Hermes kept their McBookie.com Premier League title challenge on track with an impressive seven-goal demolition of third-placed Dyce at Lochside Park.
The meeting of the teams sitting second and third in the table was far more one-sided than anyone would have anticipated, with the match over as a contest before half-time.
Andrew Davidson opened the scoring after 11 minutes with Paul Esslemont adding number two nine minutes later.
Strikes from Callum Youngson and Joe Burr quickly followed with Esslemont grabbing his second three minutes before the interval.
Hermes made five changes at the break and it was one of the substitutes, Brunon Paskiewicz, who scored the sixth midway through the second period before Jack Craig scorned the opportunity for another when he fluffed his lines from the penalty spot.
However, with two minutes remaining, the magnificent seven became a reality with Paskiewicz scoring his second.
‘We were pretty unstoppable’
Hermes boss Neil Dawson feels his squad are playing at the top of their form right now.
He said: “Of the nine league matches we have still to play, we had targeted the Dyce game as being the toughest and it was pretty even for a while then we blew them away during a 25-minute spell.
“Our movement was excellent, there was some top-level finishing and while Alfie (Youngson) will no doubt look at some of his side’s defending, we were pretty unstoppable.
“It was great to be in a position to give so many of the squad decent game time and young Brunon is an interesting one.
“He came through our development squad, did pre-season with us and then went to Banchory on loan. Since he came back, he’s been a different person and he’s a fabulous finisher.
“He’s still a teenager, he’s impressed everyone here and I reckon he’ll be a big player for us next season.”
Focus switches to cup duty
Another advantage of being able to change things markedly at the break is the fact Hermes are back at Lochside Park this evening to face league leaders Culter in the last eight of the McLeman Cup.
The two have met twice at the same venue recently with Culter winning 3-0 in the Regional Cup and Hermes taking the honours 2-0 in the league at the start of this month.
Dawson said: “It’ll be an incredibly tough match and I’m sure Lee Youngson would say the same thing.
“As Steve Mearns, my co-manager was saying, this season we’ve only lost to Beith, Formartine United and Culter so, by and large, it’s been an incredible season.
“It’s another clash between the two best teams in the area and it should be a great game.”
Luke Barbour and Ryan Begg return for Hermes, while Ross Gibbon is a doubt with a neck problem.
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