Chris Angus scored five as Inverurie Locos beat Turriff United 7-0 – but the striker says he need to keep raising his standards.
Angus was the star man as the Railwaymen thrashed Turra at a wind and rain-swept Harlaw Park.
The five-goal hero is Locos’ senior striker at the moment. Neil Gauld has been struggling with flu, Andy Hunter is close to a return from a knee injury and Jonny Smith is recovering following a knee operation.
Although pleased to score five, Angus says he will need to keep performing to hold on to his place when the others return.
He said: “The squad has had a lot of injuries this season. We have Andy Hunter coming back now, Jonny Smith is recovering and Neil Gauld is struggling with flu.
“Those are three top strikers in this league and on the basis of Saturday they will struggle to get back in. But they are good players to have at the club to come back in.
“I know they aren’t fit so sometimes you can get away with a bad game. But once they are fit there will be no margin for error. I’ll need to perform when they come back so I need to keep doing what I’m doing.
“I had a fracture in my knee earlier this season, but I’m over it now and I just want to stay injury-free for the rest of the season.”
Saturday’s game went ahead despite winds of 30mph and torrential rain. Referee Dan McFarlane made the call and Angus was pleased the game went ahead.
He added: “The wind was coming across the pitch so it was the same for both teams and I think we just coped with it better.
“I’ve played in tougher conditions where games were abandoned. The referee could have called it off but I’m glad he didn’t.”
Angus got the opener on six minutes, slotting home from 10 yards after Colin Charlesworth’s feed. He created No 2 on 11 minutes by spinning away from Ross Anderson and feeding captain Neil McLean to fire into the bottom right corner.
Angus made it three on 38 minutes after pouncing on a wayward Ross Anderson header to race through and score.
With 18 minutes left Angus had a hat-trick with a low finish from sub Kyle Gordon’s through ball.
Two minutes later Gordon, who has signed a new contract until 2020, scored from close range after Charlesworth’s set-up work.
Angus made it six by beating keeper Fraser Hobday to a through pass and firing into the empty net and Angus made it a magnificent seven with another clinical finish late on.
Turriff coach Ian Bruce said: “Conditions were atrocious, but it’s the same for both teams. We just didn’t turn up.”