Clinical finishing was the difference between Buckie Thistle and Alloa Athletic as the Wasps won 4-1 at Victoria Park in the Premier Sports Cup.
The Breedon Highland League Jags were on top for significant spells of the game, but when their League One opponents were presented with chances they took them.
Sam Urquhart fired Buckie ahead from the penalty spot before strikes from Conor Sammon and Bradley Rodden gave Alloa the advantage.
Despite plenty of pressure from the home side in the second period a late brace from Sammon added gloss to the scoreline.
Buckie boss Graeme Stewart made six changes to the side which lost 5-0 against Dunfermline on Tuesday.
Balint Demus returned in goal with Shaun Wood, Ryan Fyffe and Cohen Ramsay coming into defence and Marcus Goodall and Sam Urquhart back in attack.
Lee Herbert, Joe McCabe, Lewis MacKinnon, Mark McLauchlan, Scott Adams and Tom MacLennan dropped out.
Jags make the breakthrough
It took the hosts just 90 seconds to pose a threat with Max Barry weaving into the box on the left before his cross towards Urquhart was deflected into the hands of Alloa goalkeeper Jay Hogarth.
At the other end Ramsay made a superb sliding clearance to prevent Conor Sammon netting from Cameron O’Donnell’s low cross as play raged from end to end.
In the 10th minute Hogarth was called into action again to hold Jack Murray’s header from Andy MacAskill’s right-wing delivery.
Shortly after the Wasps custodian blocked from Barry after George Stanger was short with a header back.
Just after the quarter hour mark Buckie took the lead when MacAskill was clipped by Daniel Church as he tried to break through on goal.
Referee Duncan Williams pointed to the penalty spot and Urquhart coolly found the bottom right corner from 12 yards.
But Alloa responded well and equalised midway through the first period. Church charged 50 yards down the left flank after winning possession from Goodall.
The defender’s cross to the back post was missed by Ramsay and Sammon took one touch to control before finishing into the bottom right corner.
The League One visitors then took the lead on 27 minutes when Church’s cross from the left was palmed out by Demus and Rodden headed the loose ball into the unguarded net from close range.
Buckie regained their composure after being hit by those sucker punches and as half-time approached Goodall blasted wide from 25 yards after neat link-up play between MacAskill and Barry.
In first half stoppage time MacAskill’s deft pass opened up space for Fraser on the right side of the area but his strike was held by Hogarth.
Thistle don’t give in
Buckie started the second half purposefully as they looked for a leveller. Goodall’s snap-shot from 20 yards was gathered at the second attempt by Hogarth as Fraser closed in.
On the hour mark Sam Urquhart was next to work Hogarth with a half-volley from MacAskill’s centre.
Seconds later Barry showed superb footwork to wriggle clear on the left but Alloa’s goalkeeper made a good stop at his near post.
All the probing continued to be done by Buckie, but the visitors defended well with the experienced Andy Graham marshalling their rearguard.
Buckie were eventually defeated with nine minutes remaining when Sammon latched on to a ball in between Jack Murray and Demus before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting into the empty net.
On 85 minutes Sammon completed his hat-trick by rolling the rebound into the empty net after Adam King had burst through and had a shot saved by Demus.
