Buckie picked up the John Bell Pipeline sponsored Aberdeenshire Cup for the first time in almost twenty years when they held their nerve to beat Vale 3-2 on penalties after one-hundred and twenty minutes of pulsating football failed to find a winner between the two evenly matched sides.

David Angus' first half penalty looked to have won it for the Jags until Ian Murray popped up with just two minutes remaining to send the teams into extra time.

Murray's second scoring header looked to have given the Banffers the edge in the race to lift the ancient trophy but Kevin Small had different ideas and headed an excellent equaliser four minutes later.

As the drama continued into penalty kicks man-of-the-match Kevin Main emerged as the toast of Buckie when he denied Robbie Brown, Grant Noble and Ross McWilliam from the spot before Jamie Shewan fired home the winning kick past the unlucky James Blanchard.

Gregg Carrol's comments were reflected by opposite number Duncan Shearer when he said, "Penalties is never a good way of winning or losing a cup final, and we've lost a few that way, but it's a lottery and you just have to accept it whether it goes for you or not".

Carrol added, "We showed great commitment and attitude throughout the match and when we went 2-1 up in extra-time I thought we had won it but then we went and lost a goal out of nothing albeit it was very well taken by Kevin Small, who met John Coutts' corner perfectly to sends the teams into the dramatic penalty shoot-out.

Vale were without Ross Bremner, Steve Dolan and Kenny Gilbert as they entered their twelfth final in seven seasons while Buckie had midfielders Mark Hamilton and Neil Davidson unavailable.

Following the usual formalities things got underway in front of the expected large crowd who were struggling for cover as the heavens opened just prior to kick-off.

The Banffers, who were the home drawn team, had the first chance of the match after just two minutes but Kevin Main stood up brilliantly to deflect Jamie Watt's wide after Mark Smith had split the Thistle defence with a slide-rule pass.

Mike McKenzie then saw Main turn a twenty-yarder around the post for a flag-kick, which came to nothing. A long-range effort from Paul Lamberton was easily dealt with by James Blanchard as Buckie tried to respond to Vale's flying start.

Ian Murray fired over and at the other end John Coutts twisted and turned outside the Vale box before Robbie Brown mopped things up with a crunching challenge.

A Donnie Munro ball over the top of the Banffer's defence saw Blanchard race to clear with John Coutts also in hot pursuit and when the keeper missed the ball and took the striker there was only one decision referee Mike Ritchie could make - a penalty which was duly dispatched beyond the yellow carded keeper to put the Jags ahead somewhat against the run of play.

Vale responded by winning their second corner but Main plucked the ball out of the air to relieve any pressure on his defence.

Main did even better minutes later when he turned Jamie Watt's angled strike around the far post after Watt had been released through for the second time, this time by Ian Murray's threaded pas.

Gregg Carrol was dealt a further blow minutes later when Mike McKenzie was forced out of the final when he landed awkwardly following a challenge from behind, youngster Paul Munro took over from the Vale talisman in the middle of the park.

An Ian Murray back-post header after Kevin Main had flapped at a Ross McWilliam corner was cleared off the line by Angus before Terry Kidd fired a foot over the top from 18-yards as Vale kept the pressure on their opponents.

Right on the stroke of half time referee Mike Ritchie evened things up when he awarded Vale a penalty when Ian Murray got himself in front of Kevin Main after the keeper tried to be too clever with a back pass which Murray anticipated resulting in Main hauling at Murray's shirt as he tried to redeem himself.
The out of touch Jamie Watt bravely insisted that he would take the ensuing spot-kick but his weak effort was easily turned over the cross bar by the relieved Main.

Buckie started the second period with a spring in their step and a low cross from the left just eluded the lunge of John Coutts six yards out before Kevin Main resumed where he had left off in the first forty-five when he clutched an Ian Murray back-post header right on his goal-line.

The unbeaten Jags did their best to break up play for the most of the remaining half probably thinking that the cup was in the bag but Vale didn't give up and tried their best to get themselves back in the tie.

An ambitious 25-yard Mark Smith effort was carefully watched by Main as it dropped just under the crossbar before the same player volleyed wide from a decent position.

Mark Chisholm kept Vale his side in the final when he popped up to clear John Coutts' low shot off the line following Buckie's best move of the match which saw Shaun Scott's strike also fall kindly for the Vale defence when it bounced back off the right-hand upright.

A Terry Kidd drive came off the heel of Jamie Watt on its route to goal but Main got down well to save low at his post before Mark Chisholm was on hand again to clear another dangerous Buckie move as the game started to open up.

Danny Craib replaced the tiring Paul Urquhart with Bryan Dlugonski moving into the left-wing back role, and as Gregg Carrol tried to get some inspiration from somewhere Jamie Watt made way for local hero Grant Noble.

With just two minutes of time remaining the large and noisy Vale Following had at last something to really cheer about when Ian MURRAY headed a Ross McWilliam cross beyond the so far unbeatable Kevin Main to send the game into extra time

As play raged from end to end in the additional thirty minutes Donnie Munro's cross grazed the far post on its way out of play with Blanchard firmly rooted to the spot.

Ian MURRAY sent the Valley Faithful into loud raptures when he rose unchallenged to head a Bryan Dlugonski deep cross downwards and into the net from close range as Vale finally got their noses in front in the cup-tie but their lead was short lived.

Kevin Small, with his head bandaged up following a head-knock taken earlier in the game, met a John Coutts corner to rocket a header into the far corner of the net, which couldn't have been better placed between the man on the post and the crossbar if he had tried.

Ian Murray went down rather easily in the box under a challenge from Small and referee Ritchie rightly waved play on before Donnie Munro fired high over the top at the other end.

In the final seconds of the gruelling encounter Vale very nearly won it when Robbie Brown rose to head a Ross McWilliam corner goalwards but following another save from Main and a scramble in the six-yard box the chance was gone.

Vale scored penalties through Mark Smith and Ian Murray but saw man-of-the-match Main save efforts from Brown, Noble & McWilliam.

James Blanchard, who didn't have a lot to do during the match, did well to save from Coutts and Davidson but Jamie Shewan squeezed the ball past him to win the cup.

Vale:
#Blanchard, Urquhart (Craib 76), McWilliam, #Chisholm, Dlugonski (Cpt), #Brown, Smith, Kidd, McKenzie (P. Munro 31), Murray, Watt
Subs not used: Slater, G. Watt, McKenzie (GK)
Buckie:
#Main, Murray, Lamberton, Angus, Davidson, Small, Shewan, Munro, Scott (Smith 70), Coutts, MacDonald
Subs not used: Pirie
Manager: D. Shearer

Referee:  M.Ritchie