Forres 6 Fort William 0: Super six for Cans in Fort thrashing

FORRES Mechanics manager Charlie Rowley said the scoreline reflected his side’s dominance as they thrashed Fort William 6-0 at Mosset Park on Wednesday night.

Fort came into the match with just four of their nine Inverness Caley Thistle loanees, while Forres, although unchanged from the 3-1 defeat at Buckie Thistle on Saturday, also have injury problems – with Stuart Soane and Allan MacPhee starting on the bench. The latter came on at half-time for Lee Fraser, who has tweaked a hamstring.

Rowley said: "I thought we played really well. I understand Fort were missing a few of their more important players but it hasn't been a good time for us and we'll take every advantage we can just now.

"It could have been five or six at half-time. Their goalkeeper put in one of the best performances I’ve seen here for a long time and made at least half a dozen great saves.

"But I’m just pleased, a clean sheet, six goals and a bit of confidence."

Forres were on the front foot from the off. Robbie Duncanson clipped over the bar from close range inside ten minutes, before Andy Macrae hit the post on 20 minutes.

It took 30 minutes for the first goal to arrive. The ball was pinging around in the box after a corner before falling to Calum Howarth to hammer home from 12 yards via the post.

Coming on with a point to prove at half-time, MacPhee took on two men to double the Cans lead with a lovely finish just three minutes into the second period.

And it was 3-0 on 55 minutes as MacPhee played the ball through for Macrae to run onto, round the keeper and tap in.

The fourth came as Macrae left Kyle Farrance for dead on the left and cut inside to smash home.

There was a crazy spell on 65 minutes. Allan MacPhee won a penalty, which Andy Macrae missed before being kicked out at, about ten seconds after the penalty save, by Jordan Andrew who was sent off. MacPhee won another penalty eight minutes later, which he took himself and missed. But this one was retaken, and captain James Ross stepped up to beat Fort keeper Mateusz Kulbacki at the third time of asking.

The cake was iced five minutes from time as Ross County loanee Declan Hughes fired in from close range after Kulbacki had saved Callum Johnston's effort down to his right.

Now comes a more generous run of fixtures for Mechanics, after a difficult start to the season, as they host Deveronvale and Lossiemouth after visits to Turriff United and Huntly.

Rowley added: "Without being blasé and over-confident, we have had a tough start to the season – not only fixture wise but performance and injury wise – and now it's time to try and get a bit of enjoyment back into our football.

"The enjoyment factor and confidence does the team and the club a world of good.

"We are not looking any further than Saturday. Turriff are young, inexperienced, pacey, similar to Fort. They went to Fort on Saturday and won 5-3 so we realise they have a good attacking threat."

Turriff currently sit 12th in the Highland League, three points behind Mechanics.