Rothes caretaker manager Gordon Connelly praised his side for a great performance as they beat Deveronvale 4-0 at Mackessack Park following two weeks of turmoil for the club.
In their first competitive game following Steven MacDonald’s departure, the Speysiders dominated a poor Vale side with goals from Ali Sutherland, Aidan Wilson, Steven Anderson and substitute Allen MacKenzie securing a comfortable win.
Connelly and Nathan Sharp are in temporary charge while Rothes look for a new manager and Connolly highlighted the side’s performance as proof of the quality job MacDonald had done before his sudden departure.
He said: “The performance was very pleasing as it has been a hard couple of weeks and there has been a bit of turmoil since Steven left as the boys were disappointed and surprised at his departure.
“The fact they put on that performance is a credit to what Steven has built here because whoever comes in has got a good squad to work with.”
Connelly also ruled himself out of the running for the job but is expected to lead the team against Brora Rangers in midweek.
Rothes controlled the game against Deveronvale and took the lead on 27 minutes.
A blistering run from Craig Cormack opened up the Vale defence as he played in Anderson down the left wing.
His low cross was blocked but the ball fell to Sutherland on the edge of the six yard box to stroke home.
Rothes doubled their lead just before half time when some lovely interplay in midfield allowed Cormack to pass the ball to Wilson who showed some great trickery to create some space in the box before placing the ball into the far bottom corner.
Anderson increased the Speysiders’ lead on 63 minutes after an assist by Wilson, while substitute MacKenzie scored the goal of the game, arrowing in a strike from the edge of the box into the top corner on 86 minutes.
Deveronvale boss Steven Dolan said: “I thought that we were terrible, I think it is the worst I have seen us play going back a few seasons, there was not one person I could give pass marks to.
“They just never turned up and probably got lucky conceding just four.”
