LARGS Thistle made a lightning quick start to their third round Scottish Junior Cup encounter against Caledonian Locomotives to match the weekend weather at Barrfields.
Saturday's game was played in adverse weather conditions at times, and the home team put in a very business like performance with no danger of any slip-ups, making the jittery recent display against Craigmark Burntonians seem like a distant memory.
That strangely subdued performance in East Ayrshire may be the kick up the backside that Largs needed to make sure they don't go into autopilot and they certainly took the game to Locomotives as Thistle steam on in the national tournament.
Stuart Davidson's side possessed a real threat to their play and looked capable of scoring from every corner kick, with both opening goals in the 5-0 win coming via that route.
Cory Hughes emerged from the pack as he headed home from a flying corner from the right hand side to put Largs into an early lead after two minutes.
And on six minutes, another corner caused chaos in the Caledonian Locomotives box with a ball pinging off the post before Jamie Martin coolly curled a shot into the bottom left corner for a quality strike.
Largs went on to dominate proceedings and hit the woodwork again after a long range shot was misjudged by the keeper, while Ryan Deas and Will Sewell both had opportunities to add to Thistle's lead.
Sean McLeod, who had been a maverick winger throughout, caused the visitors no end of bother throughout the afternoon and he got a deserved goal after he feinted his way past challenges on 53 minutes to send a terrific curling shot into the bottom left corner of the net. But incredibly, it wasn't to be the best goal of the game.
Largs Thistle 3-0 up thanks to Sean McLeod v Caledonian Locomotives. pic.twitter.com/oVvY91u9Lz
— Calum Corral (@CalumCorral) October 12, 2024
Lewis Davidson blazed forward a moment later and got on the end of a shot repelled by the keeper to blast home the rebound to make it 4-0 and comfortable for Thistle.
Ryan McCreath, Kieran Bradley and Cole Ojungu entered the fray and replaced Laurie McMaster, Corey Hughes and Blair Devine on 64 minutes.
And the fifth goal was very much the icing on the cake on 74 minutes as Davidson scored with an absolutely fantastic looping shot which arched into the top left corner of the net for one of the goals of the season at Barrfields Park.
Davidson has now scored seven goals this season, making him second top scorer in the side, and will be hungry for more after this.
The Thistle players were warmly applauded off the park after another fine showing at Barrfields Park, with Sean McLeod being the fans' pick for man of the match.
This was a much improved display for Thistle who are now unbeaten in eight games. Largs were really snapping at Caledonian Locomotives' heels throughout, and never allowed them the opportunity to settle with Largs keeper Joe Wilton having one of his quietest games in a long time.
LARGS: Wilton, McLeod, McMaster, Brady, Hughes, Faulds, Deas, Davidson, Martin, Sewell. Subs: Stracey, McCreath, McGeown, Bradley, Cumming, Ojungu, Johnstone (GK).
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