Deveronside defeat New Elgin to lift North Region Junior football’s Elginshire Cup at Westburn Park and nwo get set to meet Islavale in Premier League play-off derby final
Sunday’s junior football cup final could hardly have been closer.
Deveronside lifted the Elginshire Cup with a 1-0 victory over New Elgin at Dufftown’s Westburn Park.
‘Side, who are also pushing for promotion from the North Region Championship to the Premier League, were favourites to win the Speyside showpiece game.
But New Elgin, with former Lossiemouth Highland League defenders Dean Stewart and Michael Weir in their line-up as well as Elgin City loan goalkeeper Cole Taylor, were strong contenders for the silverware.
The Free Staters caused the upset of the competition by defeating Championship winners Lossiemouth United 2-0 on their own pitch in the semi-finals.
And they almost took the lead when captain Weir struck a post from a corner after 16 minutes.
The score remained 0-0 until the break, and when New Elgin’s Riley MacBeath made a superb goal-line block to deny ‘Side a goal with 20 minutes left, the possibility of penalties loomed large.
But the only goal of the game arrived six minutes later when Caden Beaton’s effort beat Taylor to spark celebrations for the Banffshire outfit.
Their captain, former Deveronvale player Jody Munro, went up to receive the cup from sponsor Alex Lauriston Industrial and Garage Doors.
There will be little time to rest up for ‘Side, as they take on neighbours Islavale in the final of the Premier Division play-offs at Longside on Wednesday night, kick off 8pm.
Deveronside finished fourth in the Championship and defeated third-placed Hall Russell United over two legs in the semi-finals, winning on penalties.
Islavale, who were third-bottom in the Premier League, defeated Stoneywood Parkvale 4-3 on aggregate to reach the final.