Inverurie Locos manager Andy Low hailed his team’s performance as the best he has seen since taking over as boss as they easily dispatched Forres Mechanics 4-0 away at Mosset Park to consolidate second spot in the Highland League.
Two goals from Chris Angus plus strikes from Neil Gauld and Jonny Smith secured a comfortable victory for the Locos.
Low was pleased his side won and kept pace with Brora Rangers at the top of the Highland League.
He said: “This is a tough place to come but that was as good as I’ve seen us play since I took the job.
“I was delighted with our composure and the way we were clinical on the ball when we needed to be.
“We could have been six or seven up and it would have been a fair result.
“All I want to do is be in the position in the last few weeks of the season to have the opportunity of winning the league.
“To do that we need to keep winning games as Brora will not drop that many points but if we keep going we can challenge them.”
It took Inverurie seven minutes to break the deadlock as they launched attack after attack at Forres.
Gauld played a low ball into the box which Smith latched on to but his shot was saved by Stuart Knight’s legs.
However his block fell to Angus who put the rebound into an empty net. Locos doubled their lead five minutes later when a long ball from captain Greg Mitchell was headed down by Andy Hunter for Smith to volley home.
Inverurie dominated the first half and made it 3-0 on the 43rd minute from the penalty spot.
Forres centre half Graham Fraser tripped Mitchell in the box leading to referee Harry Bruce giving the penalty.Gauld stepped up and coolly slotted the penalty home.
Locos started the second half brightly again and made it 4-0 in the 49th minute of the match.
Mitchell floated a high ball to the back post which Hunter cut back to Angus who curled a wonderful strike into the bottom corner from just inside the box. Forres did improve after conceding again, with striker Lee Fraser hitting the crossbar with a header and Allan MacPhee putting a free kick over from a good position.
Mechanics keeper Knight made a couple good saves to keep the score down, including getting down well to save from Smith, who was played through by Hunter, and making a pinpoint reaction save to keep out a Gauld shot.
Forres boss Charlie Rowley said: “It’s as good a performance from Locos as I’ve seen in a long time.
“But if you look at our personal performance, it was well below what we are capable of – which is a bigger disappointment than the result.”
