Mechanics are gr'eight'

THE last time Mosset Park hosted a Highland League game, Ross Archibald netted a ­double – for Lossiemouth.

Almost two months later and he doubled that tally in his first home outing for the Mechanics as the Can-Cans fired eight past Frani More’s Rothes.

Despite being on top from the off, it took the homesters 27 minutes to make the breakthrough, and the opening goal was a cracker. Ryan Mackintosh fed the ball wide to Craig McGovern who flighted a 20-yard effort over Rhys Fyfe to open the floodgates.

Seven minutes later it was 2-0 with a route one ­effort. Stuart Knight’s goal-kick found Kyle Scott who laid it across the goal for Archibald who netted with ease.

His second was soon in the back of the net. This time he met a cross from Scott Moore to turn it home from three yards.

It became an eight-minute treble when Moore and Scott combined to set up Archibald for yet another sidefooted finish from close range, picking out the bottom corner from six yards.

Forres were in full flow now and they added a fifth goal before half-time.

Once again Scott was the creator, taking the ball from the central area and feeding it to Moore on the right. His cross-come-shot flew over the helpless Fyfe and nestled into the top corner of the net.

Rothes were lucky that the half-time whistle ­arrived to halt the goal glut. With the points already in the bag the question was would Forres continue in the same vein or would they rest on their laurels?

It seeme to be the latter when a goal five minutes into the second half jolted the chocolate and golds.

Graeme Grant was yellow-carded for a foul on the edge of the box and Scott Dunn netted his third goal in two games for Rothes with a wonderfully-taken free-kick that flew into the top corner.

The response took only four minutes. Simon Allan lofted a ball in behind the defence for Archibald to race onto, and he took the time to set up Ryan Mackintosh who coolly slotted the ball into the bottom corner.

Goal number seven came halfway through the second-half, and it was the fourth of the game for Archibald, whose pace took him clear of the Speysiders back line once more, and he calmly placed the shot past Fyfe to complete an impressive home debut.

The eighth of the afternoon was a trademark set piece from Allan that was met by Graham Fraser who fired a half volley into the bottom corner of the net.

It was a great moment for Fraser and it was followed by a massive ovation as his twin brother, Lee, ended a 13-month lay off when he replaced Archibald.

It was very nearly bettered when the big man ran onto a Scott feed, and rounded keeper Fyfe, but he was only able to find the side-netting with his parting effort.

Gazette Gold Star: On a day that Forres scored eight it was the man who nabbed half of them who earned the gold star, Ross Archibald. He has hit the ground running since his move from Lossie and there aren’t many ­quicker than him around at the best of times.