Forres Mechanics 1 Lossiemouth 0: Late Lee Fraser header decides hard-fought Moray derby
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A LATE Lee Fraser header was enough to give Forres Mechanics a hard-fought 1-0 win over Moray rivals Lossiemouth on Friday night.
A hotly-contested match was, somehow, heading for stalemate – before Lee Fraser, playing at centre back, showed he still has his goal-scoring instincts, popping up in the box to header home a 91st minute winner.
"We are absolutely delighted to be on the right end of a late goal for a change because of the amount of times that we've suffered that this season," Mechanics manager Steven MacDonald said.
"It was a really good game, it was end-to-end stuff and Lossiemouth were going for the winner at the end. They really did so well and are a team on the up.
"I feel sorry for Lossiemouth because I thought they were excellent and it's really hard on them, but it feels good to get a late goal and I'm delighted the boys kept going and kept fighting and we got our rewards at the end.
"We have been doing well but we haven't been getting the results so to turn that into three points feels massive."
Both teams had half chances to open the scoring early on but it was Lossiemouth that had the first consistent spell of pressure – with Ross Elliot's precise header drawing a tremendous save from Stuart Knight down to his left.
Knight denied Elliot again two minutes later, before Adam MacLeod's low ball rolled across the goal line with no takers.
Liam Archibald had a chance before half-time when he capitalised on a heavy touch from Knight 25 yards from goal, but he couldn't direct his effort on target.
Lossiemouth keeper Logan Ross was called into action three minutes before the break, parrying away Ben Barron's well-struck 20-yard volley.
Lossie's visiting fans were tricked into thinking they had taken the lead on the hour mark when Niall Kennedy's long range effort was turned an inch wide by MacLeod.
A 20-yard rocket from Mackenzie seemed to be giving Ross no chance on 70 minutes, but the impressive visiting keeper pulled out a fingertip save to keep the scores level.
Mackenzie was at the heart of the next move, too, which – somehow – didn't end with a Cans goal. He cut the ball into the six-yard box and Barron and Ethan Cairns both saw efforts blocked away by a combination of keeper and defender.
Lossiemouth had chances to win the game but Knight was wise to MacLeod's attempted chip in the last minute.
After a serious of late corners, the winner arrived courtesy of centre back Lee Fraser, who found himself unmarked in the six-yard box to nod home a hard-fought winner.
There was a chance to put a cherry on the Christmas cake for Mechanics – but Ross again pulled off an impressive save, tipping over Cairns powerful effort.
Lossiemouth's interim manager Ian Campbell, who has taken the team since the resignation of Joe Russell, believed his side deserved something from the match.
"We deserved at least a point, if not more," he said. "We were the only team that was trying to play football on that bumpy pitch and they resorted to long balls.
"They got a few corners at the end and that was our downfall.
"We have lost four or five games in the last minute against good sides. At least we are there and competing but I've said to them they can't be too disappointed because they gave everything."
On the potential of continuing as Lossie boss, Campbell added: "We'll see if somebody comes in or if we continue with it.
"With performances like that and the effort the boys gave us they are obviously still with us so we'll just play it by ear."
The two teams will clash again at Lossiemouth's Grant Park on Friday.
