Forres Mechanics 0 Rothes 3: Depleted Cans out of cup
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A DEPLETED Forres Mechanics side were knocked out of the North of Scotland Cup last night after a 3-0 loss at home to Rothes.
The Can-Cans were without six first team players with Dale Wood and Stuart Soane suspended, Ross MacPherson unavailable and Gordon McNab, Craig Dorrat and Joe Gauld injured.
Striker Lee Fraser was only fit enough to play 15 minutes.
Eventually, after a good spell in the first half, Mechanics went down to their more experienced opponents, with goals from ex-Can Allan Pollock, Jack Brown and Bruce Milne sealing the victory.
Rothes will host Elgin City in the next round.
It was the Speysiders who started the brighter, with Greg Morrison's header being scrambled clear after five minutes.
Mechanics goalkeeper Stuart Knight was called into action after 25 minutes, making a smart save down low from Ben Johnstone.
Just four minutes later, Knight made an even better stop, tipping Craig Cormack's header over the bar to keep the scores level.
However, it was Forres that went closest to taking the lead just after the half hour. Moray Taylor burst through himself but dragged his effort against the post and was forced to watch on as it crept agonisingly across the goal line.
Just minutes later Taylor burst through again, this time released by a clever Jack Grant flick, but he pulled his shot wide of the same post.
With the game having sparked into life, Bruce Milne headed just wide at the back post for Rothes – before the visitors edged in front just before the break.
Fraser Robertson cut infield from the right and teed up former Mechanics midfielder Allan Pollock whose first time shot found the bottom left-hand corner at a crucial time.
Into the second half and the Speysiders doubled their advantage on the hour mark – former Inverness Caley Thistle younger Jack Brown arrowing a low shot across goal and into the corner.
It could have been 3-0 instantly but Knight once again pulled off a great save, this time keeping out a header from Bruce Milne.
But Rothes captain Milne wasn't kept down for long and, after great work from winger Greg Morrison to keep the ball in play, fired a well-hit volley into the corner from 15 yards with ten minutes to play.
Lee Fraser had the best chance of the second period for the Cans on 90 minutes as his shot from Owen Loveland's cutback was well saved by Rothes keeper Sean McCarthy.
Unfortunately, the squad situation for Mechanics manager Charlie Rowley isn't set to improve for Saturday's game with Strathspey Thistle at Mosset Park.
While Stuart Soane and Ross MacPherson return, Martin Groat, Paul Brindle, Graham Fraser and Callum Johnston are all unavailable – leaving eight players overall out of the picture.
Rowley said: "This is the first year we have had a decent amount of numbers squad-wise in the early stages but for some reason it just hasn't happened.
"But, particularly first half, given the restrictions in terms of personnel, I thought we applied ourselves really well.
"We had the two best chances and it might have been a different outcome if we had managed to get ourselves in front.
"We couldn't get any momentum second half so it was a tough night, but not unexpected and there were some real positives in terms of some of the young ones in the first half."
