Conor Gethins bagged four goals as Nairn County picked up their fourth win in the Breedon Highland League by thrashing Turriff United 6-0.
The home side acquitted themselves well in the first half at the Haughs, but things unravelled after striker Gethins opened the scoring in the 42nd minute.
Seamus McConaghy doubled the lead seconds later with Gethins finding the net a further three times in the second half and Angus Dey completed the scoring late on.
Quickfire double hurts United
It was the visitors who had the first chance with Dylan MacLean’s long ball evading the home defence, but goalkeeper David Dey saved Gethins’ volleyed effort.
Turriff threatened in the 18th minute with a neat move culminating in Jordan Cooper’s cross from the right finding Keir Smith in the middle, but he couldn’t get enough purchase on the shot to direct it on target.
Midway through the first period County’s Glenn Main did have the ball in the net, but he was flagged offside.
It was United who looked more threatening with a poor Ryan Fyffe clearance giving Matthew McDonald a chance, but he scuffed a shot wide when well-placed inside the area.
McDonald also had an effort blocked after Dylan Stuart and Murray Thompson combined on the right flank.
But it was Nairn who took the lead in the 42nd minute.
Sam Gordon’s cross from the right was deflected into the air and when Main headed the ball down Gethins was first to react and prod it home from close range as the home defence appealed for offside.
Within a minute the Wee County doubled their lead with a long ball down the left releasing Main and his cutback gave the unmarked McConaghy a tap in.
Gethins on target again
Turriff needed the next goal if they were to make a comeback and the signs at the start of the second half were encouraging.
Murray Esson’s chipped ball teed up Smith, who rounded MacLean, but shot wide with the goal gaping and McDonald curled an effort off target from 20 yards.
But in the 62nd minute Nairn made sure of the points with McConaghy winning the ball back on the left wing and crossing for Gethins to volley home first time.
County were comfortable by this stage and McConaghy rattled the crossbar with a shot from 25 yards after 65 minutes.
Gethins completed his hat-trick five minutes later when headed home Tom MacLennans’s free-kick from the right.
On 74 minutes Gethins struck again when he jinked past James Chalmers before beating Dey with a delightful left-footed lob.
Nairn threatened to add more in the closing stages, but McConaghy was repelled by a good save from Dey after breaking through on goal.
But in the 89th minute they did add a sixth with substitute Angus Dey netting after Turriff were caught playing out from the back.
