Forres Mechanics 0 Brora Rangers 8: 'Humiliating' result will 'leave a black mark' on Can-Cans season

AN 8-0 thrashing from title-chasing Brora Rangers will leave a 'black mark' on a good Highland League campaign for Forres Mechanics, says manager Steven MacDonald.

Having scored eight goals of their own at Mosset Park against Strathspey Thistle just a week earlier, the Can-Cans were smashed 8-0 by the Cattachs on Saturday, for the second successive season.

"It's humiliating," MacDonald said. "It's the first time, really, we have let ourselves down this season in terms of being properly turned over.

"Brora steamrolled us and every time they went forward they scored a goal. There was no heart, no desire, nothing. Just really gutless stuff, so I'm pretty ashamed of that and I didn't think this team was capable of that.

"The team, rightly so, has had a lot of credit for how we have been doing this season. The boys have deserved that.

"But that is always going to be a black mark now. You're always going to look back and say 8-0 for a team like Forres Mechanics is a humiliation, especially given all the talent on the pitch.

"It's nowhere near good enough and there are no excuses for it."

Former Elgin City midfielder Tony Dingwall opened the scoring for Brora on 13 minutes, turning in Andy Macrae's cutback from six yards.

Mechanics had a chance to level on 21 minutes. After tenacious midfield work from Martin Groat, the ball found its way to Callum Johnston – but his shot was saved by the feet of Brora keeper Logan Ross.

The second goal came just before the half hour mark when Dingwall's deflected shot found its way perfectly into the path of former Can-Can Macrae who knocked in from eight yards.

It was 3-0 just minutes later when Max Ewan rifled home from the edge of the box after being picked out at a corner.

A mistake from central defender Connall Ewan allowed Jordan MacRae in on 36 minutes, but Stuart Knight denied him one-on-one.

Ben Barron had a couple of chances for Forres before the break – first nodding Shaun Morrison's cross over the bar and then heading home Johnston's, only to see the assistant's flag in the air.

Forres seemed on course to stem the Brora flow after a quiet opening to the second half – but quickfire visiting goals before the hour put paid to that idea.

With his first touches after coming on, substitute Gregor MacDonald controlled and fizzed a 20-yard shot into the corner. Martin MacLean added the fifth from close range just two minutes later for 5-0.

Macrae notched his second on 70 minutes when a stramash in the six-yard box ended with him poking in from six yards through bodies for 6-0.

Jordan MacRae got himself on the scoresheet with seven minutes left to play when he got in behind and slid underneath Knight.

And there was still time for eight when MacDonald found himself free in the box in the 89th minute to knock home his second off the bench.

"We actually said at half-time that it could be an embarrassing scoreline if we don't get it together and show a bit of fight," Steven MacDonald added.

"But I was still pretty sure we would go out and show a bit of pride in the second half. Again, we started OK.

"The fourth goal comes from a decent enough clearing header, but we don't close balls down quickly enough and it's a fantastic strike.

"After that we have capitulated – and that's the concerning thing. It went to four with a couple of good strikes and Brora can do that because they're a very good team and you can accept that.

"But you can't accept the goals number five, six, seven and eight. I actually can't believe what I've seen at this level. Some of the goals at the end were comical, with people just giving up.

"We are a team that scored eight last week and now we have conceded eight. It's a huge turnaround.

"As much as Brora are a very good side and huge credit to them, it feels like it was more down to us raising the white flag.

"It's really sore and we all need to have a hard look and why that's happened."