HERMES: Sweeney; Cruikshank; Strachan; Campbell; Brown; McKenzie; Close; McRae; Dawson; Stevenson; Alexander: SUBS: Nash; D Wilson; Macklin; Courage; M Smith:

DYCE: Pennycook; Yeats; Barclay; Dick; M Bartlett, Clayton; McNamee; Leith; McAllister; Napier; Murray: SUBS: S Bartlett; McKenzie; Lombardi; Low; Rattray:

REFEREE: A Murphy; ASSISTANTS; A Cunninghill & J Willox:

Hermes welcomed back Alisdair Brown for his first start since being injured in August..

The game at Uniconn Park started in sensational style with Hermes being awarded a penalty in the first minute for a handball offence. Murray was shown a red card and Dyce faced the prospect of playing for 89 minutes with ten men. McRae stepped up to take the kick but Pennycook guessed the right way and made a comfortable save. Hermes’ poor record with penalties this season appears to have started again. In 9 minutes Pennycook became stranded outwith his goal but Dawson’s long range effort was cleared by Bartlett. Few chances were being created at either end but it was the home team who were on top at this stage. In the 12th minute both teams had a chance but neither managed to get their shots on target.

By midway through the first half Dyce had recovered from their early setback and were now putting Hermes under pressure. In the 24th minute McAllister found space but headed over the crossbar. The home side were finding it difficult to string any passes together and began to play a series of fruitless long balls. In the 32nd minute the visitor set up another chance which was squandered. Four minutes later a one-two between Dawson and Alexander looked promising but the hard working Dyce defence quickly snuffed out the chance. Five minutes after this Brown won the ball in midfield and quickly transferred it forward to CLOSE who found space and slipped the ball past Pennycook.

HALF TIME: Hermes 1 – 0 Dyce

Hermes had failed to take advantage of the visitors being reduced to 10 men. Dyce adjusted their play accordingly and closed Hermes down quickly at the back. Their speedy forwards were testing the home defence.

Four minutes after the re-start McNamee got clear but the advancing Sweeney seemed to distract him and his shot went wide of the target. Dyce were now well on top and for the next 15 minutes created a number of mainly missed opportunities. In the 56th minute Dyce drew level when a mix up in the box gave NAPIER time to take 2 touches before walking the ball home.

McRae and Close were replaced by Courage and Macklin for the home side and it was the latter who sent in an inch perfect cross only for the visiting custodian to pull off a good save from an Alexander header. Shortly after, a Dawson cross into the goalmouth was missed by the stretching Stevenson. Hermes created a few chances in the last few minutes but none came to fruition and the game petered out as a draw.

FULL TIME: Hermes 1 - 1 Dyce

In reflection Dyce will probably be the happier team, if only because of the fact that they played all but one minute with 10 men. The home side should have made more of the opportunity to get back on the winning way.