Forres Mechanics 1 Buckie Thistle 8: Ruthless Jags thrash sorry Can-Cans
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A RUTHLESS Buckie Thistle ran out huge Moray derby winners after blowing Forres Mechanics away at Mosset Park on Saturday.
The Jags hit eight – four in either half – en route to an 8-1 success, meaning the Can-Cans' year started with an 8-1 win (over Strathspey Thistle) and ended with an 8-1 defeat.
Goals were scored by Scott Adams (2), Jack Murray (2), Max Barry, Darryl McHardy, Jack MacIver and substitute Lyall Keir.
Mechanics boss Steven MacDonald said: "That's the best I have seen Buckie play. We have always been competitive against them but they were really different level right from the start.
"The tempo and the way they were pushing was relentless. At half-time we were discussing damage limitation and how you don't get beaten 8-1, and we still get beaten 8-1.
"The heads were down in the second half. After competing well at the start, it was about trying to survive for that last period. Top teams don't say 'five will be enough' they want as many as they can get."
Buckie started the game at a quick pace, but it was Forres that almost took the lead when Ethan Cairns' shot came back off the post on 11 minutes.
The Jags went ahead on 23 minutes when Max Barry met a Forres clearance full on the volley from 20 yards and found the corner beautifully.
The visitors should have gone further ahead but Herbert denied Josh Peters after the half hour mark.
Forres equalised on 36 minutes when Shaun Morrison was played through one-on-one and slotted in well across Stuart Knight.
But that was to be the last Forres cheer of the match as a ruthless Buckie began to run riot – racing into a three-goal lead before half-time.
Darryl McHardy nodded in a header just three minutes after the leveller, and Buckie were 3-1 up when Jack Maciver's free-kick was fumbled through his own legs and in by Herbert.
Scott Adams was free in the box to slot in for 4-1 in first half stoppage time.
There was no let up whatsoever from Buckie after the switch of ends, and they quickly added a fifth when Jack Murray was up-ended in the box and got up to score the resultant spot kick.
Adams grabbed his second on the hour mark when he hammered in from six yards, with the seventh again coming from a Murray penalty – this time after a foul from Craig Mackenzie.
Substitute Lyall Keir completed the rout when he ghosted in at the back post and, completely unmarked, slotted across Herbert and in for 8-1.
Manager Graeme Stewart described the performance as the "best of the season" as the Jags closed the gap on leaders Brechin City to three points with two games in hand.
"We haven't played in a few weeks and were coming to a heavy pitch, so it could have been a messy game," he said.
"But I thought that was our best performance of the season. I'm quite annoyed with the goal we let in because that got them back into it.
"But we got the goals at the right time towards the end of the first half and that killed it, then we got the first one in the second which meant it was an easy afternoon for us.
"In terms of how we played, I thought we were unbelievable. The front three were excellent."
