The temptation to leave this match report as just the scoreline is real. Such was the Jekyll and Hyde nature of Foss performances, it was the bad guy's turning up at Auchtermuchty.
There was little early indication of what was to follow with Dan Kenny putting a great Callum Grindlay cross just wide in the 9th minute, and Grindlay himself having a shot beaten out by the home keeper in the 15th minute after cutting inside from the right and unleashing a shot towards the far corner.
But it started to go wrong in the 21st minute as Cruickshank broke free from his marker to have a clean header at goal to give Muchty the lead.
Foss had a chance to get back on level terms moments later when Andrew Smith scuffed a good chance wide. Bellvue made Foss pay for this miss when Boylan tapped home from close range after poor marking in the 26th minute.
The visitors weren't totally out of it when Kieran Wilson fizzed a free kick just past the post in the 29th minute but once again Muchty took advantage of lax defending when Sutherland was given the freedom of the penalty area to pick his spot beyond a helplessly exposed Mark Robertson.
Andrew Reade had a couple of efforts around the 34th minute with his first effort being deflected behind for a corner, with Grindlay and Scott Powrie playing a short corner and cutting back to Reade on the edge of the area to shoot wide. Reade again went close on 40 minutes but couldn't quite connect to Powrie's cross.
Allan Moody read the riot act at half time bringing on both Ciaran Reilly and Jamie Forrester, which appeared to make an immediate impact and forced some early pressure. Bertie Gonsales excellently headed home Powrie's corner on 47 minutes and the comeback looked (briefly) on.
But defensive frailties came back to bite and a slip set M Reilly through on goal and he despatched his effort past Robertson to reinstate the three-goal advantage. It was the killer blow that Fossoway would not recover from. Boylan missed a good chance for Muchty on 55 minutes when he received a deep cross but wasted his opportunity by firing wide of the far post.
Foss had a couple of half-hearted chances, but the home keeper was never seriously troubled before Ciaran Reilly had a good effort pushed away by the keeper on 66 minutes. Once again, Auchtermuchty made their opponents pay when they broke and rounded Robertson. With defenders still in short supply and Robertson running back to his goal, Wells smashed an effort past Robertson and a defender on the line to make it 5-1. Number 6 came in the closing moments from substitute Hastie.
Tempers were starting to fray a little and Kieran Wilson was on the receiving end of an alleged elbow to the face. With blood streaming down his face, he was forced to leave the field in the closing moments but the official took no further action.
The goal of the game was saved for the 90th minute when Forrester cut inside and unleashed a powerful shot from outside the area that crashed of the inside of the post on its way into the far corner. Whilst it was a great finish, it was nothing more than a consolation goal.
A very disappointing performance from Foss and they need to work harder to raise their game and cut out the mistakes at the back that are being punished too frequently.
Despite the scoreline, Bertie Gonsales had a very good game and it could have been worse. But the Committee Man of the Match went to Callum Grindlay who also worked hard and showed us some of the movement and play that we know he's capable of.
Things need to sharpen up considerably for the next game, though.
