Forres Mechanics 4 Loch Ness 0: Cans made to work hard for pre-season win
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FORRES Mechanics ran out 4-0 winners against Loch Ness at Mosset Park last night, but were given a tough workout by the visitors.
A goal in either half from new signing Jack Grant and strikes from Lee Fraser and Allan MacPhee saw Mechanics win – but the scoreline didn't tell the whole story.
Loch Ness, who are set to compete in this season's North Caledonian League, hit the crossbar and the post in the second half and conceded twice when down to ten men late on.
Cans manager Charlie Rowley was "surprisingly impressed" with the quality of the visitors, who came into the match off the back of a 7-0 defeat against Lossiemouth at the weekend.
He said: "It was a tough enough workout so I was pleased.
"It wasn't overly easy but we maybe should have added to the scoreline given some of the really good saves the goalkeeper had to make.
"But I was surprisingly impressed with them and I think that 7-0 scoreline at Lossie on Saturday belittles their capabilities. I don't know the circumstances of that game but they didn't look like a team that is capable of getting beaten 7-0 at Lossie."
Forres took the lead after a quarter of an hour. The visiting keeper did well to deny Owen Paterson's well-hit strike but flapped at the resultant corner, allowing Lee Fraser to knock home from close range.
After an even start, Mechanics got on top after the opener and the second goal came just after the half hour mark.
Jack Grant went down in the box and the linesman awarded a penalty – which the new man converted himself.
The visitors never collapsed but were saved by the woodwork when Lee Fraser headed off the bar at the end of the first period.
Into the second half and Loch Ness were more adventurous. Stuart Knight pulled off an impressive double save on 55 minutes, before nearly being beaten by a looping cross which hit the bar minutes later.
A kick-out on Callum Johnston saw Loch Ness reduced to ten men with fifteen minutes to play and Forres punished that ill discipline with two late goals.
A tap in from Allan MacPhee made it 3-0 before a lovely jinking run and a poked finish from Jack Grant made it four.
There was still time for Loch Ness to hit the post right at the death but Stuart Knight's clean sheet remained intact.
Next up for Forres is a double header vs Forres Thistle – who lost 7-2 to Lossiemouth last night – and Burghead Thistle.
Rowley added: "It's always a good, competitive game (with Forres Thistle) and I think it'll be another step up in standard from Loch Ness.
"It'll be another test for us. Hopefully we can get our shooting boots on and be a bit more clinical in the final third."
