A HAT-TRICK for Scott Michie helped Inverurie Locos on their way to a comfortable 5-0 win over Brora Rangers at Dudgeon Park as the Locos kept up the pressure on Deveronvale with a win ahead of games against Keith and Wick in the coming week.
The
first chance of the game came in six minutes when Locos were awarded a free kick 20 yards out and Neil Gauld's shot was heading goalwards but was touched wide of the post by Matt Curtis.
However, the Locos pressure paid off in ten minutes when Scott Michie opened the scoring, heading home a Craig Ross cross from close range.
In 23 minutes Brora created their first chance when Jamie Mackay fed Manson who squared the ball to John Colquhoun whose shot went wide.
Poor defending in 31 minutes gifted Locos the second goal. Brora had several chances to clear the ball but managed to give it to Scott Michie who made no mistake from five yards.
Curtis came to Brora's rescue on 37 minutes when a powerful Craig Ross header was somehow saved and Jason Gunn cleared the danger.
Then in 43 minutes a great ball from Jamie MacKinnon found Danny Milne whose cross was touched onto the crossbar. The ball rebounded to Neil Gauld who reacted quickest to fire home.
Locos scored the goal of the game one minute later when Craig Ross set up Andrew Bisset 30 yards out and his shot gave Curtis no chance.
Locos started the second half as they finished the first and only desperate defending and some great goalkeeping from Curtis kept the visitors at bay.
However, Locos did increase their lead on 67 minutes when Scott Begg gave away a soft free kick on the edge of the area and Scott Michie blasted home to complete his hat-trick.
In 80 minutes only a well timed tackle from Gunn stopped Neil Gauld from increasing the lead before he was again thwarted by Curtis after another mazy run.
Brora Rangers: Curtis, Begg, Manson, Gunn, Murray, Christie, Inglis, Colquhoun, Cameron, Dorrian (Tillman 76), McKay (Baxter 73). Subs not used: Macallum, Hyslop.
Inverurie Locos: Reid, Park, Bisset, McKinnon, Simpson, Ross, Milne, Smith, Michie (Coull 70), Broadhurst (McLean 60), Gauld. Subs not used: Mess, Graham, Buchan.
Dave Cormie was happy with the second win in four days on the road, with eight goals scored and none conceded.
He said: "A really good display again. Well worked from a goals perspective. Scott Michie took his hat-trick well, he is real quality, it's great to have him back in the team. You just wonder where we'd be in the League now if he'd been fit all season.
"Andrew Bisset took his goal well while Danny Milne and Neil Gauld were fantastic, they caused problems galore.
"Ryan Broadhurst was part of a reshaped midfield, all of the players doing well in there. With Tommy Wilson and Scott Buchan out just now, we are having to reshape but we cannot let this form drop now. A few games still left to play before the cup final and one after it, we will try and keep the run going."
Meanwhile, an emergency summit organised by the Highland League over fears new pay rules could force clubs out of business will be held this Tuesday (April 28) at the Lossiemouth Social Club.
The meeting is expected to be attended by the chairmen of all teams. The Highland League could be hardest hit by the new guidelines, which may triple or even quadruple players' pay.
Ron Barrie, spokesman for HMRC, has outlined the enforcement notice that clubs will find hard and in some cases impossible to deal with.
He said: "National minimum wage is applicable to all employers whether it be people in sport or elsewhere. It is enforceable with these new rules as of April 6.
"Employers will face a penalty if HMRC discover they have failed to pay the national minimum wage, and workers will be entitled to have arrears of wages repaid at current rates."
