Wick Academy finally ended its wait for a first senior trophy in emphatic style by brushing aside Nairn County at Dudgeon Park in Brora to win the North of Scotland cup.
A delighted Wick manager Gordon Connelly said: “It was a fantastic performance from start to finish.
“I read a quote the other day that formations don’t win games, but I beg to differ. Everything was right and finished off well by my players and I am delighted for all of them.
“A performance like that, considering the state of the pitch and the conditions, was fantastic.
“The two quick goals to put us 3-0 up when Nairn were on top really put us in control.
“Our cup run started here at Brora with our penalty shootout win and here we are again collecting the trophy.
“Nairn are a good side, don’t be fooled by the score, we have beaten a good side and beaten them convincingly.”
Nairn manager Les Fringe was frustrated by events in the first half and said: “They had three chances and took them all. We had four good chances and didn’t take any.
“It was Wick’s day and well done to them.
“We’ve been here before and won it and lost it. We hit the bar and the post, chances were cleared off the line. We went down to 10 men and that was it over.”
Nairn almost went ahead in the sixth minute when Conor Gethins fed Robbie Duncanson but his drive was well held by goalkeeper Sean McCarthy.
Wick went straight up the other end and Richard MacAdie’s run into the box was halted when he was brought down by Nairn goalkeeper Callum Antell. MacAdie took revenge by scoring with the penalty kick to put the Scorries ahead.
Nairn should have equalised on 23 minutes when Tony Wallace was put clear on the left hand side of the penalty box. His shot beat the Wick goalkeeper but it rolled just wide of the far post.
Nairn were made to pay for the miss a few minutes later when Wick finished an excellent move down the left started by Sam MacKay and continued by Steven Harrison, whose low left wing cross was converted by Gary Weir.
The Wee County were still reeling from this setback when the Scorries struck another blow a minute later. Grant Campbell’s cross to the far post was headed back by Weir and finished off by the onrushing MacKay.
Nairn started the second half on the front foot as they attempted to get back into the game and they did pull a goal back on 58 minutes when Gethins fed Sam Urquhart and his cross was thumped home by Alan Pollock to reduce the deficit.
However, it took Wick just three minutes to restore their three-goal lead when a left wing cross was driven in at the far post by Michael Steven.
Nairn’s sorry day continued in the 66th minute when Steven Harrison drove into the net for Wick’s fifth.
Things went from bad to worse on 76 minutes when a scuffle ended with a straight red for Nairn’s Gregg Main and a yellow for Wick’s Weir.
The sending off ended any lingering hopes of a comeback Nairn may have had and a minute later, Grant Campbell’s right wing run and cross ran right across the goal line and in at the far post for Wick’s sixth goal.
In added time Nairn’s Urquhart headed in a consolation for Nairn.