Forres Mechanics manager Steven MacDonald was delighted after his side began their Breedon Highland League campaign with a 2-1 win over a battling Strathspey Thistle.
Goals from new signings Dylan Lawrence and Calum Frame secured a come-from-behind success for Mechanics.
MacDonald was full of praise for Strathspey, who took the lead in 63 seconds and caused Forres a number of problems in the first half.
“I’m delighted to get the win,” said MacDonald, who named Ethans Cairns on the bench following his arrival on loan from Caley Thistle.
“I knew it wouldn’t be easy and they proved that. I thought Strathspey were excellent.
“In the first half they were the better team and we were possibly lucky to be level.
“We were the better team in the second half and more comfortable.
“The most important thing was to get the three points so I’m pleased we did that.”
Congratulations to Dylan Lawrence on being named Man Of The Match against Strathspey Thistle FC today 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 presentation made by representatives of the Highkand League of Gentlemen 🍾
‘’Mon the Cans! 🟤🟡#monthecans pic.twitter.com/q8oX7LjFCD
— ForresMechanics F.C. (@TheCansOfficial) July 29, 2023
Strathspey took the lead after 63 seconds when Iain Ross drilled into the bottom corner after a neat move.
But their advantage was short-lived as Lawrence, whose loan arrival from Elgin was confirmed the day prior to the match, scored after Frame was denied by Strathspey’s trialist goalkeeper James Kendall.
Owen Loveland and Jack Davidson had good opportunities to put the Jags back in front before the quarter hour mark, and Ian Ross was denied by smart goalkeeping from Lee Herbert after 30 minutes.
Shaun Morrison thought he’d given Forres the lead with a low, driven effort but Kendall got down smartly to deny him.
Forres grew into the game and Kendall was again required on the hour mark – this time denying Frame’s poked effort.
The hosts took the lead just a few minutes later when 17-year-old Frame turned on the edge of the box and fired into the far corner on 66 minutes.
Kendall made a rare mistake with 15 minutes to play, blundering Cairns’ weak shot into the path of Frame, but he recovered well to prevent a Forres third.
Impressive wing play from Lawrence teed up Cairns a minute later, but his goalbound effort was blocked behind.
Strathspey failed to threaten late on, with manager Robert MacCormack disappointed with his side’s second half showing.
“In the first half we were much the better team but we didn’t come out in the second half,” he said.
“We were really, really poor. First half we played some really good football and had Forres on the back foot a lot but second half we didn’t get the ball down and play so it was disappointing.”
Rothes 1-4 Huntly
Huntly cruised to an emphatic 4-1 victory over an injury-hit Rothes side at Mackessack Park on Saturday.
Huntly manager Allan Hale said: “I think we continued where we left off in the last quarter of last season when we went on a run in the final seven or eight games.
“We always knew it would be hard coming to face Rothes under an excellent manager like Ross Jack.
“I can’t recall too many moments when our defence was breached but I thought we looked fit and we carried such a threat on the counter-attack.
“We executed our four goals really well, the second and third one were outstanding goals when we broke away at pace from our own 18-yard box and four passes later we’ve scored.”
Teams for todays @LeagueHighland opener vs @huntlyfc
🍊🟠⚫️ #MonTheSpeysiders pic.twitter.com/yHBSQqxH9E— Rothes FC (@RothesFC) July 29, 2023
Huntly named David Nyembwe on the bench after the former Fort William midfielder joined the club on a two-year deal after impressing as a trialist during pre-season.
Huntly took just seven minutes to open their season’s account when Rothes failed to clear a corner kick, the ball fell nicely for Michael Dangana and he blasted a volley high past Sean McCarthy from the edge of the box.
In the 32nd minute the visitors doubled their advantage when Robbie Foster raced upfield before setting up Lewis Crosbie who had the simplest of tasks to slide the ball past McCarthy from a couple of yards.
Two minutes later it took a fabulous save from Fraser Hobday in the Huntly goal to turn away a blistering 25-yarder from Liam Shewan.
Three minutes into the secod half, Huntly were awarded a penalty kick when Dangana was brought down in the box by Morrison.
Dangana took the kick the kick himself but McCarthy produced a brilliant save to touch the ball onto the post.
Huntly added another in the 58th minute when James Connolly’s deep cross picked out Brodie Allen whose diving header flew into the net.
Rothes pulled one back in the 70th minute when Fraser Robertson burst forward to power a header past Hobday from six yards but within two minutes Huntly restored their three-goal advantage, Foster running onto a long through ball to fire home his side’s fourth.
Rothes manager Ross Jack said: “I thought we were very poor today, although it certainly doesn’t help when you have seven unfit players sitting in the stand.
“Huntly showed spells of good play but they didn’t have to play brilliantly to score their goals against us.
“We were way off the pace.”
