Rothes 2 Forres Mechanics 1: Can-Cans are edged out by Moray rivals
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FORRES Mechanics suffered their fifth successive defeat after going down 2-1 to Moray rivals Rothes at Mackessack Park this afternoon.
Two fine first half strikes, one from Elgin City loanee Aidan Sopel and another from Ally Mackenzie, had Rothes 2-0 to the good at the break.
Forres battled back and dominated large spells of the match, but couldn't avoid falling to another defeat, despite Connall Ewan's second half goal.
Manager Steven MacDonald said: "I didn't think there was much in it but we lost a really soft goal for the first one, which is so frustrating.
"The rest of the half they have put men behind the ball and they are quite happy to play like that. The game was played to their strengths.
"They don't play much football, they are strong and they are good at it – and that's credit to them, that's not with any bitterness I say that.
"We were in the game at half-time, scored, and we were looking like a team that was going to get something from the game.
"But I would have liked to ask more questions after scoring."
Rothes took the lead inside eight minutes when Aidan Sopel touched and finished well from 16 yards.
The Speysiders doubled their advantage 10 minutes from half-time when a wonderful Ally Mackenzie free-kick from 25 yards flew into the bottom left-hand corner.
Forres' best chance of the opening period came when Martin Groat's powerful goal-bound effort was blocked away.
The visitors changed from three centre backs to a four-at-the-back system for the second period and had the majority of the play.
Jack Grant passed up a big chance five minutes after the break when he hammered against the crossbar from eight yards.
Three minutes later and the game was right back in the balance when Connall Ewan scrambled home at the back post after Lee Fraser had nodded Craig Mackenzie's free-kick against the post.
But, despite having the territory, Forres struggled to create many chances – with Rothes goalkeeper Iain Mackenzie only tasked with gathering trundling efforts from Connall Ewan and Dale Wood in the last quarter.
Forres welcome Clachnacuddin to Mosset Park on Wednesday night, but revenge for a 2-0 defeat in Inverness two weeks ago isn't on the manager's mind.
"It's not about the opposition for us just now, it's about trying to improve as a team," MacDonald added.
