Hester too tricky for Hedgemen

Brechin exited in this nine-goal thriller with Elgin.

Elgin grabbed the initiative straight from the kick-off and went 2-0 up within the first three minutes.

They scored the opening goal with barely a minute played when they broke quickly from defence to attack with Shane Sutherland racing clear to slot the ball past Ross Sinclair.

And it was 2-0 just a couple of minutes later when former Arbroath striker Kane Hester took advantage of slack defending to fire the ball home from the edge of the box.

Brechin reduced the deficit in the 20th minute when Scott Reekie blasted home a Matthew Knox corner with new signing Jonathan Page levelling the match three minutes later when he fired home from closerange

But it was then Elgin’s turn to grab the initiative and turn the tables three minutes later when Hester curled the ball home from the edge of the box with this amazing match taking another twist a minute before half-time when Reekie headed home a Knox cross to level for the second time.

Elgin broke the deadlock in the 64th minute when Daniel MacKay collected the ball at the edge of the box and took a couple of steps before unleashing a tremendous right-foot drive into the top corner of the net, giving Sinclair no chance.

And the keeper was beaten again just a minute later when Hester completed his hat-trick blasting home a fierce drive from the centre of the penalty area.

However, the scoring in this dramatic tie wasn’t over with City grabbing themselves a life-line in the final minute when Reekie completed his hattrick with a long-range drive but the visitors’ defence held firm to move into the next round.