Gerry McDonagh revelled in his first career hat-trick as Cove Rangers thumped Dunipace to advance in the Scottish Cup.
McDonagh, a summer arrival at Cove, found the net on four occasions as the Aberdeen outfit put their East of Scotland League opponents to the sword.
It continues a recent impressive spell in front of goal for McDonagh, after his recall to the first-team by manager Jim McIntyre.
The 24-year-old endured a difficult start to his time at Cove and struggled for game-time. But getting himself in better shape paved the way for a run in the side and he now has six goals for the campaign.
His first two goals came from close-range tap-ins, with the next two coming from headers as the big striker profited from Cove’s attacking play.
“I’m delighted – I’ve never scored a hat-trick before so to get four was a bonus,” said McDonagh.
“I’ll take them however they come. A goal is a goal. It doesn’t make a difference to me.
“Hopefully I can crack on now and get a few more.
⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️ https://t.co/mLFuD806cB
— Gerry McDonagh (@GerryMcDonagh64) November 26, 2022
“It was very windy out there again but there’s nothing you can do about it, you just have to get on with it.
“It’s an advantage being taller in those situations but it’s still hard to judge where the ball is going to land with the wind.”
Cove will now await the outcome of Monday’s fourth-round draw, which takes place after Ayr United’s televised game against Pollok. But for McDonagh, it matters little who lies in store.
“It doesn’t make a difference who we get in the next round,” he said. “We’ll just go out there and do what we do and make sure we get the result.