Annan Athletic 4 - 0 Buckie Thistle: Annan breeze to win

Annan Athletic enjoyed some rare Scottish Cup cheer as they breezed past Buckie Thistle to set up a third-round trip to Stenhousemuir.

The League Two side made surprisingly light work of yesterday’s replay, racing into a three-goal interval lead as they laid the foundations for only their third win in the old competition since being admitted to the Scottish League six seasons ago.

Indeed, the vanquishing of their Highland League visitors was all the more gratifying for Annan considering they had been eliminated in three of the previous five seasons by non-league opponents. One of those was Buckie, who had won 2-1 in a replay at Galabank at the same stage of last year’s competition.

While Ally Love kicked off this revenge mission, it was Matt Flynn, a former Dundee United youngster rebuilding his career after a turbulent time, who did the main damage to Buckie, with his two goals in the closing stages of the first half effectively killing the tie by the interval.

Annan took the lead with their first real chance in 13 minutes when Love arrived on the edge of the box to lash home a perfect cutback from David Hopkirk.

The hosts extended their advantage in 36 minutes when Flynn’s deflected strike from the edge of the box beat Buckie keeper Kevin Main.

Annan almost killed the tie in the 40th minute when Martin McNiff arrived at the back post to power a header just past from a brilliant Love delivery.

A minute later, Hopkirk wasted a glorious chance, before teammate Kieron Brannan saw a goalbound strike brilliantly saved by Main.

The hosts weren’t to be denied a third goal, however, with Flynn rasping home from the edge of the box after being teed up by Hopkirk a minute before the break.

Buckie improved after the break, but Annan sub Kenny MacKay sealed a comfortable victory with a close-range finish with virtually the last kick of the game.