Forres Mechanics 2 Strathspey Thistle 1: Can-Cans start with battling win over Jags
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FORRES Mechanics started their Highland League campaign with a battling, come-from-behind victory over Strathspey Thistle at Mosset Park.
A Can-Cans starting side that featured five debutants and no player aged above 22 years old fell behind to an Ian Ross goal after 63 seconds.
However, the youngsters battled hard and won 2-1 after goals either side of half-time from debutants Dylan Lawrence and Calum Frame.
Manager Steven MacDonald was happy to win and was full of praise for Strathspey, who he felt had been written off by too many pre-match.
"I'm delighted to get the win," he said. "I think I was the only one all week that said it would be a tough game.
"Everyone that I seemed to speak to was laughing at them and saying they were bottom of the league (last season) and it'll be easy.
"But I knew it wouldn't be and they proved that. I thought Strathspey were excellent and the better team in the first half.
"We were possibly lucky to be level at half-time, I thought they out-muscled and out-battled us in the first half, and had a desire to get into our box.
"Second half we were the better team. The most important thing was to get the three points and I'm pleased and relieved that we did that."
Ian Ross stunned Forres when he drove a low strike into the bottom left-hand corner after only 63 seconds for 1-0 to the visitors.
But Forres reacted well and were level when Dylan Lawrence, who has joined on loan from Elgin City, got his first goal in chocolate and gold on seven minutes.
Calum Frame was denied by Strathspey's trialist goalkeeper James Kendall before Lawrence slotted home from the edge of the box on the follow-up.
Strathspey had chances through Owen Loveland and Jack Davidson to go back in front before a quarter of an hour had been played.
Forres goalkeeper Lee Herbert had to be sharp to deny Ross his second before the half hour mark, too, denying the winger at the near post.
Mechanics improved after the break and Shaun Morrison briefly thought he had put Forres ahead before his low drive was well saved by Kendall down to his right.
Frame almost had his first competitive Forres goal just after the hour mark but Kendall denied him again.
The 17-year-old, who has joined Forres after being released by Ross County, wasn't to be stopped a third time, though, and slammed home on 66 minutes to give Forres a 2-1 lead.
After turning on the edge of the box, his well hit strike from 20 yards flew into the far corner.
Frame almost doubled his tally after a mistake from an otherwise impressive Kendall. He blundered Ethan Cairns' shot, but recovered to deny Frame at close range.
Cairns, who returned to Forres on loan from Inverness Caley Thistle on Friday, saw a shot blocked just a minute later after great wing play from Lawrence.
MacDonald added: "The early goals are really concerning. It's ridiculous and not good enough, so I'm disappointed with that.
"The pleasing thing is that we managed to turn it around because last year we might not have.
"I always believed that we could turn it around and it was a lot better in the second half. I'm pleased to get the three points."
Forres team: Lee Herbert; Tom Brady, Ruari Fraser, Jack Walker, Mark McLauchlan; Samba Badjana, Jack Grant, Craig Mackenzie; Dylan Lawrence, Shaun Morrison, Calum Frame.
