Cans take all three points from league leaders Formartine

Forres Mechanics 2

Formartine United 1

THE Mechanics showed their mettle to defeat top-of-the-table Formartine United at Mosset Park with a performance that left manager Charlie Rowley purring.

The Can Cans’ manager was delighted with every aspect of the match, and felt there was no question that the points deservedly remained at Mosset Park.

"I was delighted with the result and the performance," he said. "We defended extremely well throughout the game and were a real threat at the other end, and I think we thoroughly deserved the win.

"We were the better team, and while they had a couple of spells of pressure in the second half we still created the best of the chances, in particular in the early part of the second half, and we could have scored more."

Rowley was left then to reflect on his team’s progress in the second half of the season and to wonder just where it may have taken them but for the odd blip.

"What a difference a week makes, because seven days earlier we looked as though we had forgotten how to defend when we played Clach, but in this game we were solid, just as we were last year," he said. "If you take out the Clach game then we have been on a really good run of form.

"In the games against Nairn and Keith we played well without getting the result. Then we have beaten Turriff, Rothes, Locos and Formartine, and you just wonder ‘what if’ we had turned up in the game last week."

The Can Cans were gifted the lead in the ninth minute when former Dundee centre-back Craig McKeown tried to play the ball into the path of his keeper, Andy Shearer, aiming to make it easy for the stopper to step forward and clear. The keeper wasn’t on the same wavelength, and watched in horror as the ball skimmed inside the post.

Forres were on fire at this point and were within a whisker of adding to that tally twice in quick succession. Duncan Jones brought out a full-length save from Andy Shearer with a 20-yard effort that was arrowed towards the corner of the net. Then, when the resulting corner came all the way to the midfielder, he rattled a shot off the left-hand post from 12 yards.

Ross Archibald then got a chance to run in behind the defence but he flicked his shot just past Andy Shearer, but was unable to get around the keeper on time to net. He learned from that chance when a similar opportunity arose in the 25th minute. This time Simon Allan played the ball in behind a ragged Formartine back line, and this time Ross Archibald coolly ran in and slotted the ball between the keeper’s legs.

Although United improved, they rarely threatened the Forres goal. Stuart Knight made a great reflex stop to deny Daniel Park before the break. The second half began with Formartine having the edge in terms of possession, but it was the Can Cans who carried the greater threat.

Ross Archibald could have added a third, but his attempt to lay it on a plate for Lee Fraser saw his square ball fall just behind the striker. The game was moving along quite nicely for the Mechanics, albeit they failed to find a third goal, and that meant that things would get a wee bit nervy when Michael Ewen adjusted quickly to hook the ball past Stuart Knight and send it bouncing into the corner of the net.

The positive factor for the Forres fans was that the Mechanics’ response was a strong one. Scott Moore repeated the Duncan Jones double effort of the first half as he firstly brought out a great save from Andy Shearer before striking the inside of the post with a well hit shot from the edge of the area.

Inevitably there were a couple of half chances for Formartine. The first was a penalty claim as the ball struck the raised arms of Graeme Grant, but given the referee had waved away two louder shouts at the other end of the field, any decision other than play on would have been a travesty.

The second was a Calum Dingwall header at the back post, two minutes from time, that lacked the power to race past Stuart Knight as he moved down to his left to clutch the ball into his chest.

In the end the result was a fair one, reflecting that the Mechanics were the better side, but looking at the quality of the chances created over the course of the 90 minutes it could well have finished three or possibly even four-one to the Cans.

Forres Mechanics: Stuart Knight, Graham Fraser, Steven Fraser, Graeme Grant, Ross Macpherson (Lee Fraser 58), Duncan Jones (Willie Barron 82), Ross Archibald, Simon Allan (Martin McMullen 66), Scott Moore, Kyle Scott, Craig McGovern. Subs: Ryan Mackintosh, Willie Barron, Chris Stuart.

Scorers: Craig McKeown (9 og), Ross Archibald (25).

Formartine United: Andy Shearer, David Donald, Stuart Smith, Craig McKeown, Mark Smith, Calum Bagshaw (Stuart Soane 76), Hamish Munro, Neil McVitie, Daniel Park (Calum Dingwall 86), Michael Ewen, Kevin Webster (Paul Napier 82). Subs: Stephen Jaffrey, Colin Robertson.

Scorer: Michael Ewen (81).

Booked: Neil McVitie (42).

Referee: Graham Fraser.

Gazette Gold Star: Graeme Grant was back to his best as he lead the defence with both actions and words. He put his body on the line and showed the sort of spring in his step that saw him widely recognised as an SHFL Player of the Year candidate.