Cans sign off with a season ending win
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Buckie Thistle 0 Forres Mechanics 3
Scorers: Lee Fraser (4), Ross Archibald (36), Kevin Duguid (61)
Forres Mechanics rounded off their campaign in style with an excellent 3-0 triumph against Buckie Thistle at Victoria Park.
First-half strikes from Lee Fraser and Ross Archibald put Forres in firm command at the interval, before a second-half finish by Kevin Duguid rounded off a comfortable three points from a game the Can-Cans dominated throughout.
Manager Charlie Rowley was overjoyed by the manner of his side’s victory.
He said: “If you look at it over the piece Stuart Knight didn’t have anything to do. I think pretty much from start to finish, apart from a ten minute spell after the re-start when Buckie came into it slightly. I thought it was a thoroughly professional, confident deserved victory.
“Even as a neutral, I think if you look at the way we passed the ball and moved Buckie around, defensively we got back into shape and nullified them. Overall we were better than them but I’m absolutely delighted with the performance.
“We also have to take into consideration some of the individuals that would have probably played had they been fit and free from suspension. The guys that came in played in a shape that we wouldn’t normally play, but I couldn’t have asked any more from them.”
The win at Victoria Park completes a five-match unbeaten run for Forres to conclude the season. While admitting the run of form came too late in the Can-Cans’ season, Rowley believes next term is one to look forward to with much anticipation, with the impending forward partnership of Lee Fraser and Ross Archibald providing much to be hopeful of.
He added: “The season has probably come to an end too quickly for us. We’ve got into a good run of form just now, and we’re playing really well. If I’m being honest I can’t wait until next season starts when we can get everybody fit and available so we can get a push on back up this league again.”
“I keep saying it every week, but Lee Fraser is still not close to being match fit. You can see he’s improving every week, and his overall performance was again really pleasing. Ross has just come in halfway through the season, and we have high hopes for the two of them next season. Ross is still getting used to the club and the personnel he’s playing with. But for an individual like that to have now scored more than 20 goals this season, Scott Lawrie is close to 20 goals, and when you then add a fit Lee Fraser onto that I’m excited about our strikeforce next season.
“To go back to last year again, if you look at the way we pressed teams and harried them to make mistakes and capitalise on them. The players’ work-rate is phenomenal, I couldn’t ask any more from the players and I get that on a weekly basis, and if they’re not good enough then so be it. But we can’t criticise them in terms of work-rate or attitude.”
The scoring was opened by the visitors after just four minutes. Buckie youngster Ben Stewart – making his first-team debut following a loan spell at Buckie Rovers - tried to shield the ball back to his goalkeeper Kevin Main, only for Ross Archibald to nip in and lay the ball off to Lee Fraser who was unmarked to fire into the empty net.
Forres continued to apply pressure in the opening 10 minutes, with a Scott Lawrie corner forced goalwards by Kyle Scott on the volley, only to be denied by Jags defender Bob Duncan on the line.
Minutes later Archibald reacted first to Craig McGovern’s long-range effort being parried by Main, before striking the ball goalwards from a narrow angle but finding Main on form to tip the ball onto the post.
It was one way traffic, with Main by far the busier goalkeeper than his opposite number Stuart Knight who had yet to be tested, as the Jags’ first chance of the game saw Jamie Shewan’s effort blocked by Scott and go over the bar.
Two minutes shy of the half-hour mark Fraser sidestepped his marker Darren Wood before firing an effort wide from 20 yards.
A second goal was not too far off however, and it deservedly arrived on 36 minutes. Fraser was the creator on this occasion as he slipped in Archibald, and as Main came to close him down at an angle, the former Lossiemouth striker slipped it by the Jags stopper and into the net.
Buckie’s best chance came on 50 minutes, when Main’s clearance eluded the Forres defence, and Lewis MacKinnon ran onto the ball but put his effort wide when one-on-one with Knight.
Rowley’s men completed a comfortable win on their travels, with a clinching goal just after the hour mark. Fraser beat Wood on the halfway line, before driving into the home penalty box. The on-form striker beat young defender Stewart with tidy skill, and his effort was destined for the bottom corner until Main palmed it away, but running in was Kevin Duguid who was on hand to lash home the rebound and give Forres reason to be cheerful on their final matchday of the campaign.
By this stage Gary Hake’s side were dead and buried, and Forres could have inflicted more misery upon them were it not for some good goalkeeping from Main. The experienced stopper first stooped low to get down to a Scott Lawrie effort from the edge of the box, before substitute Charlie Brown set up Duguid only for Main to deny him a second goal.
Although Forres’ win puts them in seventh place, their ultimate league position is outwith their control. Fraserburgh and Inverurie Locos have two games to spare and can both overtake the Can-Cans, with Wednesday night’s clash between the two teams a crucial showdown in determining where both sides will finish. Brora Rangers can also mathematically finish above Forres, but require a victory of nine clear goals against Fort William next weekend in order to do so.
Buckie Thistle: Kevin Main, Shaun Wood, Bob Duncan, Ben Stewart, Lewis MacKinnon, Darren Wood (N Smith 69), Donnie Munro, Graeme Stewart, Jordan Legge (I MacRae 57), Aaron Shand (J Sutherland 57), Jamie Shewan.
Subs: Stuart Hodge, Darren Strong.
Booked: Graeme Stewart (56), Shaun Wood (56), Donnie Munro (67), Bob Duncan (90)
Forres Mechanics: Stuart Knight, Graham Fraser, Craig McGovern, Steven Fraser, Ryan MacKintosh, Ross MacPherson, Ross Archibald (C Brown 71), Scott Lawrie, Lee Fraser, Kyle Scott, Kevin Duguid (R Paterson 88).
Subs: Ryan Green, Nathan Sharp, Sean McIntosh.
Booked: Ross MacPherson (67), Kevin Duguid (67)
Referee – Craig Sim
Gazette Gold Star – Ross Archibald: A livewire throughout, the former Lossiemouth man set one up, scored one and was the width of the woodwork away from netting another before being replaced by Charlie Brown.
