Buckie Thistle’s impressive start to the season continued on Saturday as they convincingly beat Lowland League side Civil Service Strollers 4-1 to secure a place in the second round of the Scottish Cup.
Goals from Hamish Munro, Andrew MacAskill, Kevin Fraser and Craig Cowie secured a comfortable victory at Victoria Park for the Highland League leaders, with Cammy Muirhead’s second-half penalty a sole consolation for the Edinburgh side.
Buckie boss Graeme Stewart was pleased with his team’s performance, especially the first half when they scored three without reply.
He said: “I was delighted with the first-half performance where we won the game and played exceptional.
“In the second half we ground it out as the opposition began to get a foothold in the game so I am happy. The Scottish Cup draw is like a lottery but I’ll be pleased with a home tie.”
The Jags were quick out of the blocks in the first half, opening the scoring after three minutes when MacAskill’s in-swinging free-kick was tapped in by Munro at the back post. They then doubled their lead on 16 minutes, when Fraser teed up McAskill to lash the ball into the top corner from 25 yards out.
The first half was all Buckie and they scored a third on the 36th minute when Fraser headed home after Strollers’ on-loan Dundee United goalkeeper Josh Donaldson made two fine saves to deny Fraser and MacAskill.
Civil Service came out swinging in the second half and pinned the Jags back before eventually finding a way back into the match when Buckie conceded a penalty.
Munro rashly slid in and upended Jack Hodge inside the penalty area and substitute Muirhead slotted the ball into the back of the net on 62 minutes.
However, Buckie got a fourth to kill the game off against the run of play when an excellent cross by Fraser was met by a bullet header from Cowie in the 73rd minute to secure the Jags safe passage into the second round.
