Brora Rangers are Highland League champions as they seal title in style with rampant victory over Rothes
Highland League
Brora Rangers 7
Rothes 2
Scorers - Brora: Ewan (14) Sutherland (22, 25, 41 pen, 54) Bunce (30) Finnis (71). Rothes: Williamson (11 O.G) S.Morrison (45 pen)
BRORA Rangers have been crowned Highland League champions as they cruised to victory against Rothes at Dudgeon Park.
The Cattachs proved too good for bottom of the table Speysiders, as they lifted the title for the fifth time in their history and the first time in four years.
The title race went down to the final day of the season with Brechin City hopeful they could claim the title if Brora failed to win and they defeated Lossiemouth.
Both teams were level on points but Brora went into the game with a vastly superior goal difference of 29 goals.
Despite going behind, a rampant first half performance saw them take a 5-1 lead at one point in the match.
It is the second trophy Brora Rangers have won this season, previously winning the North of Scotland Cup in October and are on for a treble if they can beat Fraserburgh at Grant Street Park in Inverness next weekend in the Highland League Cup final.
Brora Rangers will also have a chance of promotion to League Two after obtaining their SFA Bronze Licence last month.
They will face Lowland League champions East Kilbride in the League Two Play-off semi finals later this month, with the winner facing the team that finishes bottom of League Two in the play-off final for a place in the division next season.
Brora could have taken the lead in the opening minute when Connor Bunce found himself clean through on goal. But Rothes goalkeeper Sean McCarthy produced an outstanding save to parry the ball away from finding the bottom right corner of the net.
But the visitors took the lead in the 11th minute when Gordon McNab’s free kick into the box cause panic in the Brora defence. Colin Williamson ended up turning the ball into his own net to leave Dudgeon Park silent.
However, Brora brought themselves back level three minutes later when Max Ewan was allowed to drive towards the edge of the box and fired a curling effort straight into the top left corner to make it 1-1.
The Cattachs then took the lead when Connor Bunce laid the ball off for Shane Sutherland who from eight-yards out saw his shot clip the inside right post and go over the line.
Sutherland then made it 3-1 when he connected with a cross from the right wing before firing home from eight-yards out.
Bunce had the chance to make it 4-1 when he was awarded a penalty after being fouled by Darren McConnachie. But the former Clachnacuddin striker fired his shot wide of the left post.
However, he made up for it minutes later when he charged into the box and fired a thunderous strike onto the underside of the crossbar and over the line.
Sutherland then completed his hat-trick when Brora were awarded another penalty when Bunce was once again brought down by McConnachie. Sutherland made no mistake from the spot to make it 5-1 and secure his hat-trick.
Rothes reduced the deficit to three before half time when they were awarded a penalty and Sean Morrison fired the ball past Cammy Mackay to make it 5-2 at the break.
Sutherland then grabbed his fourth, nine minutes into the second half when he fired an overhead kick in the six-yard box into the back of the net.
Michael Finnis then poked home Brora Rangers’ seventh midway through the second half when he was left with a simple tap-in from close range.
Brora: Mackay, Kelly (Finnis 62), Williamson, Cooper (Pullen 62), Nicolson, A Sutherland, Mackenzie (Duffy 62), Wallace (Dingwall 69), S Sutherland (Macrae 84), Bunce, Ewan.
Substitutes: Gillan, Hardie, Macrae, Wright.
Rothes: McCarthy, McConnachie, Cruickshank (Boyce 74), Mitchell, McNab (Shand 74), Morrison (Mutch 86), Skinner, Shepherd (Harkness 56), Brady, Thomson.
Substitutions: Black, Thain.
Referee: Robert Mackinnon
