Buckie Thistle boss ‘very pleased’ with battling showing against Dundee United
Buckie Thistle manager Lewis Mackinnon was “very pleased” with his team’s battling performance that saw them score twice against Premiership opponents Dundee United.
Having trailed 2-0 at half-time through goals from Kristijan Trapanovski and Kevin Holt, the Jags came out flying in the second half and pulled a goal back immediately through Joe McCabe’s header.
Dundee United moved into a 4-1 lead through Trapanovski and David Babunski, but Buckie grabbed their second when Sam Pugh was fouled in the box from a corner and Jack MacIver stepped up to hammer home from the penalty spot.
A controversial penalty awarded to United with 15 minutes to go - when goalkeeper Mark Ridgers appeared to have got a lot of the ball - took a bit of the shine off a good Jags showing as Kevin Holt made it 5-2.
But Mackinnon was happy with his players’ showing.
He said: “I was very pleased with the performance. Each game that has gone by in this competition we have upped our performance levels.
“I asked the boys at half-time to give a bit more and get a goal to get us back in the game and keep it close and we managed to get that goal and a second.
“The referee took the wind out of our sails with a crazy decision. Mark (Ridgers) clearly won the ball and that has taken the gloss off our performance.
“But it was a great performance against a Premiership side, so I'm really, really happy with it.”
Just before Buckie gave away the penalty, from which United score their fifth goal, Buckie substitute Josh Peters had gone close to making the score 4-3 when he saw his effort tipped round the post.
Mackinnon added: “We had them on the ropes at that point. We had a barrage of corners and were on top. Goals breed momentum and confidence.
“But, unfortunately, it was a strange call. These things happen and we maybe weren’t going to go and win the game, anyway, but I’m really, really happy with the whole performance - especially the second half, containing a Premiership side like that.”
Buckie’s League Cup campaign draws to a close on Saturday when they visit Ayr United. Darryl McHardy and Kevin Fraser are set to make returns to the squad.
“They will both come into the squad, so that’s a boost as well,” Mackinnon added. “I’m hoping they will get some minutes towards the end of the game, and then potentially more minutes in Tuesday.
“We are looking to go down to Ayr and go one step forward by turning a positive performance into a positive result.”
