Ally MacDonald felt Brora Rangers produced their best performance of the season to thrash Berwick Rangers 5-1 in the first round of the Scottish Cup.
The Lowland League visitors were no match for the clinical Cattachs at Dudgeon Park as Andrew Macrae netted a hat-trick.
Macrae made the breakthrough as he finished from Tom Kelly’s right-wing cross, however, Berwick equalised through David Ferguson.
Brora responded well with Jordan MacRae’s deflected effort putting them ahead again and Macrae made it three before the break with a strike from 25 yards.
After the interval MacRae and Ali Sutherland combined to set up Max Ewan for the fourth and Macrae completed his hat-trick from a Paul Brindle cutback.
Player-manager MacDonald said: “We played at a good intensity, played good football, caused them problems and we were clinical at the top end of the pitch.
“That’s something we’ve lacked in some games, but we’ve shown what we can do if we are clinical and turn in performances like that.
“It’s probably our best performance of the season given it was the Scottish Cup and against a team we’re not familiar with.”
On his hat-trick hero, MacDonald added: “Andy did what Andy does, he scores goals. He showed why he was back in the team from the start.
“He showed why he’s got the reputation he’s got, he scored 30 goals last season and he’s ticking away again this season.
“We’ve got goals from all different areas and we know we’ll get goals from Andy.”
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Clachnacuddin 1-0 Inverurie Locos
Clachnacuddin earned their first win and clean sheet of the season as they beat Inverurie Locos 1-0 at Grant Street Park in the Scottish Cup.
Connor Bunce’s curling first half free-kick from the edge of the box settled the tie and secured the Lilywhites’ place in round two.
Before this result Jordan MacDonald’s side had conceded 32 goals in six games.
The Clach manager said: “It could be massive for our season, we’ve got a young team and I’m not using that as an excuse, but when confidence is low and things go against you, you can feel a bit sorry for yourself.
1-0 Clach! pic.twitter.com/oZ42SqAc3M
— Inverness Clachnacuddin FC (@clachfc) September 23, 2023
“That sometimes mean you don’t normally do the things that make you a good team.
“You have to keep fighting, I’m proud of everyone at the club: players, coaching staff and the board because we’ve stuck together.
“It’s been a bad period but how we get out of that period and recover from it is more important than what’s happened during that period.
“We’ve got to use this as a positive, we’ve got to take it forward and kick on.”
Inverurie haven’t won a Scottish Cup tie since 2019.
Interim manager Jamie Watt added: “We created enough chances, but it seems to be the story of this season that we didn’t take them.
“It seems to be the way things are going, we’re not getting the break and things aren’t falling for us.
“We took the game to Clach and threw everything at them, they defended well and dug in, but it’s disappointing that we couldn’t score.
“You’re always looking to get a run in the cup, this was a good opportunity and it’s frustrating to be out.”
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Golspie Sutherland 1-1 Forres Mechanics – Forres won 7-6 on penalties
Manager Steven MacDonald said Forres Mechanics were lucky to be in the Scottish Cup second round after beating Golspie Sutherland on penalties.
The Can-Cans – who had Jack Grant sent off in the first half – defeated the North Caledonian League outfit 7-6 in the shoot-out after a 1-1 draw at King George V Park.
Ethan Cairns gave the Breedon Highland League side an early lead from Calum Frame’s lay-off.
Referee Conor Greenan then dismissed Grant for two bookings with the first following a challenge on Steven Sutherland, the second for pulling down Sam Mackay.
Sutherland headed in Golspie’s leveller in the 65th minute from a Sean Campbell corner.
Both sides could have won it with Steven Anderson thwarted twice by goalkeeper Lee Herbert for the hosts and Shaun Cameron hitting the crossbar for the visitors.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ MAN OF THE MATCH ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Today’s Man Of The Match is Lee Herbert 👏🏻💪🏻🟤🟡🍾 #monthecans pic.twitter.com/cZEZG6VYSA
— ForresMechanics F.C. (@TheCansOfficial) September 23, 2023
In the shoot-out Cameron’s miss gave Sutherland the chance to win it, but Herbert saved and made another stop to deny Shaun Urquhart gave the Can-Cans victory.
Boss MacDonald said: “I didn’t think we were good enough, although losing a man changes the game.
“Golspie were excellent and we’re lucky to be in the next round. We’re very grateful to Lee, he had a brilliant game.
“I felt the standard of officiating was poor and there was a lack of consistency.”
Golspie manager Mark McKernie said: “To a man I thought our lads were brilliant.
“We took the game to them for long periods and played on the front foot.
“But credit to Forres for sticking in with 10 men and getting themselves over the line in penalties.
“Penalties are a lottery and unfortunately for us they went against us.”
