Injury list lengthens for Forres Mechanics but Paul Brindle brace pulls Cans back from two down to take Highland League point at Inverurie Locos

FORRES Mechanics’ walking wounded battled back for a draw at Inverurie Locos on Saturday, and now have a blank weekend to recover.

Two Paul Brindle strikes helped the Cans to their seventh draw of the league season, having been 2-0 down inside the opening half hour.

Cans’ assistant manager Nathan Sharp paid tribute to the efforts of a threadbare Mechanics squad, some of who were playing through the pain barrier.

“I watched Locos on Wednesday night beating the Broch and I feared the worst,” he said, “We were down to the bare bones on Saturday with a few out and others playing with niggles and knocks, and a couple of young lads on the bench.

“When we lost a goal in the first minute I thought it was going to be a tough day. Then we lost a really soft penalty when the ball was booted at our player from two yards away and it hit his hand, and the ref gave it.”

Those strikes by Ryan Broadhurst and Kieran Shanks looked to set up victory for a Locos side in second place in the league, who had clocked up 19 points out of a possible 21 at Harlaw Park prior to playing Forres.

But maybe Mechanics’ big summer signing Paul Brindle is finally finding his best form after netting a fine brace to pull his team back in it.

Brindle scored in Cans’ 2-2 draw with Deveronvale a week earlier and he nodded home before half time, then broke clear of the home defence to roll in an equaliser in the early minutes of the second period.

“After that we had to defend a fair bit when they were pushing but we still looked quite dangerous on the break when we managed to get up the park,” Sharp said.

“But getting a point from 2-0 down was a good result as it’s not an easy place to go. They are a really strong side.”

Sharp revealed that Graham Fraser played with a groin strain and brother Lee with a knee injury, Stuart Soane battled on with a thigh knock and Martin Groat had to limp off with possible ankle ligament damage.

The Cans were already missing Jack Grant, Dale Wood, Joe Gauld, Owen Loveland and Callum Johnston through injury, while Gordon McNab is back on the casualty list having just returned from a spell out injured.

Under-20s kid Jack Craib could earn himself a first team contract after impressing as a sub.

“Fraser (Bremner) has been trying to promote him for a few weeks now. It was a difficult game to come on and play 35 minutes when they have a strong midfield three of (Ross) Still, Calum Dingwall and Jamie Michie.

“But he did really well.”

Sharp revealed that Cans’ midfielder Allan MacPhee has been placed on the transfer list, with some interest expected from Highland League clubs.