Joy of six as Avoch retain cup
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The Black Isle side were pegged back early in the second half after they had taken a 2-0 interval lead but three goals in a frenetic five-minute spell early in the second period killed the tie as a contest.
Avoch’s Shaun Kerr had the first effort of note in the seventh minute but his shot flew just wide of the upright.
Kerr forced a fingertip save from Burgh goalkeeper Michael Rae three minutes later as Avoch pressed for an opener.
At the other end, Ken Buchanan tested Andrew Maitland with a 20-yard drive which the Avoch keeper did well to claw away to safety.
Maryburgh threatened again in the 19th minute when Kennor MacKenzie got on the end of a Craig Stuart free kick to head narrowly wide of Maitland’s left-hand post.
Avoch went straight up the park and forced a corner on the left and Gary Urquhart headed well over from Ross Thomson’s delivery.
Urquhart had better luck five minutes later when he rose unchallenged in the box to head home another Thomson corner.
Burgh looked dangerous on the break and MacKenzie came close with a show which flashed a yard past Maitland’s right-hand post.
But Avoch doubled their lead in first half stoppage time when David Mason was left with a simple tap-in at the back post after a pinpoint cross from Kenneth Whyte.
Maryburgh started the second half brightly and Shaun Carson reduced the deficit in the 50th minute when he took advantage of a hesitant Avoch defence to power a low drive in at the near post.
But Avoch’s response was immediate. Thomson slipped the ball through to Urquhart from the re-start and the midfielder rounded Rae to restore Avoch’s two-goal lead.
Avoch were 4-1 up 60 seconds later when Thomson blasted the ball into the net through a ruck of players after the Burgh defence failed to clear a Martyn MacAllister free kick.
It got worse for Burgh in the 56th minute when Avoch substitute David Taylor fired high into the net from the edge of the 18-yard box.
Maryburgh grabbed a consolation counter in the 85th minute when Buchanan got the final touch in a goalmouth scramble.
But Avoch had the final say. Thomson scored his second of the tie in the second minute of injury time when he netted from a yard out after unselfish work from Urquhart.
In the league, Fortrose Union and Lochbroom settled for a point apiece in a 2-2 draw at King George V Park on Saturday.
Ben Bruce gave Lochbroom the lead in the 15th minute when he was left with a simple tap-in after a Michael Munro free kick fell at his feet.
Bruce was on target again on the half-hour mark when he scored with a back-post header which looped into the far corner of the net.
Lochbroom looked in full control but they lost their way in the last half hour of the match.
Brendan McGarvey pulled one back on the hour mark when he scored from close range following a Stuart Patience corner kick.
McGarvey rescued a point for his side when he knocked in a Rory Patience cross with 10 minutes to spare.
Fortrose were in action again on Monday night, but this time they were on the wrong end of a 7-0 scoreline at Maryburgh.
Scott Davidson and Kennor MacKenzie both scored at the double for the home side with Calum Gow, Muir Morton and Scott Duff also on target for the league’s joint leaders.
In the other match, Muir of Ord Rovers doubled their points tally after a 5-1 win at Contin.
Rovers went ahead in the 14th minute after they were awarded a penalty. Alan Geegan scored the rebound after his first effort was saved.
Three goals in a seven minute spell mid-way through the second half ended the match as a contest. Gillies MacKenzie (2) and Ewan Dance were the Rovers players on target.
Kris Gamble scored a consolation for Contin in the 89th minute before Cameron Houston added a fifth for Rovers deep in stoppage time.
* Fixtures: Monday, June 11 — League — 7.30pm — Fortrose Union v Maryburgh; Muir of Ord Rovers v Contin.
