A hat-trick in either half helped Brora Rangers thump Forres Mechanics 8-0 at Mosset Park to keep in touch at the summit of the Highland League.
A 25-minute treble from Max Ewan, added to by a Dale Gillespie penalty, had the Cattachs well on their way, leading 4-0 at half-time.
A 10-minute hat-trick from Andy Macrae in the second half and a Jordan Macrae goal rounded the game off at 8-0.
The visitors were ahead after 12 minutes as Max Ewan slotted into the corner after the ball broke to him in the box.
Ewan got his second on 21 minutes as he turned in Jordan Macrae’s deflected shot from close range.
A penalty given away by Jack Craib was dispatched by Dale Gillespie for 3-0 before the half hour mark.
Gillespie turned provider for the fourth goal, sliding a tidy ball in behind the Forres defence, which Max Ewan raced onto to finish off his hat-trick.
The scoring didn’t relent after the break, with Andy Macrae netting the first of what would be a second-half hat-trick on 48 minutes, tapping in after a mistake from Lee Herbert.
The former Forres man tapped in his second from close range on 53 minutes and rounded off a quickfire hat-trick four minutes later as he turned home debutant Tony Dingwall’s cross for 7-0.
Jordan Macrae rounded off the scoring just after the hour mark as he nodded Andy Macrae’s cross in from six yards.
Fort William 0-4 Nairn County
Nairn County recorded a comfortable win over Fort William at Station Park, including a spectacular strike from recent signing Camron Lisle.
Dylan MacLean made a good save in the fifth minute from Yves Zama as Fort threatened early on.
Five minutes later Angus Dey’s effort from a Tom MacLennan free kick was blocked on the goal line.
Nairn were awarded a penalty in the 22nd minute for a handball in the area from Cameron Lisle’s cross. MacLennan stepped up to fire the ball into the corner and give the home side the lead.
Adam Porritt’s long pass found Andrew Greig in space on the left, but his shot was well saved at his near post by Matuesz Kulbacki.
Dylan MacLean made another good save from a header by Mohammed Aboifitah in the 32nd minute.
Number two came five minutes before the break, Lisle playing a neat one-two with Greig, took the ball on and rifled a great strike into the top right corner of the net from 20 yards.
86’ GOAL! Conor Gethins makes it 4-0! pic.twitter.com/rd4bWIhVrY
— Nairn County FC (@NairnCounty) March 9, 2022
Greig almost made it three in the 53rd minute, his shot rattling the post after a sweeping County move.
Glenn Main did grab a third for the home side 15 minutes from time, tapping home from close range after good work from Dey.
Main then set up Gethins in the box and he turned well before planting the ball home from 15 yards to make it four and complete the scoring.