Nairn County coasted through to the second round of the Scottish Cup after they survived the loss of an early goal to win comfortably against Selkirk at Station Park.
The Lowland League side, with the former Hibernian, Lokomotiv Moscow and Birmingham City forward Garry O’Connor leading the line, took the lead through Jack Hay. But Alan Pollock levelled before half-time and two goals in a minute from Conor Gethins and Pollock before the hour mark killed the tie as a contest.
Sam Urquhart came off the bench to score twice before the end as Selkirk ran out of steam.
County manager Les Fridge was delighted with the way his side bounced back. He said: “I said at half-time we needed to up the tempo and we did that. We scored a couple of quick goals at the start of the second half and went on to play really well.”
Selkirk took the lead against the run of play in the 17th minute when County failed to clear their lines after a Murray Christie corner. The ball fell for Hay on the edge of the 18-yard box and he scored with a sublime left-foot shot.
County were back level in the 28th minute when Gethins gathered a ball from Michael Morrison and his lay-off was hammered home by Pollock.
Nairn went in front in the 55th minute when they won a free kick just outside the area. Gethins stepped up and curled his shot into the net.
Within a minute it was 3-1. Main played the ball on for Pollock on the left side of the box and he fired a low drive into the net.
Selkirk almost got back in the game when Jon McInally crashed a free kick off the crossbar.
Nairn substitute Urquhart added a fourth goal in the 77th minute and grabbed his own second and his side’s fifth with a fine strike a couple of minutes from the end.