Although Saints had the better of the possession and created more clear-cut chances, Longside's more direct approach probably entitled them to a point.

Gordon Milne made his debut for the club and he had a tidy game after his long lay-off after suffering a broken leg with Edinburgh University. Mark Glashan stepped in again at left back for the suspended Lewis Shand.

Saints started the game well with some lovely possession football but in the first 10 minutes the delivery into the box from wide positions was not up to scratch.

Longside had a fierce shot deflected just wide and Saints responded with a breakout from their own box with an exchange of passes between Mark Glashan and Alan McRae with the final through-ball to Keith Horne just slipping through to the keeper off the wet surface.

Horne again had another opportunity but lost control of the ball at the vital moment with the goal at his mercy. Longside were causing Saints problems with some excellent deliveries from corner kicks on the right. Another fine left-footed in-swinger fell to the number 9 whose effort was superbly tipped over the bar by Greg Sim.

With Longside's only real threat coming from set plays Saints had the bulk of the possession and the best move of the half on 40 minutes ended with Campbell Watt darting past the full back before putting in a great cross from the left for Kris Downing whose header just scraped the post.

Ricky Moir was left in the dressing room at half time with an ankle injury and Steve Scott brought on Shaun Carrol at left back with Mark Glashan returning to partner Phil Watson in the centre of defence.

Saints spurned a great opportunity six minutes into the half when, with the goalkeeper out of his area, the ball broke to Keith Horne who somehow managed to screw the ball wide of the open goal, albeit under pressure from the Longside centre half.

The home side were retaining the ball better during the second period but Greg Sim was relatively untroubled in the Banchory goal.

Steve Scott bolstered his attack by replacing full-back Gary Cruickshank with Andy Courage and dropping Kris Downing back to full back.

Courage almost got on the scoresheet straight away when Campbell Watt's mazy run was halted by a foul and the substitute's free kick from 25 yards was brilliantly tipped onto the bar and over by the keeper.

Courage was causing Longside all sorts of problems down the right and he again drifted past the harassed left back only for his teasing cross to run along the six-yard box without any friendly foot to knock it in.
All Saints' good work was almost undone when Alan McRae's error allowed Longside's centre clean through on goal and his scuffed effort struck a defender and nearly crept in at the far post.

With eight minutes to go Richard Stainer brilliantly spun his marker in the box but inexplicably dragged his shot past the post from six yards.

On the final whistle Saints thought they had a winner when Andy Courage broke away, rounded two players and the goalkeeper but couldn't get the ball from under his feet and the back-tracking defender saved his side a point by scrambling the ball out for a corner.

Despite the lack of goals, this was a good game of football for the spectators that turned up. Saints will feel aggrieved not to take all three points but Longisde are difficult to beat, especially on their own pitch. Overall, manager Steve Scott will be pleased with the point.

Team: Greg Sim, Gary Cruickshank (Andy Courage), Ricky Moir (Shaun Carrol), Phil Watson, Mark Glashan, Kris Downing, Gordon Milne, Alan McRae, Campbell Watt, Keith Horne, Richard Stainer. Subs: Kevin Coyle, Kieran Graham, Neale Henderson.