Forres Mechanics 1-8 Buckie Thistle

Buckie Thistle smashed eight past Forres Mechanics at Mosset Park to close the gap on the top three in the Highland League table.

Scott Adams and Jack Murray netted doubles for the impressive visitors, with Max Barry, Darryl McHardy, Jack MacIver and Lyall Keir also on target.

Buckie created the first chance on four minutes, Jack MacIver cutting the ball back from the right and Scott Adams’ shot from 12 yards was well blocked by former Jags custodian Lee Herbert.

The home side almost went in front on ten minutes, Craig Mackenzie cutting inside two challenges and rattling the post with a low strike.

MacIver then cracked in a superb shot from 25 yards that was tipped over by Herbert, the Forres number one also saving well from Sam Pugh's fiercely struck shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Max Barry put the visitors in front midway through the first half, crashing a superb volley into the bottom right corner after a corner was headed out to the edge of the penalty area.

Josh Peters missed a good chance to make it two on 33 minutes, driving his shot low at Herbert when clear in the box.

Shaun Morrison levelled matters two minutes later, getting in behind the visiting defence and finishing well across Stuart Knight and into the far corner.

Darryl McHardy put Buckie back in front six minutes before the break, planting a header home when unmarked from a MacIver corner from the left.

Five minutes later MacIver drove a dangerous free kick into the area from 40 yards and the presence of McHardy seemed to put off Herbert, who could only fumble the ball into his own net.

Scott Adams got in on the act in first half injury time, latching onto Sam Pugh's header and finishing neatly from close range to put the Jags firmly in control at the break.

Herbert saved well from another excellent MacIver curling free kick from 30 yards on 52 minutes, before Jack Murray won a penalty after a clumsy Mark MacLauchlan challenge. Murray dusted himself down and slammed the penalty low past Herbert into the bottom left corner.

Adams got his second and Buckie’s sixth in the 61st minute, rifling home Murray’s header down from eight yards after a superb dinked cross from McHardy from the left.

Thistle manager Graeme Stewart then gave MacIver and Adams a rest with the points in the bag, they were replaced by Marcus Goodall and the returning Lyall Keir.

John Macleod made his long awaited return to action to a great reaction from the visiting fans when he came off the bench on 74 minutes, and ‘SJM’ almost made an instant impact when he headed just wide of the near post. Fellow substitutes Cohen Ramsay and Ryan Fyffe also entered the fray, with Josh Peters, Dale Wood and Hamish Munro coming off.

Murray crashed home another penalty after he was fouled by Mackenzie with 11 minutes to go, then substitute Keir got on the end of another McHardy delivery to slot in goal number eight and complete the rout.

A ruthless display from The Jags, with the goals spread throughout the team. A good time to find form with the visit of fellow title challengers Formartine United up next on Saturday.

Buckie Th: S. Knight; H. Munro (R. Fyffe 74), S. Morrison, D. McHardy, J. Murray; S. Pugh(c), D. Wood (C. Ramsay 74); J. MacIver (M. Goodall 64), M. Barry, S. Adams (L. Keir 64); J. Peters (J. MacLeod 74)

Subs not used: E. Storrier, L. Mackinnon

Scorers: M. Barry (22), D. McHardy (39), J. MacIver (44), S. Adams (45+2, 61), J. Murray (56 pen, 79 pen), L. Keir (80)