Clachnacuddin 0 Rothes 1: Boss Ross Jack pleased with result but not performance in narrow win
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ROTHES manager Ross Jack was pleased to pick up three points in a 1-0 win at Clachnacuddin on Saturday – but wasn't happy with his side's performance.
A goal from Ben Johnstone was enough to separate the sides at Grant Street Park against a Clach side who are now under the management of Nairn County legend Conor Gethins.
However, while Johnstone had another goal ruled out – wrongly, in the opinion of both managers – the performance did not pleased Jack.
"We knew they would get a lift with the new management and it proved to be that way," Jack said. "Clach competed extremely well, played good stuff and had some half chances.
"The groundsman did a remarkable job to get the pitch playable but it was a difficult surface. To come away with a clean sheet and three points was fine, but I wasn't happy with the performance.
"There was no cohesion or expression in the last third. We just slogged it out. Clach made it very tough and didn't allow us to express ourselves, but we dug it out.
"We had a perfectly good goal ruled out for an apparent touch on the keeper, but keepers get away with murder. It was a good header from Ben Johnstone and everybody thought it was a goal.
"It wasn't pleasing on the eye, we didn't have many consecutive passes and didn't threaten the goal as much as I'd have liked. But last year we went there and got thumped 4-1 so it's an improvement."
Rothes will be coming up against another side keen to impress a new management team when they travel to Jack's former side Turriff United on Saturday.
Warren Cummings was appointed manager there after the departure of Dean Donaldson and this will be his first home game in charge.
"It will be a very, very tough one at Turriff," Jack added. "They will have new manager syndrome so we will expect more of the same.
"The players will run further, quicker and the tackles will be more fierce. That's always the case when a new manager comes in.
"But even before that, Dean had them playing good football and working hard for each other. They have a good mix of youth and experience, so it will be very difficult."
Liam Shewan has departed Rothes on a temporary basis, joining Strathspey Thistle on loan.
"Liam has gone to Strathspey to get some game time because he felt he was getting stale on the bench and not getting many minutes," Jack added.
"Hopefully he can help Strathspey, chip in with a few goals, help himself and come back and help us. Getting his sharpness up would do him the world of good."
