Super-sub Jake Thomson scored a late clincher as Rothes ended a four-match winless run with a 4-2 victory against Lossiemouth at Grant Park.
Speysiders boss Ross Jack was delighted with the three points.
He said: “I thought Lossie played better than us in the first 20 minutes and had a couple of opportunities.
“But Greg Morrison scores a fantastic header from maybe the only good bit of play we had in the first half.
“We were 3-0 up and cruising when they were awarded a penalty. From my point of view, it was outside the box and never a penalty in a month of Sundays.
“They got back in the game and they scored a second to give them a lift. But I still think we were in control and the fourth goal put it out of their reach.”
Two goals early in second half proved decisive
Rothes took the lead in the 26th minute with their first effort on target.
Greg Morrison got on the end of a deep cross from Aidan Wilson before pirouetting in the air and placing his header beyond the Lossie keeper Cammy Farquhar.
The visitors started the second half strongly and were 3-0 up before the hour mark thanks to a deflected Wilson shot and a Ben Johnstone header.
But Lossie were thrown a lifeline in the 62nd minute when they were awarded a penalty. Johnstone fouled Ryan Farquhar just inside the box and Niall Kennedy made an expert job of the spot kick.
Lossie further reduced the deficit in the 75th minute when the ball broke to Baylee Campbell in the box and he drilled a low shot into the corner of the net.
Lossie went all out for a leveller, but it was Rothes who sealed victory in the 85th minute when an Aidan Sopel lay-off was swept into the net by Thomson.
Lossie boss bemoans missed chances
Lossie interim manager Ian Campbell said: “I thought we were probably the better team, but if you don’t take your chances you don’t win games.
“We switched off for the first goal. But I don’t remember them having many more chances in the first half, while we had quite a few half chances.”
Second half fightback earns Deveronvale a point
Deveronvale fought back from a two-goal halftime deficit to share the points with Wick Academy in a six-goal thriller at Princess Royal Park.
The visitors started the better of the two teams and went ahead with a fine 14-yard strike from Jamie Flett, but Vale levelled 10 minutes later when Horace Ormsby skipped past a couple of challenges to fire the ball low beyond Graeme Williamson from the edge of the box.
A superb free-kick from Wick player manager Gary Manson restored Wick’s lead, and they increased their advantage two minutes from the break as Marc Macadie scored from close range.
Vale pulled one back within a minute of the restart through Dane Ballard, before Ormsby made it 3-3 from close range.
Vale boss left to rue late miss
Vale missed a big opportunity to claim all three points as Max Stewart blasted over from eight yards with the game deep in injury time – and it was a chance Vale manager Craig Stewart was left to rue.
He said “I think it was a game of two halves as we didn’t cover ourselves in glory in the first half as we failed to keep possession of the ball for any length of time.
“But we got them in and said a few things to them at the break and got the boost of an early goal in the second half.
“When we got level, I thought we would go on and win the game and Max Stewart has to score at the end.
“But if somebody said to me at half time we will finish the game level, I would have taken it.
“But looking back, we should have won it.”
Fighting spirit pleases Wick boss
Wick manager Manson was pleased with the application his team showed as this game was their fourth in a row in Aberdeenshire and Moray, which has seen them travel more than 1,800 miles in the last 10 days.
He said “With 10 minutes left, I wasn’t sure if we should kick on and try to win the game or be happy with the point as it was a game of two halves due to the wind.
“Overall a point was fair on reflection, but if we had not conceded such an early goal in the second half, things could have been different.”
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