Brechin City boss Andy Kirk hailed their superb first half display which blew away Banks o’ Dee at Spain Park.
The Hedgemen triumphed 4-1 and netted all their goals in the first half hour.
Victory takes Brechin four points clear of Buckie Thistle at the top of the Breedon Highland League.
After a 4-4 draw with Dee at Glebe Park before Christmas Kirk was thrilled with this victory.
He said: “First half we were excellent, we were on the front foot and played some decent stuff.
“We looked like we were back to ourselves again so I’m delighted with that.
“We’re just taking each game as it comes, we were really disappointed with the first half last Friday.
“Second half was more like us and defending was something we really wanted to focus on because the goals we gave away last week were very poor.
“We knew we could cause problems with the ball, we’re pleased with the performance and we’ll build for the next game.”
Damage is done early
After a bright start Brechin took the lead on 12 minutes with Marc Scott’s low cross from the right tapped home at the back post by Michael Cruickshank.
Then they hit Dee with three goals in five minutes, the first coming in the 25th minute.
From a home corner Brechin broke upfield with Kieran Inglis releasing Botti Biabi on the left side of the area and he blasted a left-footed shot beyond goalkeeper Andy Shearer.
Three minutes later it was 3-0 when Dee were caught trying to play out from the back and Biabi teed up Fraser MacLeod to find the bottom left corner.
On the half hour mark the fourth arrived. Referee Filippo Mazzoni awarded a penalty against Darryn Kelly for high feet in a challenge with Scott and Grady McGrath found the top left corner from 12 yards.
Things were more subdued in the second period, although sub Ewan Loudon rattled the crossbar for the visitors with a strike from 14 yards on 77 minutes.
Deep into injury time Loudon was given a straight red card following a sliding challenge on Matthew Wallace and then Dee netted a consolation with Rob Armstrong finishing from 12 yards.
On the red card Kirk added: “It’s difficult for officials, but you’ve got the linesman there and I just thought the referee was very quick to run across and pull the red card out.
“The tackle was no worse than anything else that went on in the game so I don’t think it was a red card.”
Banks o’ Dee assistant manager Roy McBain said: “The damage was all done in the first half an hour. Second half it was playing for pride really and trying to show a bit of character which we did so credit to the boys for that.
“But in the first half we gave poor goals. We know they’re a very good side and we expected them to take the game to us.
“There was nothing unexpected about, but the nature of it was disappointing.”
