Formartine United3–0Forres Mechanics

If this wasn't United's return to their absolute best, then it was something very close to it. Perhaps half an eyebrow could be raised at the quality of their finishing in the first half, but they were playing against a notoriously parsimonious defence and in 46 minutes from just before the interval until final stoppage time rattled in three excellently crafted and delivered goals. The way they went about their business: getting the upper hand in the battle for possession, pushing their back four up near halfway and squeezing their opponents until the pips were popping was impressive. Late in the game having been reduced to ten men after McKeown hobbled off with an apparent hamstring pull when all three subs had been fielded, they not only provided an object lesson in holding the ball but scored a stunning last minute clincher to put icing on the cake.

The teams started warily, each poking and probing for openings, eager to hold onto the ball to do so which made for a crowded midfield that neither initially managed to dominate. In the 4th minute MacRae pumped a longish one goalward but it did nothing to stretch Main. Lawrence made a foray to the fringes of the Cans box but his shot on the turn was blocked before it reached the 6 yard box. In the 14th minute Mackintosh took a stravaig down the right wing before slipping the ball into Wood who sclaffed his shot wide right. Greig was taking the ball to wide areas and began to stretch the visitors' enough for one or two crosses to fly across their box and as the half progressed the wily McKeown began moving his rearguard further forward and began to compress the area ahead, starting the process of forcing the visitors onto the back foot. In the 20th minute Mackintosh combined with Lisle and Wood to set himself for a scorching drive that Knight, at full stretch, pushed away from the base of his right upright. Rodger did likewise a minute later

United were getting the upper hand winning a number of individual battles: Lisle was regularly skinning Hamilton, Mackintosh had the time and space of a time lord and Wood was getting the better of Fraser. Knight was busy dealing with shots from, Rodger, Wood and Lisle while Daniel Park had a couple blocked in the 6 yard box.

A minute before the break McKeown thundered through the middle before slipping the ball left to Lisle who delivered the ball precisely to GREIG a bit beyond the corner of the 6 yarder. The winger hammered the ball, low and hard beyond Knight.

Forres tried to press after the interval but United still had better possession. In the 53rd minute after pressure down the left, Greig flighted a neat cross over the Forres box to meet the head of LISLE who crashed the ball home from about 10 yards out. Forres were still in it even then but United were clearly the dominant force maintaining a fair level of control. With ten minutes to go they lost McKeown to injury but adapted well to the 10 man set up (all subs had been used). Such was their ball retention that they were still mostly in control. RODGER proved that with superb solo goal breaking down the right leaving defenders in his wake before skelping an unsaveable drive past Knight in the 92nd minute.