Forfar march on as they hit Forres for six in the cup

HIGHLAND LEAGUE SIDE’S HOPES OF DREAM TIE WAS FADING FAST AFTER ONLY FOUR MINUTES

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Forfar waltzed into the fifth round of the Scottish Cup with a thoroughly professional performance, systematically dismantling a static Forres defence.

Kevin Gordon was the pick of the Loons, helping himself to a couple of goals.

Mechanics' cup dream of a money-spinning home tie against Rangers lasted a mere four minutes, by which time Forfar had scored twice through Graeme Gibson and a Bruce Milne own goal. The game was well and truly over over by half-time with the home side 5-1 ahead.

Forfar will now take on the mighty Light Blues, who beat St Johnstone 2-0 at McDiarmid Park.

Forres skipper Neil Whyte was suspended so striker Ryan Green was handed the captain's arm-band, but within two minutes Stuart Knight in the visitors' goal was picking the ball out of the net.

When the Forres defence failed to clear a long throw-in, Craig Winter fed Gibson and he dispatched it with ease past the helpless Knight.

Things went from bad to worse for Forres two minutes later when Kevin Gordon's inviting cross into the six-yard box was turned past his own keeper by Milne.

Scott Moore tried his luck at the other end but his superb 18-yard effort flew over the top. Forfar centre half Andy Tod almost played John Gibson into trouble with an over-hit pass-back but the home keeper managed to hack the ball.

Forres badly needed a goal to get themselves back into the game and it came in the 23rd minute when Kevin Duguid waltzed up the left flank and crossed for Green to clip the ball past the diving Gibson from eight yards.

Within 60 seconds the Forres defence went to sleep and when Winter's free kick found Stephen Tulloch at the back post the defender rose to power a header high over Knight to restore the Loons two-goal advantage.

Forres were left with a mountain to climb in the 32nd minute when another pinpoint Gibson cross found Ross Campbell and the striker kept his composure to steer the ball into the net.

The speed and accuracy of Gibson's crossing from the left was creating all sorts of problems for the overstretched Forres defence whose man-for-man defensive frailties were being exposed by the experienced Lilley and his strike-partner Campbell, not to mention Gordon on the right.

A minute from the break the home side made it 5-1 when Winter fed Gordon and as Knight advanced the winger clipped the ball over his head and into the net.

The Can-Cans players trooped off at the interval knowing that their dream of facing Rangers had virtually disappeared during those fateful opening minutes. Ten minutes into the second period Forfar added another, and once again it was Gordon again who supplied the killer-touch, blasting a 15-yard drive high past the helpless Knight.

Just when Forres thought things couldn't get any worse keeper Knight was stretchered off after a collision with Forfar striker Campbell, Andy Watt replacing him between the sticks.

FORFAR ATHLETIC – J. Gibson, Watson, McNally (Donnachie 75) Winter (Kilgannon 67), Tod, Tulloch, Gordon, Brady, Lilley, Campbell, G. Gibson (Simpson).

FORRES MECHANICS – Knight (Watt 81), Milne, Munro, Grant, Sharp, Bremner, Collins (Wardrop 63), Calder, Green (Penwright 75), Duguid, Moore