Rothes manager Ross Jack was delighted with his team as they shook off the cobwebs after almost a month without a game to comfortably defeat Turriff 3-0 at Mackessack Park.
The Speysiders have been unable to play since October 26 due to their pitch being waterlogged but recovered from their time on the sidelines to dominate a below-par Turriff.
Two goals from Fraser Robertson and one from Gregg Main ensured Jack’s winning streak continued as the in-form side secured their fifth straight league victory under his tutelage.
Jack said: “I’m delighted with the clean sheet and the three goals. We created loads of chances and their keeper kept the score down for them.
“I thought it was a very impressive performance considering the weather conditions.
“We have trained extremely hard with the boys being ready and prepared and waiting for the game, which thankfully was on as they have been going stir crazy with all the postponements.
“We are on a good run in the league but nobody is getting carried away.
“There’s a long way to go and we need to keep improving but today was another step in the right direction.”
It took Rothes a quarter of an hour to break the deadlock in a game they dominated for long spells.
Allan Pollock and Ali Sutherland linked up well in midfield with some nice passing before Pollock produced a pass that split the Turriff defence.
Fraser Robertson latched on to the ball and placed it past the onrushing goalkeeper Fraser Hobday.
Clear-cut chances for either team were lacking until the Speysiders doubled their lead on 36 minutes when Gregg Main curled a free kick over the Turriff wall and into the top corner.
Rothes used the second goal as impetus to attack and should have increased their lead towards the end of the first half.
Another pinpoint pass from Pollock caught the Turriff defence napping and released Allen MacKenzie who was denied one on one by Hobday.
From the resulting corner, target man Steven Anderson got his head to Pollock’s corner but once again Hobday was there to save.
The second half was more even, but Turriff could not produce any meaningful attempts on target, with their only real chance a long shot from Keir Smith which went over the bar.
Rothes consolidated their victory with a third goal on the 69th minute, with Craig Cormack outmuscling the Turra defence on the right before crossing for Robertson to half-volley home his second goal.
Turriff assistant manager Graeme Mathieson was keen to focus on the positives about his team’s performance, despite the loss.
“We said to the strikers that we did not have enough up top today to really trouble Rothes too much but apart from that our all-round play and possession was quite good but basic errors cost us three goals again,” he said.
“There were a lot of positives and it was definitely an improved performance this week.
“The whole season has been tough for us.
“It is a young team and a work in progress but we have told them that we took a lot more positives than negatives from the game.”
