Rothes 1 Forres Mechanics 1: Spurned chances cost Cans in derby draw
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ROTHES and Forres Mechanics shared Moray derby spoils after a 1-1 draw on Monday night.
Both goals came in the second half, with Forres taking a well-deserved lead through Shaun Morrison in the 75th minute, before being pegged back seven minutes from time by a Charlie MacDonald goal.
The Can-Cans really should have been out of sight before MacDonald’s goal, spurning a series of chances in the second half.
Manager Steven MacDonald said: “It is heartbreaking, isn’t it? I’m afraid it’s been the story of the season. It’s another good performance and we have only got a draw to show for it.
“It’s what has been happening - we get punished for missing our chances. I’m not pleased with the defending for the goal, put it that way.
“You have got to see that out at 1-0. You can miss your chances, but we eventually took one and you have to see it out then - so that’s the major disappointment.
“We should have had three points. We were clearly the better team and it was a really good performance from the boys again.
“People will read 1-1, a point apiece, but it doesn’t tell the story. It is annoying - the performances are good, but we are not getting wins and it’s hard to believe how we are not.”
Forres’ first big chance came on 13 minutes when Ben Kelly’s hammered effort was parried into the path of Shaun Morrison, but his reaction header drifted a yard wide of goal.
Greg Morrison responded immediately for Rothes, firing just wide of goal after being set in by the lively Jake Thomson.
Thomson was the provider again just after the half-hour mark when he played a dangerous ball across goal that Gary Kerr turned into the sidenetting on the stretch.
Shaun Morrison turned a Craig Mackenzie cross just wide as the first period drew to a close without a goal.
The Can-Cans should have been ahead by the 50th minute. Shaun Morrison was played in on 48 minutes and was denied by Sean McCarthy before a scramble ensued and he hit the sidenetting from close range.
Morrison was in the limelight again minutes later when he raced through one-on-one and rounded McCarthy, but he knocked his finish across the face of goal and out for a goal kick.
Ben Kelly went a yard away from giving Forres the lead on the hour mark, side-footing wide from the top of the box.
Morrison’s moment arrived on 75 minutes when he hammered a Calum Frame lay-off high into the roof of the net from 12 yards to give the Cans a well-earned 1-0 advantage.
He should have doubled his side’s lead when he was slipped in by Jack Grant three minutes later, but fired high and wide after rounding McCarthy.
Rothes’ first opportunity of the second period led to an equaliser. A corner into the box was left by everyone until determined defender Charlie MacDonald bundled it home at the back post to level the scores.
The Speysiders almost won the contest a minute from time when Jake Thomson capitalised on some indecisive Forres defending and bulleted an effort just past the top corner.
Rothes manager Richard Hastings said: “If you are being brutally honest, it was a bit of a get out of jail card, based on chances created.
“Forres have missed a number of chances, but ultimately if you don’t put the ball in the back of the net you leave the game open and we got back into the game and even created another chance to win it.”
Greg Morrison’s first appearance under Hastings was a positive for the manager, who added: “I’m glad he came through it, because he has been training well.
“It was always going to be a tough game for him to come into, so to come away unscathed is good.”
