Cove have the edge as Cans walk the line
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Forres Mechanics 0 Cove Rangers 2
THE thin gap between success and failure in football was highlighted once again on Saturday as another one of the title chasing sides had that extra edge that was required to win a game that would have seen the Mechanics bagging three points just twelve months ago.
The similarities between this match and previous defeats at the hands of the other teams in the top five are leaving Charlie Rowley with mixed emotions just now as he revealed to the Forres Gazette. “It is another disappointing result but even though we haven’t been able to put together a run of results we are still taking on the teams who have that edge you get from being in the title hunt and running them close.
“I feel that we haven’t been close to performing to the levels that we are capable of and it is a concern that there is the possibility of getting into the habit of losing games like these but it also highlights that it would not take much for us to be matching and beating these teams again and that is a positive for next season.”
“If we can get a few of the major players who are suffering from a lack of confidence just now back up to the levels they have shown in the past I don’t see why we can’t be in the title hunt with the likes of Cove and Wick.”
Looking back at the key moments in the game the manager reflected upon the small margin between the two teams on a day where any side could have left with three points or simply one each.
“There wasn’t much between the two teams for the large majority of the game but they were more clinical than us at both ends of the park. Both keepers made good saves but once again we didn’t have that extra edge that they had.
“We were the architects of our own downfall in terms of how we defended at certain times but they were simply that we bit more clinical in attack and defence. We got caught ball watching rather than being aware of the movement of individuals like Martin Johnston for the first goal but there was nothing in the game at that time.
“In the second half we had a great spell of pressure and their keeper has made a wondersave from “Gov” (Craig McGovern). From the corner Lee (Fraser) hit the bar and there are a couple of skirmishes in the box after that where we could have pulled level.
“Then a few minutes later we concede from our throw in. It was a bog standard clearance and from their they counter attacked and scored. That wasn’t happening last year but unfortunately is has been happening on a regular basis this term.”
It was a nip and tuck affair in the opening quarter of the game with these two heavyweights standing toe to toe and surrendering few opportunities. However Cove were to land the first blow in the 24th minute when the pacy Jordan Leyden nipped through a gap on the right before being engaged by Graeme Grant. Leyden slowed, looked up and played the ball into the path of Martin Johnston who took it first time and firmly passed the ball around Stuart Knight and into the corner of the net from 18 yards out.
Stuart Knight had to be big on a couple of occasions to keep out the Cove front pairing of Johnston and Leyden but as the game moved towards half time there remained little to suggest that either team was going to leave with all three points.
It was the home team who had the best of the opening exchanges in the second half and they did everything but grab a leveller. Craig McGovern struck a wonderful volley from the edge of the box that looked destined for the top corner until Stuart McKenzie sprung across to get a fingertip to the ball to divert it over for a corner.
From the set piece the ball came to Lee Fraser and his effort rattled the crossbar as the Can Cans pressed their opponents back, but Cove stood firm. Having weathered the worst of the storm they could have added a second when former ICT midfielder Roy McBain ran right through the heart of Forres defence unchallenged and rounded Stuart Knight but was forced wide and couldn’t convert into a goal.
The second goal was not far away though and when Connor Scully sprang down the left wing and delivered a telling ball over the Forres defence Ryan Stott was on hand to fire a left foot volley low into the bottom corner of the net to ensure the league leaders left with full points.
The Mechanics will now have a break from the action as they await news of their remaining matches. This break will give Charlie Rowley the chance to get a few key players back up to speed as he explained, “We have no game for two weeks now but we will try and organise a bounce game. There are a number of players who are looking to get back up to full fitness and this offers us a chance to get a couple of weeks of training with a game in there as well to help with that.
“Scott Lawrie, unfortunately, was called into work at twelve o’clock on Saturday so we hope to have him back and Chucky (Ross Macpherson). Ryan Green has also resumed training and it will make a big difference getting these players fit and hopefully having them available again.”
Forres Mechanics: Stuart Knight, Graham Fraser, Simon Allan, Graeme Grant, Steven Fraser, Duncan Jones, Ross Archibald (Kevin Duguid 78), Scott Moore (Martin McMullen 70), Lee Fraser, Kyle Scott, Craig McGovern Subs: Nathan Sharp, Andrew Howard, Sean McIntosh
Scorers: -
Booked: Kyle Scott (35) Stuart Knight (45) Sent Off: -
Cove Rangers: Stuart McKenzie, Blair Yule, Dean Lawrie, Jamie Lennox (Ryan Stott 53), Alan Redford, Eric Watson, Jamie Beagrie, Roy McBain, Martin Johnston, Jordan Leyden (Robbie Henderson 86), Stirling Smith (Connor Scully 60) Subs: Roddy Black, Timothy Capstick
Scorers: Martin Johnston (24) Ryan Stott (81)
Booked: - Sent Off: -
Referee: Thomas Shaw
Gazette Gold Star: In a tight match like this one where the result went against the Mechanics picking out a star man was difficult on an afternoon of pretty solid performances right across the board but for us Graham Fraser edged it and gets yet another gold star to add to his collection.
