Nairn County progressed to the semi-final of the North of Scotland Cup by thrashing Forres Mechanics 5-0 at Mosset Park.
Callum MacLean’s opener, a brace from Andrew MacLeod and counters from Ciaran Young and Scott Davidson sealed the Wee County’s place in the last four.
They will face Inverness Caledonian Thistle or Rothes away from home on Wednesday October 18.
It’s Nairn’s fourth successive win in all competitions and the first time since season 2015-16 that they have reached the semi-final of a cup competition.
Early openings
Early on Can-Cans striker Ethan Cairns caught Jamie Carnihan napping on the left flank and delivered a dangerous cross which Wee County player-manager Steven Mackay – who started at left-back – turned behind as Dylan Lawrence closed in.
At the other end Conor Gethins’ cross from the right was nodded down by Young for MacLeod whose shot was blocked by Lee Fraser at point-blank range.
After a quieter spell Nairn took the lead just before the half hour mark. Gethins swung in a corner from the left side and Callum MacLean met it at the front post with a glancing header which found the right corner.
In the 36th minute the Wee County doubled their when MacLeod’s curling cross-cum-shot from the left flank evaded everyone in the area and bounced into the net off the right post.
As the interval approached Gethins went close to adding a third, but his long range free-kick was a few inches too high.
Next goal crucial
The next goal was always likely to be important, particularly for Forres if they hoped to mount a comeback.
However, at the start of the second period it was Nairn who looked more likely to add to their tally with home goalkeeper Lee Herbert doing well to repel a Fraser Dingwall header from a Gethins corner.
On 55 minutes the Can-Cans had a gilt-edged chance to pull one back.
A mix up in the visiting defence presented Fraser with a chance and although he beat goalkeeper Dylan MacLean with his shot from 12 yards, Mackay was back on the line to clear and Cairns was wayward on the rebound.
Forres were made to pay for that miss three minutes later when a Gethins corner from the left was headed home by Young at the front post to make it 3-0 to Nairn.
Things got worse for the home side just after the hour mark when Brady was shown a straight red card by referee David Alexander for a high boot in a challenge with Mackay.
Nairn weren’t finished and made it four in the 73rd minute with MacLeod sweeping the ball into the bottom left corner from the edge of the box.
On 87 minutes it got even better for the Wee County when sub Davidson got in behind and finished at the second attempt after Herbert blocked his initial shot.
