Rowley frustrated by pointless trip

FORRES MECHANICS let the chance to go top of the table slip through their hands at Bellslea Park on Saturday as, once again, the trip to Fraserburgh proved to be a pointless one to the frustration of manager Charlie Rowley.

Knowing after the match that the winner of the game was to go top, Rowley was disappointed that the Can Cans were anything but alive and kicking for the majority of this match,

"They didn’t play particularly well, but they were the better side. The opportunity was there for us but we didn’t do enough to deserve anything. I don’t think it was a pretty game of football to watch, it was a poor spectacle and I am just glad I didn’t pay to get in.

Having praised his forward line last week, Rowley felt let down with the lack of creativity shown on Saturday, despite starting each half positively.

"We started off reasonably well, but the best period of pressure we had was early in the second half, a 10 to 15 minute spell, but even then we never really troubled their goalkeeper. The only problems he had he caused himself and we scored one from that with a cross in but we were disappointed with our attacking play, it was really one dimensional."

Forres made a number of changes to their line-up for this game with Willie Barron being absent. The reshuffle saw Nathan Sharp come into defence for the first time this season, Kyle Scott moved into midfield with Gordy McNab making way and Fraser Bremner starting on the right. Simon Allan began on the left ahead of Scott Moore. Last week’s supersub Ryan Green also started on the bench.

Neither team was able to pick up the pace early on. It took half an hour for the first opening to occur and it was created by the lively Peter Bruce, who joined the Broch on loan from Peterhead shortly before this match.

Bruce had proved a handful during his loan spell at Huntly last year and he never allowed the defence to settle, on this occasion feeding the ball through to youngster Zac Conway who lost out to Stuart Knight in the one-on-one that followed.

It was a let off for the Mechanics, but they were not to be so lucky 60 seconds later. Allan Hale’s pace took him clear on the left and when his ball across the face of goal took a flick off the post it diverted into the path of his half brother, Robert Morrice, who slammed it home from six yards out.

Forres quickly responded with a goal of their own from similar range. Graham Fraser swung the ball into the box which Paul Leask made a hash of, leaving Simon Allan with the simplest of goals, tapping the ball into a gaping net to restore parity before the break.

There was the suggestion that the match was going to finally kick into gear early in the second half with Forres beginning to put some pressure on the Broch goal while the home team’s pace meant they always carried a threat. Robert Morrice was giving Jordan Main his most uncomfortable game since his return and Stuart Knight did well do deny him.

Then Kyle Scott broke from his midfield berth going past three players before hitting a shot which only just cleared Paul Leask’s crossbar. The game was very much in the balance at this stage and you felt that if Forres could get their noses in front they may push on.

However, while it was a Mechanic who was next to net, it was Stuart Knight he beat. Peter Bruce began the move with a ball out wide to Willie West and he swung in a cross that struck the backtracking Simon Allan and flew low past the wrongfooted goalkeeper.

It was Fraserburgh who pushed on from here and Stuart Knight had to be in fine form to ensure that Rowley’s side remained in with a chance of snatching a point, the chance as it happened fell to Matty Davidson but his goalbound effort was saved by Paul Leask, who redeemed himself for the first half blunder by ensuring the Broch took all three points.

Fraserburgh 2 Forres Mechanics 1

Fraserburgh: Leask, Cooper (Garden 66), McBride (Elrick 18), Dickson, Hay, Bruce, Conway (Noble 74), West, Hale, Morrice, Main. Subs: Bremner, Barbour.

Scorers: R Morrice (31), S Allan (60 og).

Booked: Conway (65).

Forres Mechanics: Knight, Fraser, Main (Green 68), Grant, Sharp, Macpherson, Bremner, Tweedie (Moore 79), Fraser (Davidson 87), Scott, Allan. Subs: McNab, Anderson .

Scorers: Allan (35).

Booked: R Macpherson (65.

Referee: Tommy Shaw.

Gazette Gold Star: Stuart Knight, it was his endeavours that ensured that the Cans still had a chance of claiming a point in the closing stages. He produced an impressive mixture of saves to deny the likes of Morrice, Conway and Noble. Maybe the rest of the team should take their lead from the alert shot stopper and snore their way from Forres to Fraserburgh next time.