Nairn County manager Ronnie Sharp hailed hitman Conor Gethins after he notched four goals in their 6-0 Breedon Highland League win against Turriff United.
The 38-year-old put the Wee County ahead in the 42nd minute at the Haughs before Seamus McConaghy doubled the lead seconds later.
Gethins added three more in the second period before Angus Dey’s late counter, which secured Nairn’s fourth league win of the season.
Boss Sharp said: “He’s here to score goals and that’s what he’s done his whole career.
“That’s him on 11 for the season so he’s only 19 away from reaching 200.
“His finishing was excellent but I thought the whole team did well.
“It was a young team we had, but I know Turriff have a young team as well.
“Conor’s experience and knowledge of the game is great for the young boys.
“And when he’s finishing like he was then it can only help us, his finishing was quality.”
First half goals were crucial
Reflecting on the game overall, Sharp added: “It was a pretty even first half, we made some clear-cut chances, but to take two of them in the last five minutes gave us a great base.
“After the first five or 10 minutes of the second half we dominated and scored some good goals so we’re delighted.
“Getting those two quick goals was the key to it.
“I thought we played really well second half and looked really good, especially on the break, we were quick and decisive.”
Clinical County make United pay
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.
It was United who looked more threatening with a poor Ryan Fyffe clearance giving Matthew McDonald a chance, but he scuffed 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 Glenn 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.
No let up from Nairn
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.
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 MacLennan’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.
In the 89th minute Nairn netted a sixth with substitute Angus Dey finishing after Turriff were caught playing out from the back.
Donaldson shocked
Turriff boss Dean Donaldson said: “I’m disappointed and a bit in shock.
“For the first 40 minutes I thought we played well and controlled the game.
“We were punished in the last five minutes of the first half when they scored two goals.
“It’s poor defending and poor goalkeeping from our point of view, but you get what you deserve, if you don’t defend properly teams and players like Conor Gethins will punish you.
“I’m disappointed with the reaction of our players.
“Not so much the young boys but the more experienced boys really let themselves down.
“I need to step back and I don’t want to say something I’ll regret.
“They didn’t all give up, but there was a few of them who gave up.”
