Win keeps the Cans in championship race

Forres Mechanics 3 Buckie Thistle 2

There have not been many sides that have kept more clean sheets in recent years than Forres Mechanics and Buckie Thistle but for a frantic fifteen minutes on Saturday you would never have known it.

The fireworks flew as five goals went in within the first quarter of an hour and then the iron curtain came down as Forres held on to their early lead to claim an important three points.

After the match the Mechanics manager Charlie Rowley was delighted by the result and some sections of the overall performance. He began, “I am absolutely delighted with the result. It was an important game for both teams and it was good to come straight back with a win following the loss last weekend.

“The first half was as open a game as you will ever see. It was attack and counter-attack from both sides, especially in the first twenty minutes or so. It made for great entertainment for the fans I am sure but the main thing for us was that we finished the half one goal better of then they were.”

“You have to give strikers credit but there was some poor defending during that period. The defences were not at their best in the early period, although having said that I thought Buckie’s second goals was miles offside. Even the referee said he thought it was but he had to go with his assistant’s ruling.”

Rowley continued, “Buckie played extremely well in the second half and had a log of possession in dangerous areas but we stood up to that well and Stuarty (Knight) had to make a few big saves.

“He is a top class keeper and is right up there with the best of the keepers in the league and he did his job well. However I am more concerned with our lack of possession. Davie Kirkwood was in the stand today and based on our second half showing he will go back to Brora feeling confident about next week’s game. That said we defended well in the second half and we won.”

The Mechanics had to alter their line up for the first time in almost a month with Ross Macpherson serving a one game suspension after being sent off at Cove last weekend. Scott Lawrie was brought in to join Ryan Green up front with Kyle Scott dropping into midfield. Simon Allan returned to the bench in place of the injured Scott Moore who is unlikely to feature again in 2012 due to an ankle injury.

As the fans settled into position they hardly had a chance to get comfortable before the goals began raining in with Forres going ahead with exactly one hundred seconds on the clock.

Steven Fraser switched play to Kevin Duguid on the right and his clipped ball to the far post was met by Scott Lawrie who headed past Kevin Main and into the top right hand corner of the net.

The cheers had hardly quietened when it was the visiting supports turn to celebrate. Lewis Mackinnon played a long ball from the halfway line into the penalty area. The initial clearance fell to Gary Clark who drilled in a shot that Stuart Knight was able to save but not hold and Zander Sutherland was first to react and he netted with ease.

After an eight minute respite the fans were then treated to a further three goals in the space of three minutes. Forres were 2-1 up on the twelve minute mark with the move originating from Steven Fraser once again. His ball up to Ryan Green saw the big striker quickly turn and drive at the heart of the defence.

Although he was dispossessed the ball rolled kindly to Scott Lawrie who took advantage of the damage caused by his strike partner to calmly stroke the ball through the reckage of the Buckie defence and into the bottom corner from just outside the box.

For the second time in the game the Jags struck straight back. Paul Napier played the ball in from the right and Zander Sutherland ignored the offside shouts to control the ball and provide a clinical finish, firing the ball into the top corner.

It was a pulsating encounter and the heart rates of the Can Cans fans were to rise once again within a minute. Simon Allan, who had replaced the injured Graeme Grant on ten minutes, lofted a free kick into the box and although it was initially cleared Craig McGovern zipped the ball back across the face of goal where Kyle Scott was on hand to head the ball past Kevin Main.

There was no way the game could maintain this pace and slowly but surely the defences began to have an influence on the game. A handful of yellow cards preceded the next Buckie chance which arrived on the half hour.

Chris Angus’ ball into the box found Zander Sutherland who danced his way into a shooting position but from close range he shot past the right hand post to the relief of the home support.

At half time the Mechanics new a clean sheet in the second half would win them the game and that is what they ultimately achieved although it was Buckie who were to dominate.

Stuart Knight did well to keep the Cans in front when a long ball from Jamie Shewan saw the pacy Zander Sutherland give the defence the slip and although the striker got there before Knight the keeper was able to get a hand to his attempted lob.

Knight then managed to pull off a reflex save to tip a Shaun Carrol header over the bar following a Gary Clark corner. Having done what was asked of him the keeper cajoled his defence which responded well, limiting the visitors ability to turn possession into clearcut openings throughout a difficult final fifteen minutes.

The three points lifted the Mechanics clear of both Buckie and Keith and keeps them within eight points of the league leaders, Cove Rangers. This weekend Forres will head for Brora hoping to avenge the opening day defeat at the hands of the Cattachs. The Reds have won four in a row but could be overtaken by the Chocolate and Golds if the Mechanics win.

Forres Mechanics: S Knight, G Fraser, S Fraser, G Grant (S Allan 10), N Sharp, S Lawrie, M McMullan, K Duguid, R Green, K Scott, C McGovern (M Davidson 72) Subs: J Main, C Brown, C Stuart

Scorers: S Lawrie (1, 12) K Scott (15)

Booked: M McMullan (59), S Lawrie (65), K Duguid (76) Sent Off: -

Buckie Thistle: K Main, S Wood, J Shewan, D Munro (N Smith 83), L Mackinnon, C Angus, P Napier, G Clark, Z Sutherland, S Scott, S Carrol Subs: I Macrae, J Sutherland, D Wood, D Strong

Scorers: Z Sutherland (3, 14)

Booked: G Clark (20), L Mackinnon (23), S Scott (53) Sent Off: -

Referee: G Elder

Gazette Gold Star: It was another day of debate with regards who was the stand out performer. Stuart Knight made some important saves, Graham Fraser was a rock at centre back and Ryan Green once again lead the line in style but for his two goals and general play it is the returning Scott Lawrie who gets our badge of honour.