Forres Thistle secure promotion with 2-0 win over New Elgin
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FORRES Thistle are celebrating promotion to North Region Juniors’ Division One after a 2-0 win at New Elgin on Saturday – but they’re not ready to stop at that.
The Jags secured promotion with two games to spare, but they now have their sights set on winning the title and the Elginshire Cup before the season is out.
Thistle are five points ahead of second place Rothie Rovers in the league and will secure the title if they beat Rothie and third-place Newmachar in their remaining matches. They started the Elginshire Cup with a 3-0 win over Division One side Dufftown.
Manager Tony Ross said: “It was a good feeling to win the title. We’ve put in lots of hard work over this season and last and this is the very least we deserve. The boys enjoyed their nights on Saturday.
“It’s our first achievement together as a group but it won’t be the last – the league is still there to grab, and the Elginshire Cup is, too.
"The boys are fully aware of what’s there to be had and they’re up for the fight.
“Hopefully we’ll have another two celebrations to come but there’s a lot of hard work ahead.”
Thistle’s promotion-clinching match was far from pretty – with first half goals from Matty Davidson and Charlie Beck securing an attritional win.
Brandon Hutcheson and New Elgin’s Scott Harrison were sent off with 15 minutes to play as both sides ended with 10 men.
“Conditions were tough and the two goals were probably the only bits of quality in the match,” Ross added.
“But we were never threatened and if you win the game that’s all that matters.”
The Jags now have a run of Elginshire Cup matches, with Burghead this weekend and then Islavale and New Elgin in the weeks following.
The two remaining Division Two matches will be played towards the middle and end of April, giving the players a chance to enjoy promotion before their title push.
Manager Ross hopes his side will be competitive after promotion.
He added: “We beat Dufftown 3-0 and they’re a top three side in that league so that shows what the boys can achieve – although it will be a big step up.
"It’s a fresh challenge, different opposition and something to look forward to.”
