ANOTHER sensational performance from Scott Nugent saw the striker bag four goals for the second time in three games, as Port Glasgow cruised through to the third round of the Scottish Junior Cup.

Nugent’s astonishing hit-rate will grab the headlines, but this was an all-round excellent team performance from the Port, against a top flight East Region side whom the bookies rated as 1-4 ON to progress in the national competition, with the home side a tempting 6-1 against.

Both teams started brightly, with the Ballingry Rovers keeper touching an early Paul Coyle shot round the post, and his opposite number Bryan Tucker having to look lively to block a shot from a visiting striker.

But it was the Port who got the vital opener on 12 minutes, when Nugent got the first of his goals.

The red-hot striker chested down a cross from Alan Jamieson before smashing the ball into the net from six yards.

Nugent’s second — some eight minutes later — was a sensational solo effort, described by some as the best goal seen at Parklea to date.

A pass from Paul Gordon found Nugent blocked by a Rovers defender, but the striker flicked the ball over the head of the opponent and ran on to thunder a fierce volley into the top corner of the net.

On the half-hour mark the unstoppable hit-man got his hat-trick, as he latched on to a through ball from Brendan Grana before rounding the Rovers keeper and sliding the ball home from a tight angle.

And amazingly it was Nugent who struck again just before the interval as the Port went 4-0 up.

A vicious in-swinging corner from Craig McCormick caused all sorts of panic in the Ballingry box, with the resultant scramble seeing the ball fall to Nugent, who needed no second invitation to lash home from close range. Ballingry were stunned, and any faint hopes of a second-half comeback were snuffed out on 55 minutes, when McCormick whipped in a free-kick which again troubled the Rovers defence, to the extent that one of their own defenders deflected the ball into his own net.

At 5-0 up the Port were cruising, so it was an act of folly on the part of Paul Gordon to get himself sent off on the hour mark.

The right-back had reacted badly to a late tackle, and it appeared as though referee George King was about to book both players. But as others got involved, Gordon raised his hands again and was shown the red card.

This halted the Port’s momentum and allowed Ballingry to have a spell of possession, with Tucker having to stay alert to turn a drive round the post.

But it wasn’t too long before the Port got back on top, and a fantastic team goal rounded off the scoring with 10 minutes remaining.

Andrew Ellis and Graeme McClement combined well with a neat 1-2 to set up Grana, whose somewhat mis-hit shot fell kindly for Graham Black to drill home at the back post.

In the dying stages Paul Coyle had a great chance to replicate the Port’s 7-0 scoreline of two weeks previously, when he had a clear run through on goal from the half-way line. But the Port skipper’s chip over the keeper went wide of the post.

Just before the end Ballingry’s miserable afternoon was complete when they, too, were reduced to 10 men following a red card for a dangerous challenge on Jamieson.

Port boss Craig Brown said : ‘’That was as good a performance as I have seen here.

“The main thing was obviously to get through to the next round, but to do it with a performance like that was excellent.’’ PORT GLASGOW: Tucker, Gordon, Coyle, Walton, Paterson, Gault, Jamieson, Grana, Nugent (McClement 62), Bowie (Black 65), McCormick (Ellis 75). Subs not used: Sharpe, McAfee.

The match was sponsored by Danny Gault and Pat McIlvogue. Port Glasgow Juniors are sponsored by Regents Vehicle Sales, Greenock, and MAC HSL Ltd.