Blairgowrie bowed out of the Scottish Cup with defeat to Aberdeen Superleague side Hermes. It was a threadbare squad who made the journey north with injuries and absentees leaving only a half-fit Axworthy and coaches Mark Brash and Mark Christison on the bench.

To their credit, Blairgowrie battled away for the entire game and only a late goal finally put paid to their chances. However, the better team won, with Blairgowrie certainly not getting the rub of the green they would have needed to upset the odds.

Blairgowrie started brightly, with the dubious advantage of having a howling gale at their backs. This gave plenty of territory, but the final pass invariably ran through to the home ‘keeper.

Hermes began to get crosses into the box and midway through the first-half they took the lead with a powerful header. Norrie tried a long-range effort for Blair and a Neave lob drifted narrowly wide.

Blair struggled to make chances after the break, but while the deficit was only one, they were still in the tie. The game’s decisive moment came after 62 minutes. Blair were awarded a routine goal-kick but to the amazement of both sides, the referee changed his decision and awarded a corner. Inevitably, Hermes scored from this, with a header that was half-blocked on the line before the wind took the ball agonisingly into the net.

Neave pulled a goal back for Blair with twenty minutes left, latching on to a loose ball and finding the net with a clever lob. Blair pressed briefly and Neave was fouled on the edge of the box, only to see a rather vague advantage come to nothing.

Gray became yet another injury casualty before Hermes clinched the tie with a late goal. A misplaced pass led to a hanging cross which was nodded in at the far post. There was a late flurry from Blair with Adam’s shot saved and a drive by Plenderleith just over, but it was too little too late. However, Blairgowrie put up a good fight under difficult circumstances, with several playing out of position and Dempster recovering from illness.

A strong Hermes side, with a well-organised defence, will be tough opponents in the next round, especially if they get another home tie.

Courtesy of Blairgowrie Juniors FC website.