Brechin City narrowed the gap on third placed Brora Rangers to just one point following a comfortable 6-0 victory over Keith at Kynoch Park.
David Cox was the City hero with a hat-trick in an impressive City performance with substitutes Julian Wade and Cameron Ross the other scorers.
City started the game strongly and they almost opened the scoring after four minutes when a Marc Scott cross just eluded Jordan Northcott and David Cox fired the ball over the bar from 15 yards five minutes later.
The strong, swirling wind was making it difficult for both sides in the opening 45 minutes but City had another opportunity just on the half-hour mark when Hamish Thomson blasted the ball over the bar from 10 yards out.
However City made the vital breakthrough on the stroke of half-time when Cox met a Jamie Bain free-kick to head the ball home from two yards.
It took City just three minutes into the second-half to double their lead with Cox again on the mark to volley home an Iain Davidson cross and the striker almost grabbed his hat-trick seven minutes later when his free-kick was tipped over the bar by Keith keeper Balant Demus.
However, the hat-trick wasn’t long delayed and it arrived in the 65th minute when Cox was on the spot to blast home a Marc Scott cross.
Keith were then reduced to ten men four minutes later when Kieran Yates was sent off following a second yellow card.
City continued to press for further goals and they made it 4-0 in the 76th minute with a close-range finish from substitute Julian Wade.
City continued to press and substitute Cameron Ross made it 5-0 with a Michael Cruickshank corner shortly afterwards coming off home defender Ryan Robertson to make it 6-0.
Strathspey 1-2 Huntly
Ten men Huntly secured their first league win since December 27 edging out Strathspey Thistle with a 2-1 away victory.
Within four minutes a short backpass from Ryan Sewell to Euan Storrier played in Jake Thomson but his finish went past the post.
Two minutes later, Jordon Wardrope came close when his shot was scrambled off the line following a corner.
The Jags went ahead in 17 minutes. James Fraser’s shot was parried by Euan Storrier and with the opposition defence looking static, Kris Duncan was quick to the rebound to bundle home his eighth goal of the season.
Huntly levelled midway through the half when a short header back from Andrew Skinner played in Robbie Foster who took his tally for the season to 11, rounding the keeper and slotting home.
The woodwork came to the home side’s rescue in the 34th minute. Michael Dangana crossed into the box and Wardrope’s attempted clearance came off the bar.
Huntly were reduced to ten men after 71 minutes when Logan Johnstone was handed a second caution by referee Kevin Buchanan following a foul on Ross Logan.
Despite being a man down, Alexander Jack played upfield and the ball was worked inside to Andrew Hunter who gathered the ball before firing high inside the post for his eighth of the season.
Huntly had further chances as the half went on as substitutes Gavin Elphinstone and Brodie Allen was both kept out on more than one occasion by in-form keeper Robert Donaldson.