Rothes’ hopes of a top-four spot in the Breedon Highland League – and with it entry into next season’s Challenge Cup – suffered a blow with defeat to Brora Rangers.
The Cattachs, currently in fourth place in the table, strengthened their position at a chilly Mackessack Park.
Iain Mackenzie replaced Sean McCarthy in goal for the Speysiders, for whom midfielder Fraser Robertson made a welcome return after a month on the injury-list.
Reigning champions Brora were more or less at full strength, although regular keeper Joe Malin was still injured, with Lenny Wilson again taking the former Ross County goalie’s place between the sticks.
Brora broke the deadlock in the 20th minute when Andrew Macrae gave home keeper Mackenzie no chance with a superb drive from the edge of the box.
The visitors doubled their advantage on the half-hour mark when Dale Gillespie’s whipped-in corner-kick was nodded home by Max Ewan.
Just before half-time, the Speysiders had one back – Alan Pollock netting from the penalty spot to halve the deficit at the break.
Despite a late flurry by Rothes where skipper Bruce Milne saw an effort come back off the crossbar, before Fraser Robertson fired the rebound over the top, Brora held on to take the points back to Sutherland. Rothes, meanwhile, stay in sixth position.
Fort William 1 – Keith 2
A first half double from Przemyslaw Nawrocki gave Keith a narrow win over Fort William at Kynoch Park.
Keith started well and Finn Yeats flashed an early low strike into the side netting from the right side of the penalty area.
Nine minutes in, Tom Andrews’ shot from 20 yards was well saved low to his left by Fort keeper Mateusz Kulbacki.
Keith took the lead in the 13th minute, Rhys Thomas intercepting a pass and feeding it straight through to Nawrocki, who kept his cool to slot home underneath the advancing Kulbacki.
Fort levelled in the 25th minute, Yves Zama looping a header into the far corner from 10 yards after his first effort was blocked from a Taylor Kelly corner.
Keith were back in front five minutes later, however – Nizam Abdulkarim floating a free-kick into the penalty area and, when Kulbacki hesitated, Nawrocki was left with an easy header into the bottom right corner.
Nawrocki dinked an effort just wide from an Andrews pass just before the break as he looked for the hat-trick.
A scrappy second half saw few chances created by either side, and Keith held on to claim all three points and move up to 12th-place in the league table.
Huntly 4 – Deveronvale 1
Huntly extended their unbeaten run to four matches with a 4-1 win over 10-man Deveronvale at Christie Park.
Home keeper Keith Robertshaw did well to keep visitors Deveronvale out on 24 minutes, getting down to a smother a Ben Allan shot. A minute later, a glancing header from the Vale’s Dane Ballard was just wide from a Kyle Willox cross.
Despite a strong start from the Banffers, with 29 minutes gone, Huntly scored the opener. Willox took down Gavin Elphinstone as he burst into the Vale box, giving Andrew Hunter the chance to send a penalty kick high into the net for his 10th goal of the season.
The Vale made it 1-1 five minutes later when Grant Noble was given time and space on the edge of the area before driving in a low shot.
Huntly regained the lead in the 52nd minute when midfielder Michael Dangana won the ball in the left channel and ran towards goal, before drilling in his fourth of the season.
Two minutes later, there was a further boost for Huntly when the Vale were reduced to 10 men after Robert Scott saw red for a lunge on Dangana.
Huntly had a second penalty just after the hour, when Rory Davidson caught Greg Buchan with a kick inside the box – but this time Hunter would hit the bar.
However, Brodie Allen made it 3-1 to the home side on 83 minutes, intercepting a pass-back before curling in from outside the box.
Huntly wrapped up the win inside the final minute. Reece McKeown headed on for Elphinstone, who took the ball in his stride before side-netting footing in for his seventh of the campaign.
