Cove Rangers increased their lead at the top of League 2 to 13 points after thrashing Stirling Albion with a magnificent seven at Forthbank.
Paul Hartley’s side had the points wrapped up before half-time, ripping the Binos to shreds in the first half to race into a five-goal lead.
The men from the Granite City didn’t let up after the break and increased their advantage further to secure their biggest victory of the season.
The Forthbank pitch passed an inspection at 12.30pm yesterday, although it wasn’t in great condition it didn’t stop the Aberdeen side putting on an astonishing first half display.
It started on nine minutes, Jamie Masson’s ball down the inside left channel found Mitch Megginson and the Cove skipper was allowed to cut inside and arrow a low right-foot shot into the bottom left corner from 20 yards.
Fraser Fyvie sent a shot over in the 15th minute but he only had to wait a couple of minutes more to find the net. Stirling backed off the midfielder and Fyvie took full advantage finding the left corner from 25 yards.
It got even better for Cove on 21 minutes when Scott Ross crossed from the right and left-back Harry Milne lashed a volley into the net.
Cove didn’t let up and Masson plundered a fourth just after the half hour taking a pass from Megginson before shrugging off a defender and finishing from just inside the area.
Before the break, Stirling striker Dylan Mackin’s angled shot was tipped onto the crossbar by visiting goalkeeper Stuart McKenzie.
But Cove’s superiority was such that Binos boss Kevin Rutkiewicz made his first substitution after 36 minutes with Paul McLean replacing Craig Truesdale in defence.
The change didn’t stop Cove grabbing a fifth, two minutes later, when Masson teed up Megginson on the left side of the area and he finished clinically into the bottom right corner.
Just after the hour, Cove made it 6-0. Connor Scully’s switch of play released Broque Watson down the right and the winger’s cross found Masson unmarked at the back post to head home his second.
Stirling’s dismal night got worse with 11 minutes left when Kevin Nicoll was given a straight red card for a challenge on sub Josh Mulligan.
The Binos did score a consolation when Dominic Docherty intercepted a Daniel Higgins pass and played in sub Daryl Duffy.
However, Cove went straight up the pitch and notched a seventh with sub Jordon Brown stabbing home from Fyvie’s cutback to round off an incredible night in which seven of their eight shots on target hit the net.