Sheer Bill power
Mckay bags hat-trick to bail out Caley after shock start
Barry Wilson admitted character and classic Billy Mckay finishing got Caley Thistle out of a hole.
McKay fired a brilliant hattrick to turn the tie on its head after League Two Elgin had taken a shock 2- 0 lead through Tom Grivosti and Brian Cameron.
Lewis Jamieson netted a fourth to set a November 30 quarter-final with Raith Rovers,
Caley Thistle No.2 Wilson said: “We played a lot of good stuff in the first half but it was two bad mistakes and we were 2- 0 down.
“Getting the first one back was huge. We knew we needed to get one back before the break. To get two in two minutes was a real bonus but we told them at half-time the job wasn’t done.
“The players gave us everything they’ve got and had to work really hard – credit to City for that.
“Bi l ly has had to bide his time. He looked sharp and, if you get balls across the six-yard box, he will score.
“He’s pulled us out of a hole with the rest of the team.”
Elgin grabbed a shock lead on eight minutes. Archie MacPhee’s corner from the right found Ross County loanee Grivosti charging in to thump home a header.
It was 2- 0 on 21 minutes as Conor O’Keefe’s cross was perfect for Cameron to blast a ferocious finish past Cameron MacKay.
Mckay came good with two goals in 90 seconds.
On 37 minutes, Wallace Duffy’s cross was poorly cleared and Mckay drilled home a superb finish from the edge of the box.
Elgin had barely caught breath when McKay struck again, with Duffy’s cross flicked on by Reece McAlear before the striker headed in from six yards. He completed his hat-trick on 67 minutes, firing in a low finish from Shane Sutherland’s cross.
Five minutes later, Jamieson latched on to McAlear’s pass to dink the fourth goal past keeper Thomas McHale.
Elgin boss Gavin Price said: “It’s an opportunity missed for us. To go two ahead, the game plan was there and we then had something to hang on to.
“Unfortunately we lost quickf ire goals in each half.”