As well as the penalty shoot-out, they were served up three wonder goals, with Jamie Semple’s long ranger that put us 2-0 up at one stage particularly eye catching.

Brora keeper Joe Malin also pulled off a string of brilliant saves to keep his team in it – only to then end up seeing his spot-kick saved by his opposite number! It was as bonkers as it was breath-taking, although the heart stopping ending would have been avoided had we been more clinical in front of goal in a first half we totally dominated.

The manager made several changes to give players game time, with club captain Mitch Megginson among those left back in Aberdeen. Our reshuffled side went at Brora from the off and we were denied what appeared to be a perfectly good seventh minute opener, after Semple had slotted home from Broque Watson’s right wing cross. The effort was chalked off because the nearside assistant flagged for offside against Jordon Brown. It was a harsh decision.

We kept at it though, with McAllister not too far off target with a shot on the turn from the edge of the Brora area. Skipper for the night Connor Scully also had a powerful twenty-five yard free-kick held by Malin.

The pressure paid off with a deserved opener in the eighteenth minute, gifted to us when Martin MacLean was woefully short with a pass back from halfway. Rory McALLISTER quickly latched on to the ball and showed composure as he slotted it beyond the reach of Malin from the edge of the area.

Our second, ten minutes later, was a goal Jamie SEMPLE will treasure. Higgins played the ball forward and the midfielder gave Malin no chance with an unstoppable thirty yard shot which bulleted into the net.

Brora replied within a minute in equally spectacular fashion.

Andy McRae rolled the ball into the path of Martin MacLEAN, and he made up for his earlier blunder by blasting home from outside the box.

We had several opportunities to increase our lead before the interval. Semple forced another great save from Malin, this time from twenty-five yards, and McAllister lobbed over the crossbar when he only had Malin to beat.

The half ended with the Brora keeper making an astonishing trio of saves in quick succession – from McAllister, Adam Livingstone, and Jordon Brown – to ensure the home side were still in the tie.

We had a penalty appeal turned down just after the restart when Brown appeared to be impeded as he broke into the home area, out on the left, then Malin was the Brora hero once more, when he managed to finger-tip Scully’s looping header, from a Semple corner, over the bar.

McKenzie was finally called into action in the sixty-sixth minute, when he tipped over former Cove striker Jordan McRae’s effort, and when Colin Williamson sent an impressive volley inches wide a couple of minutes later, it was clear Brora were now right up for the battle.

They drew level in the seventy-second minute, after Scully was harshly penalised for a challenge on Bjorn WAGENAAR twenty-two yards out from the Cove goal. The Dutchman took the free-kick himself and gave McKenzie no chance with a perfectly executed curling effort over the wall.

Malin made sure the sides stayed level with two more outstanding saves, from Livingstone and then a last minute header from Graham.

The penalty shoot-out was a fitting finale.

Both sides were perfect from the spot with their first four efforts, Harry Milne, Semple, Leighton McIntosh and Livingstone were the Cove scorers.

Then Malin, of all people, failed with Brora’s fifth, thanks to an excellent save from Stuart McKenzie. The Brora keeper made amends immediately by saving from Daniel Higgins to send us into sudden death. Blair Yule then matched Mark Nicolson’s effort to leave us tied at 5-5.

McKenzie provided the climax by making another brilliant save, from Colin Williamson, before slotting the final penalty of the night past Malin to secure the extra point for us.

BRORA RANGERS: Malin, Pickles, A MacDonald, Williamson, Nicolson, Gillespie (J MacRae 46), Brindle, G MacDonald (Gamble 68), A MacRae, MacLean, Wagenaar.

Substitutes: N MacDonald, Stephen

Scorers: MacLean (29), Wagenaar (72)

COVE RANGERS: McKenzie, Leighton (Scott Ross 72), Milne, Scully, Watson, Higgins McAllister (McIntosh 68), Livingstone, Semple, Brown (Yule 72), Graham

Substitutes: Demus

Scorers: McAllister (18), Semple (28)

Referee: Duncan Williams

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