Buckie Thistle defender Jack Murray described the 'great feeling' of scoring his first Highland League hat-trick in Saturday's 7-1 win over Turriff United at Victoria Park
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Highland League football's highest scoring defender reached new heights with a hat-trick on Saturday.
Buckie Thistle stopper Jack Murray is no stranger to hitting the back of the opposition net, but his treble tally in the 7-1 win over Turriff United was special.
The former Ross County man paid tribute to his Jags team-mates, saying all three efforts
"It’s some feeling when you score a hat-trick," he said. "That’s my first since I was a wee boy so it was a good feeling.
"Two of them were headers and one was with my weaker foot. The balls into the box were great balls so I couldn’t really miss them, to be honest.
"With the forward players we have and the balls that players like Andy MacAskill puts in, they are hard to miss."
Jags didn't have it all their own way in the first 45 minutes as a Turriff side enjoying a fine season so far managed to keep things tight.
MacAskill broke Turriff's resistance on 26 minutes but the visitors were awarded a penalty just before half time and Ewan Clark netted to make it 1-1 at the interval.
"It was definitely tough in the first half and credit to Turriff, they were dangerous and did cause us problems," Murray admitted.
"We regrouped at half time and just said if we kept doing what we were doing, the chances would come again and we would put them away."
Sure enough, Buckie took control with a rare strike from full back Mark McLauchlan restoring their advantage within a minute of the kick off.
Marcus Goodall netted for the third game running and Murray grabbed the first of his treble inside the closing 15 minutes.
The centre back quickly notched a second and there was still time for Scott Adams to knock in number six, with Murray grabbing his third in stoppage time.
"We were getting quite a few setpieces so I kept bombing on looking for that hat-trick," he said.
Now in his fourth season at Buckie, including two loan spells from County before his switch became permanent in 2020, Murray is a constant threat at Buckie setpieces.
"I ended up with nine goals last season and I’m on five this year so it’s a good start. Getting double figures is the plan this year."
Jags's league form in the past 12 months is incredible, as they have won every match in the calendar year except two.
Their 23-game winning sequence last season was ended by a home draw with Wick Academy, while a narrow defeat at leaders Brechin City this season took an unbeaten 29-match run to an end.
Murray is loving life at the Victoria Park club but admits a trophy success is long overdue to end a barren spell of more than five years on the silverware front.
"The boys all know that we have to start delivering for the fans now. Once we get the first one over the line I think it can lead to more.
"When you look at our record over the last year, when it’s like that you are definitely enjoying your football."
