Clachnacuddin progressed to the North of Scotland Cup final after comfortably overcoming holders Rothes with a 4-1 win at Mackessack Park.
An early double from Clach striker Robbie Thompson left a surprisingly lacklustre Rothes outfit chasing shadows in a rather one-sided first half.
Clach shocked the home side in the third minute when Ben Johnston gave away a needless free-kick and from 22-yards Thompson curled a beauty up and over the Rothes wall, beating Sean McCarthy at his near post.
Only a last-gasp stop by Rothes keeper McCarthy on the quarter hour mark denied Lewis Mackenzie a second goal as the visitors looked to build on their early advantage.
Three minutes later Clach keeper Martin Mackinnon dived full length to hold onto a well-placed Steven Mackay 25-yard free kick.
In the 20th minute Clach made it 2-0 when, with the home defence in disarray, Thompson, totally unmarked, blasted home his second goal of the night from 12 yards.
Only a fabulous save by McCarthy from Mackenzie’s eight yard shot denied Clach a third goal in the 25th minute.
A few minutes later Mackenzie again broke through but this time his rising 15 yarder just cleared the crossbar.
Greg Morrison was denied what looked a like a certain goal when Mackinnon in the Clach goal somehow managed to claw his close-range header to safety.
It could have been all over as a contest when Paul Brindle fired in a 20-yard rocket but the ball cannoned back off the crossbar.
With 15 minutes to go, the home side sparked into life when a poweful back-post downward header from Michael Finnis threw Rothes a lifeline.
However, four minutes later Clach restored their two goal advantage when substitute Connor Bunce beat McCarthy with a swerving 25-yard drive though the home keeper should have done better.
In stoppage time Bunce ran through and hammered home number four to set up a final against Brora Rangers.
Lossiemouth 1-4 Brora Rangers
A second half hat-trick from substitute Jordan Macrae fired Brora Rangers into another North of Scotland Cup final as they beat Lossiemouth at Grant Park.
Millar Gamble came closest early on with a towering header just over the crossbar from Dale Gillespie’s corner.
Brora took the lead midway through the first half, Max Ewan rifling in a shot that was brilliantly saved by Logan Ross, only for Tom Kelly to follow up and blast the rebound home from 12 yards.
A superb Dale Gillespie pass freed Gunn down the left, and his dangerous low cross was well cleared by Lewis McAndrew ten minutes before the break.
Five minutes before the break, Ross Morrison turned well and fired a decent effort wide of the far post from 22 yards.
The visitors broke well from the goal kick and Andrew Macrae played Ewan through on goal, but he could only screw his shot well wide of Ross’ far post.
Jordan Macrae replaced Max Ewan up front for the visitors in the 51st minute, before another good Brora move saw James Leslie slice Maclean’s low cross just over his own crossbar.
Lossiemouth 1 Brora Rangers 4. We progress to the North of Scotland Cup Final pic.twitter.com/V3woFhN9mV
— Brora Rangers (@brorarangers) August 31, 2022
Lossie stunned Brora with an equaliser after 56 minutes, Liam Archibald half volleying the ball past Ruaridh Nicol after it broke to him from O’Halloran’s long throw from the left.
Kelly then missed a great chance for his second, firing over the bar from eight yards after Ross saved well from Maclean.
The visitors went back in front in the 63rd minute, Jordan Macrae sweeping home the rebound after Ross saved well from sub Tony Dingwall.
And your team lines for tonight’s game with @brorarangers are… pic.twitter.com/DYH1wb0MD8
— Lossiemouth FC (@lossiemouthfc) August 31, 2022
Macrae clinched the win with his second with six minutes remaining, slotting home low past Ross from eight yards after Lossie failed to clear their lines. The big striker then completed his hat-trick a minute later, firing past Ross at the far post.
