County progress with demolition of East Fife...

Ross County secured top spot in Group C of the Premier Sports Cup this afternoon with the sensational 7-0 demolition over East Fife in Dingwall.

Goals from Victor Loturi, Ben Purrington, Jordy Hiwula, Owura Edwards and Kazeem Olaigbe secured three points and a place in the last 16.

Loturi opened the scoring with a sensational hit on the edge of the box, leaving goalkeeper Jude Smith with no chance, before Purrington doubled the advantage just over ten minutes later with a low finish from a Yan Dhanda cross. The second half saw five goals in less than 20 minutes with a brace for both Owura and Olaigbe as well as Hiwula finish.

Manager Malky Mackay made seven changes to the starting XI from our midweek win at Alloa Athletic, with Ross Laidlaw, Connor Randall, Ross Callachan, Yan Dhanda, Victor Loturi and Jordy Hiwula coming in to face the Fifers.

Meanwhile new signing William Akio was involved for the first time, taking a place among the substitutes whilst his brother, Loturi, made his first competitive start for the Staggies.

The game began as it meant to go on with County in control, with the visitors camped in their own half for the majority of the first period. Despite this, it would be East Fife who troubled goal first as Scott Shepherd's cross had to be cut out inches away from the line by Purrington.

Aside from that one chance, the Staggies remained in control with efforts from Dhanda, Ross Callachan and Jordy Hiwula blocked before the first half double. Loturi's long range effort was unstoppable and in truth had been coming, whilst Purrington got forward constantly down the left hand side and deserved his goal.

Half-Time: County 2-0 East Fife

As the whistle blew for the second half, County ran riot. Within seconds Dhanda made his way into the visitors half before playing Akio down the right who in turn squared it for Hiwula to finish from close range. Two minutes later, almost the same again as Akio this time played in Owura for his first.

There was nothing simple about County's fifth though. Owura picked the ball up on the left and stepped inside before smashing an effort top right corner for an early goal of the season contender. In ten or so minutes of magic, it was wrapped up by substitute Kazeem Olaigbe - who moments earlier replaced Owura - to put an end to some carnage in the box by finishing well.

County Line-Up: Laidlaw, Randall, Purrington, Baldwin, Iacovitti, Callachan, Loturi, Dhanda, Owura, Sims, Hiwula

Subs: Eastwood, Johnson, Watson, Harmon, Olaigbe, Akio, Tillson, Paton, White.

East Fife Line-Up: Smith, Murdoch, Mercer, Millar, Steele, Schiavone, Shepherd, Newton, Walls, Denham, Williamson

Subs: Fleming, Allan, C Healy, J Healy, Slattery, Cunningham, Anderson, Martin

Referee: Mike Roncone

Attendance: 726 (26 visitors)