Rothes 1 Forres Mechanics 1: Spurned chances cost Cans in derby draw
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EVERY Forres Mechanics fan leaving Rothes last night was asking themselves the same question: ‘How did we not win that match?’
After dominating the vast majority of the game at Mackessack Park, Mechanics took the lead when Shaun Morrison rifled home on 75 minutes.
But the Can-Cans, who should have been out of sight after a series of spurned chances, had to settle for a point when a moment of lapse defending allowed Charlie MacDonald to grab a 1-1 draw for the Speysiders.
Manager Steven MacDonald said: “It is heartbreaking, isn’t it? I’m afraid it’s been the story of the season. It’s another good performance and we have only got a draw to show for it.
“It’s what has been happening - we get punished for missing our chances. I’m not pleased with the defending for the goal, put it that way.
“You have got to see that out at 1-0. You can miss your chances, but we eventually took one and you have to see it out then - so that’s the major disappointment.
“We should have had three points. We were clearly the better team and it was a really good performance from the boys again.
“People will read 1-1, a point apiece, but it doesn’t tell the story. It is annoying - the performances are good, but we are not getting wins and it’s hard to believe how we are not.”
Forres’ first big chance came on 13 minutes when Ben Kelly’s hammered effort was parried into the path of Shaun Morrison, but his reaction header drifted a yard wide of goal.
Greg Morrison responded immediately at the other end, firing just wide of goal after being set in by the lively Jake Thomson.
Thomson was the provider again just after the half-hour mark when he played a dangerous ball across goal that Gary Kerr turned into the sidenetting on the stretch.
Shaun Morrison turned a Craig Mackenzie cross just wide as the first period drew to a close without a goal.
The Can-Cans should have been ahead by the 50th minute. Shaun Morrison was played in on 48 minutes and was denied by Sean McCarthy before a scramble ensued and he hit the sidenetting from close range.
Morrison was in the limelight again minutes later when he raced through one-on-one and rounded McCarthy, but he knocked his finish across the face of goal and out for a goal kick.
Ben Kelly went a yard away from giving Forres the lead on the hour mark, side-footing wide from the top of the box.
Morrison’s moment arrived on 75 minutes when he hammered a Calum Frame lay-off high into the roof of the net from 12 yards to give the Cans a well-earned 1-0 advantage.
He should have doubled his side’s lead when he was slipped in by Jack Grant three minutes later, but fired high and wide after rounding McCarthy.
Rothes’ first opportunity of the second period led to an equaliser. A corner into the box was left by everyone until determined defender Charlie MacDonald bundled it home at the back post to level the scores.
The Speysiders almost won the contest a minute from time when Jake Thomson capitalised on some indecisive Forres defending and bulleted an effort just past the top corner.
There was still time for one last Forres chance three minutes into added time, but Ben Kelly’s final ball was poor when he had two men over.
MacDonald added: “We are hoping to get some wins before the end of the season and it’s another one tonight that has got away.”
