Brora Rangers kept the pressure on Highland League leaders Buckie Thistle thanks to a clinical victory against Clachnacuddin at Grant Street Park on Saturday.
First-half goals from Colin Williamson, Scott Lisle and Scott Graham put Brora in control and, despite a spirited second-half performance from the Lilywhites, late goals from subs Zander Sutherland and Craig Campbell made the score even more emphatic.
Brora manager Ross Tokely was delighted with his side’s display, especially in the first half.
He said: “It is always a difficult place to go to, they have some good players. So to win 5-0 and keep a clean sheet as well is pleasing.”
Two of Brora’s first-half goals came from set-pieces, something Tokely had highlighted before the match.
He added: “It was something we spoke about during the week because our set-pieces were poor last week. Colin (Williamson) got us off to a good start with a header from a free kick and Scott (Graham) scored from a corner, so that was pleasing.”
Brora took the lead in the fourth minute when Williamson headed a Gavin Morrison free kick off into the net off the underside of the crossbar.
Clach had a chance to level in the 13th minute when a Blair Lawrie free kick fell nicely for David McGurk but the big defender failed to test Brora goalkeeper Ross Munro from eight yards.
The visitors added a second after 30 minutes when Graham cleverly laid the ball back for Lisle, who slotted past Macdonald.
It was 3-0 just four minutes later when Graham met a Gavin Morrison corner at the near post and sent a bullet header high into the net.
Brora kept the pressure on and Greig was unlucky four minutes from the break with an effort which crashed off the crossbar.
Clach forced a couple of corners at the start of the second half which came to nothing.
Then Stuart Leslie flashed a shot past Munro’s right post as Clach tried to get a foothold in the game.
But Brora finished strongly, scoring twice in the last four minutes.
Greig picked out Sutherland, who finished with low drive into the far corner of the net, and fellow sub Campbell swept home on the rebound after a Greig shot struck the upright.
Clach manager Iain Polworth said: “Our defending was criminal in the first half. You can’t give a top team like Brora a start like that.
“The goals and the defending were really bad. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb.”
The Clach manager rued missed chances in the first half.
He added: “When we were 1-0 down we had two great chances to score. But if you don’t take them and defend the way we did you don’t deserve anything from the game.”
