A Kieran Inglis hat-trick helped Brechin City to an impressive 4-1 win over Formartine United at Glebe Park.
Inglis cancelled out the opener from Cole Anderson before netting a pair of penalties in the second half, with substitute Marc Scott grabbing a late fourth.
Formartine surged into an early lead, capitalising on a glaring error by Brechin defender Iain Davidson.
The former Raith Rovers man played the ball back towards his own goal but failed to spot Anderson, whose shot was too strong for goalkeeper Jack Wills.
But Brechin were level five minutes later as United stopper Balint Demus committed a mistake of his own.
After advancing from his goal to clear from Julian Wade, Demus’ clearance was poor and fell to Inglis 35 yards from goal. He had plenty to do but was able to thread the ball through a crowd of bodies into an empty net.
Demus would redeem himself before the break however, bailing out player-manager Paul Lawson after his ball across his own box was latched on to by Wade. The on-loan Cove Rangers man was out quickly to block Wade’s strike.
Michael Paton thought he had given the home side the lead with a well-placed finish from the edge of the area, however Chris Fordyce had already blown up for a foul on Max Kucheraivyi.
Andy Kirk’s side missed a clear chance to get their second on the hour mark as Aidan Quinn headed Kucheraivyi’s corner high over the bar.
They did retake the lead with 18 minutes to go as Inglis got his second, dispatching a penalty via the inside of the post after Kucheraivyi was brought down.
He completed his hat-trick five minutes later with another spot-kick, with Kucheraivyi again the man scythed down but this time by Demus.
Scott rounded off the evening with a well-taken goal, beating Demus to the ball outside the box and finding the net from an acute angle.
