Highland League top five place is not beyond Rothes Football Club and manager Ross Jack wants to get the Speysiders there as a reward for the MacKessack Park loyal supporters
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ROTHES manager Ross Jack still believes his team has what it takes to finish in the Highland League top six.
Even fifth place isn't beyond the Speysiders' reach, Jack reckons, and he is targeting a strong finish to the season as a reward to the Rothes fans.
Rothes failed to win their first five league games this season and slumped into the bottom three in August.
Now up to eighth and just four points behind sixth-placed Inverurie Locos, their manager wants the progress to continue.
Jack is eager to see his men bounce back from a controversial League Cup exit at Brechin last weekend when they take on fast-improving Nairn County at MacKessack Park tomorrow.
Aidan Wilson and Greg Morrison twice had Rothes ahead in the first half at Glebe Park, but Jack disputed the first of Brechin striker Botti Biabi’s hat-trick response, which he called “miles offside”.
The home side were then awarded a very soft penalty near the end. “The boy’s head was down rather than Ryan’s (McRitchie) foot was up, and the ref said was 95 per cent certain it was a penalty,” Jack said.
“You need to be 100 per cent sure and it just killed us, decisions like that.”
Jack praises his team’s performance against unbeaten league side Brechin and hopes they can match it for the visit of Nairn, who have hit form since former Rothes man Steven MacKay became their manager.
“Sid has got Nairn going so we will need to make sure we are vigilant and ready for them. We will certainly be on our toes and we need to take the game to them.
“The second half of the season starts on Saturday so we need to try and push ourselves up the league.
“We want to get into the top six, the top five even if we possibly can. It’s a tough ask but why not, I know we are capable of it.
“We will do everything we possibly can to try and get us there. We owe it to the fans who have been fantastically loyal and backed the boys, so they deserve to be rewarded with some victories to get us back up there.
"It will take an almighty run to get us there but we need to reach for the stars.
"You look at the strength of the squad in the last few games and it’s no coincidence that the results have been positive.
"We have had stronger players to choose from, There are still one or two to come back but we are getting there."
Alan Pollock is suspended for the visit of his former club Nairn while Kyle Whyte and Shane Harkness remain on the injured list.
Wide man Ally MacKenzie featured as a sub at Brechin and although he is still well short of full fitness, he is expected to play against Nairn at some stage.
