Lossiemouth 0 Forres Mechanics 0: Three players sent off in Moray derby
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A GOALLESS draw with Lossiemouth on Friday night brought the curtain down on 2022 for Forres Mechanics.
After a narrow 1-0 win against the Coasters at Mosset Park before Christmas, the Can-Cans were hoping to end the year with a victory at Lossie’s Grant Park.
But neither side could find a breakthrough in a wind-afflicted match that saw three players given red cards.
Lossie were reduced to 10 men when Niall Kennedy was shown two yellow cards, and Mechanics had a brief two man advantage when Dean Stewart was given a straight red for dissent for less than 10 minutes to play
But a late red card for 16-year-old Connall Ewan saw the Cans end the game with 10 men.
Shaun Morrison’s effort which came back off the inside of the post was the closest either side came to scoring.
Forres boss Steven MacDonald said: “The strong wind made it really difficult for both teams and spoiled the game, which was a shame because there was good crowd.
“We were the team pushing and on the front foot from the beginning and I was probably happier than with the reverse fixture because we had control and restricted them to few chances.
“But I was disappointed with what we created. We didn’t have enough quality to score on the night and didn’t ask enough questions.
“We were too deep and too narrow to stretch them, took the safe option too often and weren’t brave enough.
“When they went down to 10 and even nine you wouldn’t have known it. We never really took advantage of it.
“We really wanted three points but Lossiemouth deserve a lot of credit because they are hard-working and well organised. We are also pleased to have gained back-to-back clean sheets.
“Overall a draw was probably a fair reflection of a poor game.”
On the decision to send off youngster Ewan, MacDonald added: “The referee set the precedent early with some soft yellows and, to be fair to him, he was consistent.
“But it’s a bit frustrating seeing players sent off when there’s no malice. You don’t want to see players getting sent off unless they really deserve to be.
“It was down to those early decisions and levelling out the game that Connall was sent off. He had given Lossie two hard reds and had to level it out.”
Positive news for Forres included the return of right-back Andy Skinner, who has been training with the fire service.
However, loanee Ethan Cairns has returned to injury-stricken Inverness Caledonian Thistle, at least for now.
MacDonald added: “We hope we’ll get him back at some point in the future.
“We were really pleased with him.”
Connall Ewan will be suspended for Saturday’s match at home to Strathspey Thistle, while Ruari and Graham Fraser remain out.
Jack Grant and Joe Gauld, who were missing at Lossie, will return to the squad.
The match will be Strathy’s first under new manager Brian Ritchie after the departure of Forres legend Charlie Brown.
“They’ll definitely be a different prospect,” MacDonald added. “A new manager coming in often lifts a team and gets a reaction from them. It’ll be a more difficult game for us than it was at the start of the season.”
