Fraserburgh maintained their one point advantage over Buckie Thistle at the top of the Breedon Highland League thanks to a 5-0 victory against Deveronvale.
Broch manager Mark Cowie was pleased with a dominant performance from his side and felt they could have won by more despite the difficult, windy conditions.
Cowie, whose side head to Brora Rangers on Wednesday night, said: “We had a couple of chances before we got the two goals playing into the wind before the break and added three more in the second half. We are now at the stage of the season where we just need to get results and see where it takes us.
“We have six cup finals left and we are playing well and controlling games.
“We know we have a number of challenges starting at Brora on Wednesday night which will be a big game. We have to turn up and look to get the three points in what will be a tight game.
“Hopefully we get the breaks we didn’t get in our recent League Cup defeat against Brora.”
Deveronvale went into the match on the back of voctories against Inverurie Locos and Keith but boss Craig Stewart admitted his side were second best at Bellslea.
He said: “We didn’t get going on the day while there was very little cohesion between back and front.
“Fraserburgh are a really good side and we weren’t at the races at anytime over the 90 minutes.
“We have a bit to go as a group while we have also picked up some injuries again so we will have to see what is available to us with another very difficult game on Saturday against Buckie to come.”
Aiden Combe put the home side ahead after 33 minutes when he slipped the ball beyond Sean McIntosh from close range before Paul Young skipped through a couple of poor challenges to round McIntosh and slip the ball into the empty net from six yards for the second.
Scott Barbour played a one-two with Sean Butcher on the edge of the box to net number three after 65 minutes with Barbour turning creator for Lewis Duncan to grab number four 90 seconds later with the visiting defence failing to clear their lines.
Former Vale player Gary Harris completed the scoring nine minutes from time with another close range finish.
Rothes 1-0 Forres Mechanics
Rothes’ aim of claiming fourth spot and a place in next season’s Challenge Cup is still alive after Greg Morrison’s crucial strike three minutes into added time.
Speysiders manager Ross Jack said: “That is probably one of the worst Highland League games I’ve seen – the ball was battered from one end of the park to other and there was no football played whatsoever on a fiery pitch.
“We had enough chances to win the game but we just didn’t finish them off on a day when I don’t think our keeper Sean McCarthy had a save to make so we really did make it hard for ourselves.
“We will really need to up our game for Wednesday night’s trip to Buckie Thistle.
“They are up there fighting for the title and had we not lost some stupid points over the season we might have been up there too.”
In the 17th minute Rothes forward Craig Cormack made a great run up the right and his cross into the box only just eluded Greg Morrison’s outstretched foot.
On the stroke of half-time Rothes should have opened the scoring when Euan McLauchlan hit the post from six yards and Greg Morrison’s effort from the rebound cannoned off a Forres defender on the line into the hands of keeper Stuart Knight.
Lee Fraser was clean through for Forres in the 66th minute but he shot weakly at McCarthy.
With 10 minutes to go Kane Davies burst through for Forres but failed to punish his old side when he fired inches wide of the far post from 15 yards.
In the third minute of stoppage-time Rothes broke the deadlock after another spot of pinball, the winning goal coming from a Morrison strike, although the ball may have come off of a Forres defender on its way into the back of the net.
Forres boss Steven MacDonald said: “I feel the defeat was totally undeserved but they have got to start learning quickly as that’s Nairn County, Brechin City and now Rothes where we’ve lost the game to last-minute goals.
“I’m not putting that down to coincidence or hard luck – it’s just not good enough and we let ourselves down at the end after doing everything right.”
