Anderson hails best performance of season so far as Groats hit six at Dornoch
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Wick Groats manager Kevin Anderson praised his team for producing their best performance of the season so far as they thumped Dornoch City 6-1 at Meadows Park in the first round of the Highland Amateur Cup.
Graham MacNab grabbed a hat-trick for Groats, who have held the trophy since winning the 2019 final – the last time the tournament was contested before the pandemic.
"They were actually a very good team," Anderson said. "They had a couple of guys who play with St Duthus in the North Caledonian League and obviously they beat Halkirk United in a cup final.
"To be fair it's the best we've played all season. We were due a performance but all over the park we were really good.
"It was a convincing win for us, but by no means were they a poor team."
Korbyn Cameron and Ben Sinclair gave Groats a two-goal cushion early on. Dornoch pulled one back but MacNab scored from the penalty spot to make it 3-1 at half-time.
MacNab struck again before Stewart Ross added Groats' fifth with a header. MacNab rounded off the scoring from a direct free kick.
Groats are away to Loch Ness in round two.
"Apparently Ross Tokely is playing with them this year and they've got a couple of guys from the Highland League so it's going to be a tough game," Anderson said.
"Loch Ness led the North Caledonian League up until the last four weeks of the season. They were cruising it for a while.
"It's certainly a tough game so early, but the encouraging thing for ourselves is that Saturday was the best we've played all season without a doubt so we just need to kick on. We're starting to get players back now."
Highland Amateur Cup first-round results (ties involving Caithness clubs): Acks 2, Golspie Stafford 3; Dornoch City 1, Wick Groats 6; Helmsdale United 0, High Ormlie Hotspur 1; Lochbroom 4, John O'Groats 2; Lochinver 9, Thurso Pentland 0; Lybster 0, Wick Thistle 1; Staxigoe United 8, Swifts 0; Top Joe's 0, Pentland United 7; Watten 4, Keiss 0.
