An equalising goal from midfielder Gary Ewen with just two minutes remaining seemed set to hand Dufftown a deserved share of the spoils at Canal Park until Deveronside's Gary Petrie struck.

Dufftown co-managers Willie Duncan and Rab Mulheron made three changes to the side that lost to Banks O' Dee on Saturday.  Out went Adam Irvine, Peter Fraser and Donald Poupard to be replaced by Blair McDonald, Sanuk Stephen and Stuart Allan.

The match started in disastrous fashion for Dufftown when they gifted their hosts the lead after only 5 minutes.  An attempted header back to his goalkeeper by Blair McDonald was woefully short and in stepped Deveronside midfielder Craig Cowie to cooly sidefoot the ball beyond advancing Dufftown 'keeper Martin Taylor and give his side the lead.

The match then became bogged down with neither team seeming to have the quality to create clear-cut chances.

Dufftown midfielder Kevin Smith swung over a dangerous free-kick after 25 minutes but unfortunately none of his team-mates were quick enough to react and the danger was averted.

Dufftown's best chance of the first half was to come on the half hour.  Good play down the Dufftown right involving Daryl McGregor and Sanuk Stephen saw the latter lay the ball off to striker Stuart Allan but last season's top 'scorer rather pulled his effort and the chance was gone.

Martin Taylor in the Dufftown goal was then called into action right on the half-time whistle.  Deveronside's Wayne Murdo found space in the penalty area to fire in a shot which Taylor did well to parry only as far as Kevin Sopel who saw his shot brilliantly tipped onto the post by Taylor and the danger was cleared.

Into the second half and the pattern of poor play from both sides was to continue with a lack of clear-cut goalscoring chances a feature.

Dufftown midfielder Gary Ewen unleashed a decent 25 yard effort after 61 minutes which home 'keeper Neil Duncan comfortably collected at his left hand post.

Dufftown were beginning to dominate possession and midfielder Gary Spence was unlucky to see his 20 yard effort deflected wide for a corner after 76 minutes. 

Just when it seemed as if a goal was never going to come it duly arrived on 88 minutes.  Gary Ewen did well with a surging run from the midfield before he was brought down by a Deveronside defender right on the edge of the penalty area.  The midfielder wasn't too perturbed by the foul, however, as he got up and promptly swept the free-kick under the wall and beyond 'keeper Duncan's left hand for a deserved equaliser. 

Disaster was to strike for Dufftown just a minute later when they gave away a cheap goal to the home side.  Defender Stuart Lamberton launched a free-kick from deep inside the Dufftown half towards the halfway line and as the ball broke to a Deveronside midfielder he played it forward to Gary Petrie who showed good pace and composure to drill the ball high beyond 'keeper Taylor from around 14 yards and give his side the lead for a second time.

Dufftown's goalscorer Ewen then had a great chance to clinch a point deep into injury time.  A free-kick from Stuart Lamberton found Stuart Allan who touched it to Ewen but the midfielder was unable to get on top of his effort and ballooned it over the bar.

The final whistle was blown a short time later and Dufftown were left to rue the defensive errors that gifted their hosts the goals and the lack of a cutting edge in the final third of the park.