Disappointing finish to year for Cans

AN IMPRESSIVE 2011 came to a disappointing end for Forres Mechanics as they suffered their second defeat of the season so far in the second leg of the festive double-header with Nairn County, losing 2-1.

With the Forres fans travelling through to Station Park in their droves it was clear that everyone’s expectations were high, but Steve Mackay’s first-half goal took the wind out of the Mechanics’ sails.

Manager Charlie Rowley felt that his side lacked the necessary spark to win Friday’s game.

"We didn’t do nearly enough to win and I was disappointed with the performance," he said. "In the first half, we were a yard off the pace and while Nairn defended well we looked that bit more desperate. It was not like us.

"Ally Ridgers made some crucial saves but in open play we were poor. We were always a threat at set-pieces but we need more than that and it just wasn’t happening. At the end of the day we know we had to lose sometime but it has been a tremendous run. The better team on the night won and we have to move on and not dwell on it."

The Mechanics were, once again, without Lee Fraser and Garry Tweedie although the former did feature from the bench in the second half. Ross Macpherson came in to the centre of the park in place of Gordon McNab. Nairn rang the changes after their humbling at Mosset Park and looked to become more compact in the midfield playing a five with Steve Mackay pushed into attack alongside Conor Gethins.

In a relatively tight half it was Forres who were to dominate the goalscoring chances recording 10 efforts at goal to Nairn’s one. The difference proved to be that the home team netted their solitary opportunity.

Striker Ryan Green was the focal point for the early chances, pressurising Martin Macdonald into heading a dangerous Simon Allan free kick inches past the post before flicking a Neil Whyte cross past the post himself.

Whyte himself looked to have opened the scoring with a fantastic shot from 16 yards that just rose over the crossbar with the majority of the fans in the crowd expecting the net to bulge.

Keeper Ally Ridgers excelled with a double stop when he saved a Scott Moore effort from Simon Allan’s long throw and then reacted quickly to smother Ryan Green’s follow up. The former ICT stopper was at it again as he got his fingertips to Green’s header to turn it over the bar as the half drew towards a close.

Despite having gone close so often Forres were to find themselves behind at the break. Mike Morrison split the defence with a well weighted throughball which Conor Gethins raced onto, committing Stuart Knight before setting up Steve Mackay for a simple finish.

After the break, it was clear Nairn had gained a great deal of confidence from going in at half-time a goal up as they looked a more assured outfit in the second period while the Can-Cans struggled to create clear-cut chances.

Former Ross County striker Gethins was proving to be a handful and he nipped in behind the backline and fired a shot just over Knight’s crossbar then it took a brilliant piece of defending by Graeme Grant to deny Davie Watson after he nipped in to let fly.

Rowley rolled the dice and brought on Lee Fraser, Matty Davidson and Willie Barron but the crucial second Nairn goal came 20 minutes from time. Once again the key to the move was Gethins who held the ball up well then fed it back to Wayne Mackintosh and his ball across the face of goal was met by Steve Ellis, who passed it beyond Knight.

It was very nearly 3-0 but Mackay’s 35-yard effort was diverted around the post by Knight, who had to adjust quickly to the ball’s movement.

With time ticking away, Forres had to pull out all the stops to try and get back on level terms. Lee Fraser saw a close-ranger header saved by Ridgers who continued to play flawlessly in goal. Indeed, the only mistake he made all game came in the 88th minute when he failed to claim a Simon Allan corner and Willie Barron was on hand to bundle the ball over the line.

It gave the travelling fans some hope and they were all ready to acclaim a heroic point when Lee Fraser acrobatically zipped a shot past Ridgers but the ball flew agonisingly wide of the post and Nairn’s victory was sealed.