Kelty Hearts made the perfect start to their Premier Sports Cup campaign with an emphatic victory at Brora Rangers on Tuesday night.
Tam O'Ware's side made the 380-mile round trip to play the Highland League champions on match day two of the competition, having been inactive on Saturday.
And it proved a worthwhile venture as goals from Craig Johnston and Alex Ferguson, either side of Robbie Cole's brace, earned three points before Saturday's home tie with East Fife, and a visit from top flight Kilmarnock next Tuesday.
The match was only three minutes old when Kelty struck first, and it was a goal earned by Johnston's determination to press.
With Brora attempting to play out from the back, the ball was passed to goalkeeper, Cameron Mackay, whose attempted clearance cannoned off the 'Maroon Machine' captain and into the net as he closed his opponent down.
Just 10 minutes later, the League One visitors doubled their advantage when Cole slid the ball home from inside the six-yard box after being picked out by Innes Murray's low ball from the right.
A neat flick from Murray into the path of Aaron Arnott allowed the latter to shoot at goal and, although Mackay blocked, it fell kindly for Cole to bundle in his second of the match.
Ferguson completed the scoring in the 64th minute when his 20-yard strike, via a deflection, found the top corner to ensure Kelty are up-and-running with a win.
"I think we started with a real intent and we grew from strength to strength in the game," O'Ware told Kelty Hearts TV.
"Getting the goal early settled us and the second followed not long after it but our overall play I was really happy with it.
"Brora made it hard for us in sitting in a compact shape, so we had to try and be patient and attracting the pressure, and playing through the lines.
"When we did that, we looked a real threat in the final third. The only thing that kinda crept into the game was there was a period of 5-10 minutes in the second half of a wee bit of complacency setting in.
"Second half, again, we start really well but, the last 20 minutes, we could've been really ruthless.
"But, overall, really happy."
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