Nairn County 0 Forres Mechanics 5: Derby thrashing "beyond our wildest dreams" says manager Steven MacDonald

A FIRST-HALF blitz saw Forres Mechanics romp to a 5-0 win over local rivals Nairn County at Station Park on Saturday.

Teenage forward Shaun Morrison – who almost left the club on loan this summer – scored the first hat-trick of his career, with Callum Johnston's 25-yard effort and Connall Ewan's header rounding off the scoring.

The match was supposed to be a tight one between two evenly-matched sides, but proved to be a one-sided thrashing, with the Cans four goals up before half-time.

"It was beyond our wildest dreams to win the game 5-0," manager Steven MacDonald said.

"We said before the game that we are two closely-matched teams on paper, so we really need to be at it and we certainly were.

"Nairn finished above us last year, everyone knows it's a tough place to come and we said before the game it will really show us where we are at.

"I'm absolutely delighted and really pleased with how the boys went about the match."

Mechanics started brightly and took the lead after just five minutes when Ethan Cairns' flick found Shaun Morrison, who beat the offside trap and raced through to slot underneath Nairn keeper Dylan MacLean.

The ball was in the net again five minutes later when the impressive Cairns drilled a shot in from 20 yards which was parried by MacLean to Ryan MacLeman to slot home – but the flag was raised for offside.

Mechanics fans didn't have much longer to wait for the second, with Callum Johnston latching onto a poor clearance and hitting a fine 25-yard drive into the bottom corner.

Johnston almost made it three just minutes later when his curling effort went an inch wide of the post – and was involved again on the half hour mark when he got to the byline and teed up Cairns who hit the bar from six yards.

The third goal came courtesy of central defender Connall Ewan who, alongside Ruari Fraser, was solid in defence throughout the match. He bulletted home a header from a corner on 33 minutes for his first Mechanics goal.

Nairn were rattled and Forres capitalised to add their fourth within 60 seconds as Andy Skinner's cross, which should have been easily gathered, was spilled by MacLean in goals into the path of Morrison who knocked home his second.

It was almost five immediately after as the ball broke to MacLeman in the box but his side-footed effort was well saved by MacLean.

Nairn's best chance of the first half came when Nathan Grant headed Angus Dey's cross off the corner of post and bar.

Forres controlled the match after half-time and caught Nairn on the break to add a fifth in the 55th minute – Jack Grant's clearance allowing Shaun Morrison to run through and clip in for his first career hat-trick at just 18.

It was almost six on 60 minutes when Callum Johnston cross was nodded off the bar by MacLeman, who was unlucky not to see his name on the scoresheet. Andy Skinner also went close with a well-hit drive which flew an inch by the post.

Nairn had the ball in the net with 20 minutes to play but the linesman's flag ensured Stuart Knight kept a clean sheet.

Steven MacDonald added: "We got a dream start and dominated the early part of the game. We created a lot of chances and it wasn't just the four goals.

"The second half was about keeping the concentration, discipline and managing the game and we did that well and got a breakaway goal.

"I'm over the moon for Shaun because he's such a good lad and works so hard. We thought his pace would cause Nairn problems and it worked out like that.

"We'll not get carried away because it's another tough game against Inverurie Locos next week."