Forres flag after title celebration
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CHAMPIONS Forres Mechanics’ celebrations turned sour as they lost their league opener on Saturday.
Despite taking a first-half lead, they stumbled as new-look Brora Rangers netted twice in the final 15 minutes for a 2-1 victory.
That put a damper on the party for the unfurling of the 2011-12 Championship flag, but manager Charlie Rowley refused to let the defeat blunt his optimism for the season ahead.
He told the ‘Gazette’: “We are bitterly disappointed with the result.
“There was nothing between the two teams and when you take into consideration that we were missing eight players then I cannot be too critical of my team.”
He was forced into playing Martin McMullan at right back, after Steven Fraser pulled up with a groin strain in the final few minutes of training on Thursday. “We had toyed with putting Fraser there or pushing Grapies (Graeme Grant) to right back and dropping Kyle Scott in at centre-half, but in the end we went with Martin.
“We had two trialists on the bench and the longer the game went we just dropped away and we couldn’t really re-jig things because we were short on numbers.
“ But, you don’t win or lose titles in the first game of the season, so we won’t be pressing any panic buttons.”
On an immaculate surface, Forres started with Chris Stuart in goal once again due to the absence of Stuart Knight, while Brora gave new signing Ally Ridgers his debut with former Can-Can Robbie Taylor on the bench for the Cattachs.
The first effort of the afternoon came from former Brora man Ryan Mackintosh, but he could only fire straight at Ridgers. Kyle Scott created an opening soon after, but his shot dragged wide of the post.
The visitors’ best early chance came when Craig Campbell rounded goalkeeper Stuart, but a crucial defensive intervention denied the striker a certain league debut goal.
It was to be a home debutant who supplied the opening goal however, as Forres took the lead with two minutes of the first half remaining. Scott Lawrie was on hand to drill home a volleyed shot after a fine cross from the right picked him out.
The second half struggled to get going, and Scott had another chance but could only head wide following a cross from the left.
Brora threatened when a Steve Mackay free kick found its way into the area but a touch in the crowded penalty area went just over.
Mackay had a fine chance himself when he reacted to a rebound being parried away by Stuart, but couldn’t hit the target from close range. However, the equaliser came with 15 minutes to go, when a long ball caught out the Forres defence allowing Liam Baxter the opportunity the breakthrough, and he calmly placed the ball low past the oncoming Stuart.
Baxter had a shout for a penalty moments later, but Brora kept going and won the game in the dying seconds. Following a corner, the ball held up in the box before Dale Gillespie nipped in ahead of everyone to stab home the winner, ensuring a perfect start to the season for his new team.
Forres Mechanics: Stuart, Mackintosh (M. Fraser 71), J. Main, Grant, Sharp, Bremner, McMullan, Duguid, Lawrie, Scott, Moore (Davidson 75.) Subs: Howard, Robertson, McIntosh.
Brora Rangers: Ridgers, Lamb, Golabek, Hind, Macleod, Gibb, Gillespie, Hart, Campbell, Mackay, M. McLean (Baxter 46). Gazette Gold Star – Fraser Bremner: On a day of endeavour, it was the policeman on the midfield beat whose work-rate and commitment saw him just edge ahead of his team-mates.
