Rothes rage at Fort flop
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ROTHES’ management team pulled no punches in their assessment of the Speysiders’ 3-0 home defeat against Fort William on Saturday.
Co-boss Willie Duncan said angry words were said at half time after an “abysmal” first half performance by his team.
And the Rothes squad were kept in the home dressing room for half an hour after the match, as a frank discussion of their shoddy display was staged.
“A bottom of the league team like we are at least needs to be together and have a good fighting spirit to have any chance of moving on,” Duncan said. “But that was abysmal. We were very angry.
“I just think some of the boys were cheating us.
“When you get a (first) half like that it’s just not acceptable. One thing you get with Fort William, they could still be out playing there just now and running their backsides into the ground.
“We don’t have that spirit and it’s worrying.”
Duncan said things are happening at speed off the park with a new committee steadying the ship at the club, but matters on the pitch need to improve.
Rothes were taken apart during the first 45 minutes and were fortunate to be just 2-0 down to goals by John MacLeod and Craig Mainland.
The Lochabers men missed a succession of opportunities, mainly from corner kicks with several headers flying just off target.
No doubt stunned by their half time roasting, the home side improved after the break with Ryan Keir twice denied and Donald Horsburgh missing a close range header from a corner.
But Mainland struck Fort’s third on 55 minutes to kill the contest off.
It was a bad day for all of Moray’s clubs, both in the Highland League and SPFL.
Buckie Thistle’s three-game winning run was ended by a 2-1 Formartine United win at Victoria Park, with Kevin Fraser netting late on for Jags.
Lossiemouth lost 4-1 at Turriff Unted in a game delayed due to a suspected broken ankle sustained by Turriff’s former Buckie defender Stuart Cumming.
Scott Miller netted the Coasters’ late consolation.
Keith lost 2-0 at home to Nairn County, with Conor Gethins scoring both, while Forres Mechanics took a heavy 5-0 home defeat against Inverurie Locos.
Elgin City slipped to fifth in the Ladbrokes SPFL League 2 as they lost 2-0 at Montrose, but still sit just a point off top spot.
Saturday’s results.
Ladbrokes League 2
Montrose 2 Elgin City 0
Highland League
Brora Rangers 3 Clachnacuddin 0
Buckie Thistle 1 Formartine United 2
Forres Mechanics 0 Inverurie Locos 5
Huntly 0 Deveronvale 0
Keith 0 Nairn County 2
Rothes 0 Fort William 3
Strathspey Thistle 1 Wick Academy 2
Turriff United 4 Lossiemouth 1
Scottish Cup, second preliminary round
Cove Rangers 7 St Cuthbert Wanderers 2
North Region Juniors, Superleague
Dufftown P Deveronside P (waterlogged pitch)
First Division West
Burghead Thistle 0 New Elgin 2
Fochabers 4 Nairn St Ninian 5
Forres Thistle 3 Buckie Rovers 1
Lossiemouth United 4 Grantown 5
Spey Valley 5 Islavale 2
