Grady hits five but also has a spot of bother
BRECHIN CITY kept their Highland League title challenge on course after thrashing WICK ACADEMY 10-0 at Glebe Park.
It was a scintillating display of attacking football from City, with striker Grady McGrath grabbing a nap hand. City were 3-0 up within 15 minutes with goals from Marc Scott and McGrath (2). McGrath completed his hat-trick in the 25th minute with a close-range finish before Scott made it 5-0 soon after. After the break, McGrath slotted home goal No. 6 six minutes in, and sub Ewan Loudon made it 7-0 in the hour. McGrath then hooked home a close-range finish to make it 8-0 before missing a penalty five minutes later. City charged on, with Kieran Inglis completing the rout with two in 76 and 87 minutes to wrap up a hugely-impressive home performance.
BUCKIE THISTLE remain six points clear of Brechin at the top of the table, but played three games more, thanks to a deserved 3-0 win over NAIRN. Josh Peters opened the scoring on 20 minutes, then Dylan Maclean kept Nairn in the game with a penalty save to deny Andy Macaskill just after the halfhour. He was beaten a further two times, though, as Joe McCabe and Kyle Macleod both notched.
Hosts BANKS O’DEE beat BRORA RANGERS 4-3 in a thriller that saw Brora’s slender title hopes extinguished by the Dee. Hamish Macleod’s 24th-minute strike was the only goal of the first half, but Jordan Macrae levelled, before Lachie Macleod put Dee back in front halfway through the second half. Macrae soon levelled, but Lachie Macleod quickly made it 3-2. Matthew Wallace seemed to have sealed a point for the Cattachs on 87 minutes but Lachie Macleod was to claim the match ball and all three points with the winner.
Calum Dingwall, Jay Halliday and Nathan Meres netted as INVERURIE LOCOS WORKS beat visiting TURRIFF UNITED 3-1. Turriff had earlier levelled through Reece McKeown.
FORRES MECHANICS won 6-2 at KEITH with doubles from Shaun Morrison, Lee Fraser and Ben Barron. Gavin Elphinstone kept up the double theme with his two strikes for Keith.