WATCH: Ten-man Forres Mechanics avoid Scottish Cup upset at North Caledonian League Golspie Sutherland as goalkeeper Lee Herbert saves the day at King George V Park
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Forres Mechanics manager Steven MacDonald was relieved to see his men overcome North Caledonian League Golspie Sutherland in a Scottish Cup penalty shoot-out.
The victory earned the Mosset Park men a home tie against Highland league rivals Buckie Thistle in round two.
The Cans led at King George V Park on Saturday through Caley Thistle loan teenager Ethan Cairns' early opener.
But Forres had midfielder Jack Grant sent off for what MacDonald felt was two soft bookings, leaving his team to play the final hour and extra time a man short.
Steven Sutherland nodded the home side level midway through the second half, with Cans keeper Lee Herbert making some good stops for the ten men while Shaun Cameron hit the bar for the visitors.
Neither side could score in extra time and both sides netted their first five kicks in the shootout.
Forres' Cameron saw his kick saved, meaning Sutherland had a penalty to win it but Herbert saved, and also repelled Golspie's ninth kick to win it for Mechanics.
"We feel relieved that we got through," admitted MacDonald. "I was pleased for the boys to win it but it wasn't good enough.
"When you are taking it to penalties, it's so risky and it's definitely a relief to go through.
"There are frailties that we can see and things we need to keep working on.
"But you have some guys there who only have brief under-18 experience behind them and there's a lot of pressure when it's the Scottish Cup and it's unknown for them, how to deal with it.
"It's a completely different situation for them going to a place like Golspie.
"They've got players like Sam Mackay, Steven Anderson and James Ross who were all good Highland League players, and others with years of experience in amateur football so they are pretty streetwise.
"That can be a bit of a shock for the younger players to know how to handle it, and they need our help and guidance."
