Clachnacuddin survived a fightback from Strathspey Thistle to triumph 3-2 in a thrilling North of Scotland Cup tie.
Conor Gethins’ side overcame the Jags in blustery conditions at Grant Street Park, advancing to face Nairn County away in the next round on September 4.
With a strong wind behind them in the first half, Strathspey set the early pace and were inches away from taking the lead inside three minutes. Cameron Lisle’s lofted ball from the right was headed goalwards by Dylan Lawrence, with Joe Malin pulling off a sublime save to tip the ball on the crossbar.
The Jags were once again denied by Malin on 15 minutes when Scot Docherty weaved through the heart of the Lilywhites defence before seeing his strike diverted wide by the vastly experienced goalkeeper.
Strathspey were piling the pressure, with Jags skipper James McShane striking the crossbar from the resulting corner, before another set-piece led to Conor Macphee forcing Malin into another excellent save.
Yet another corner from Juan Cardona Cuellar caused the hosts problems on 19 minutes, with Macphee nodding over at the far post.
Against the run of play, Clach took the lead on 23 minutes when Allan Macphee drilled in a low free-kick from the right, with Connor Bunce on hand to guide the ball home at the near post.
Thistle looked to respond, with Cuellar striking a low free-kick at goal which lacked the power to trouble Malin.
At the other end, Jack MacKay spurned a fine chance to double Clach’s lead when he glanced a free header wide from Ali Riddle’s corner.
The Jags restored parity on 29 minutes with Lisle’s inch-perfect cross met by Lawrence who guided a fine header beyond the reach of Malin.
Clach hit the visitors with a quickfire double, initially regaining their lead within three minutes. MacKay was on hand to tap into an empty net, after Jags goalkeeper Euan Storrier and his backline had failed to deal with a cross into the box.
The home side made it three on 35 minutes when Troy Cooper took aim with a shot from the inside left channel which Storrier was unable to hold, with James Anderson on hand to knock home the rebound.
Clach pushed for further goals before the break, with Cooper seeing a far post header cleared from point-blank range by Lisle, before the winger struck an effort well over on the stroke of half-time.
Cooper continued to be a lively presence in the second half with an effort from the edge of the box drifting over.
The Jags narrowed the deficit on 58 minutes when the ball fell kindly inside the box for substitute Aaron Nicolson to side-foot past Malin.
Clach looked to restore their two-goal cushion, with Bunce drifting in from the right before forcing Storrier to block at his near post.
The Jags pushed for a leveller, with Kieran Duffty going close with a rasping effort which came back off the underside of the crossbar.
Forres Mechanics 8-0 Rothes
Forres Mechanics cruised to a home North of Scotland Cup semi-final against Lossiemouth after crushing a pitiful Rothes outfit 8-0 in a Moray derby at Mosset Park.
Forres were at full strength but Rothes were without on-loan centre-half Jamie Young, as his parent club, Clachnacuddin, didn’t want the youngster cup-tied.
In the eighth minute it took a great diving save by Rothes keeper Sean McCarthy to deny Matt Jamieson but from the resulting corner the Mechanics took the lead when Sam Nixon nodded home unchallenged from six yards.
Forres made it 2-0 in the 20th minute when Kyle MacLeod ran onto a long ball through the middle before beating McCarthy from 15 yards.
It was 3-0 in the 35th minute when Matt Jamieson fired home from 15 yards with the Rothes defence in total disarray.
It got worse for Rothes four minutes later, Brodie Mitchell brought down Jamieson in the box and Aidan Cruickshank made it 4-0 from the resultant spot-kick.
Ten minutes into the second half Calum Brown hammered a fifth goal into the roof of the net. Forres made it six three minutes later when substitute Kieran Hayllar added another.
Calum Frame made it seven in the 75th minute when he was played through by Taylor Thain with the visitors’ defence again all over the place.
Jamieson notched his second of the night and Forres’ eighth goal in the 83rd minute with as superb 25-yard rising drive.
Wick, Inverness Athletic and Halkirk United progress
Wick Academy proved too strong for North Caledonian League champions Invergordon with a 4-0 victory in the first round of the North of Scotland Cup at Harmsworth Park.
Invergordon were reduced to 10 men after only five minutes when Blair Morrison was sent off.
The Scorries took the lead only four minutes later through Kyle Henderson before Brandon Sinclair put Wick 2-0 up seven minutes before the interval.
Wick went 3-0 ahead just before the hour mark courtesy of an own goal before Gordon MacNab completed the scoring in injury time.
Gary Manson’s side will travel to Brora Rangers, who beat Ross County 3-2 on Tuesday, in the quarter-finals of the competition.
Meanwhile, Inverness Athletic will face Halkirk United in the last eight.
Inverness Athletic advanced with a 2-0 win at Golspie Sutherland.
Substitute Ross Cooper broke the deadlock for Inverness Athletic with only 12 minutes to go. He netted his second three minutes later when he nodded home a Lewis Mitchell cross.
Halkirk United earned their place in the last eight with a 7-6 penalty shootout victory against St Duthus after 90 goal-less minutes at Morrison Park.
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