The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Formartine a win away from second after trouncing Fort
Formartine United are one win away from clinching second place in the Highland League after a 12-0 thrashing of Fort William at North Lodge Park.
The Pitmedden side will finish runners-up to champions Cove Rangers if they defeat Wick Academy on Saturday.
This was a thoroughly professional job with the home team showing no mercy to a depleted Fort side with midfielder Stephen Lopez forced to play in goals and comanager Alasdair Smith the only substitute.
Formartine manager Paul Lawson said: “If you look at the Fort results over the season, it would have been easy for our players to take it lightly.
“At half-time Graeme Rodger was not slow to tell us he had six assists. He has amazing energy levels and has shown that all season
“Young boys like Liam Burnett and Kieran Lawrence have shown they have real talent. It has been hard for them to break into the team but these games give them the chance to impose themselves.
“With two trophies in the cabinet, finishing second would cap an amazing season.”
Scott Barbour netted four excellent goals in the first half but his fifth goal – Formartine’s 11th of the day – was the pick of the bunch. The forward was running with his back to goal before swivelling and pulling the trigger.
Conor Gethins had opened the scoring after only six minutes with a low strike to the standin goalkeeper’s left.
The Irishman’s second just before half-time from an Andrew Greig cross was his 200th goal in Highland League football. He notched his second hat-trick in a week by converting a second-half penalty after a foul on Barbour.
Andrew Greig grabbed number six with a powerful shot from the edge of the box with Kieran Lawrence countering with a goal direct from a corner with his in-swinging set piece deceiving Lopez.
Man of the match Rodger scored goals two and 12. The first was an angled left foot strike, while he waltzed past several players before rolling home for the final goal of the afternoon.
Fort co-manager Smith said: “We got what we thought we’d get. Formartine did a demolition job on us in the first half but our shape was better in the second.”