PICTURES: Action aplenty from Moray derby at Mosset Park - Craig MacKenzie hopes Saturday’s fine strike against Rothes is the first of many for Forres Mechanics.
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Craig MacKenzie plans to be a regular on the scoresheet for Forres Mechanics after netting his first for the club on Saturday.
The 19-year-old, recently signing from Strathspey Thistle, crashed in a cutback from Ryan MacLeman to register Cans’ second goal in a thrilling 4-3 Moray derby victory over Rothes at Mosset Park.
MacKenzie was joint top scorer at Strathspey last season after registering double figures in goals from midfield and he is aiming to do the same for Mechanics.
“The manager says he wants me to get forward as much as I can so that suits me,” he said. “I scored 10 at Strathspey last season and playing as an attacking midfielder is my preferred position so hopefully there’s more goals to come.”
In a pulsating first half, Forres scored all four of their goals but conceded twice as the Speysiders refused to give up the contest without a fight.
Ben Barron’s fourth goal of the season from a second minute penalty got the ball rolling, before former Caley Thistle and Elgin City attacker Matheus Machado levelled for Rothes.
MacKenzie recalled the moment he restored the Forres advantage midway through the first half.
“It was a decent goal, it’s always nice to score particularly when it’s my first one for the club,” he said.
“Knighty (keeper Stuart Knight) launched it and it went over the defender’s head, Ryan got it at the by-line and cut it back and I managed to get there before the defender. It was quite a tight angle but it was a good finish.”
Connal Ewan quickly added a third for Mechanics and although Fraser Robertson pulled another back for Rothes, the dominant Cans managed to grab a fourth before half time through Ethan Cairns.
The goals dried up from there with Cans comfortably holding their two-goal advantage until stoppage time when a Jack Maley goal for the visitors made them sweat it out a little while for the full-time whistle.
“The first half we were all over them really,” MacKenzie said. “Wee errors here and there let them get back into it.”
MacKenzie, who hails from Culbokie on the Black Isle, came through Ross County’s youth ranks and was on a full-time contract until the pandemic struck, and he found himself released by the Dingwall club.
He enjoyed a successful first season in the Highland League at Strathspey, and learned that Forres were interested in signing him from former Jags team-mate Robert Donaldson who signed for Cans in the summer.
“Forres are a club who seem to be going in the right direction so I hope I can be a success here,” he added.
I’ve had a few games now. I wouldn’t say I was at my best in the first few games, mediocre but I feel I am settling into a better game now and hopefully I can just push on and perform consistently with them.
I can play anywhere across the midfield but attacking midfield is my preferred position.
The manager says he wants me to get forward as much as I can so that suits me.
The first half we were all over them really. Wee errors here and there let them get back into it.
It is a young team here at Forres. I’m certainly not the youngest and I do have more Highland League experience than a few of them.
Ryan and Conal have been at Ross County as well and both have been brilliant for Forres.
We would be expecting to win on Wednesday as the home team but we know it won’t be easy.You are always going to have good and bad spells in a season and we’ve seen that at Forres already. You just have to be as consistent as we can and fingers crossed the results will come.
