A Greg Morrison double was the highlight of a keenly contested Moray derby at Mackessack Park on Saturday afternoon.
Rothes ran out 3-1 winners against Lossiemouth to sit eighth in the Breedon Highland League.
Ross Jack, the Rothes boss, said: “We caught Lossie cold with those two goals in the first seven minutes when normally we’ve started really slowly in recent weeks.
“But after going 2-0 up we seemed to take our foot off the gas instead of pushing on and capitalising. The more we sat off them the more Lossiemouth were encouraged and came at us.
“However, our third goal was brilliant, the build up from Greg Morrison from the back was great, he ran on with it before playing it wide for Matheus Machado and when he crossed the ball into the box Greg was there to supply a quality finish.”
Rothes had loud claims for a first minute penalty turned down when Fraser Robertson appeared to be bundled over in the box but referee Duncan Nicolson waved play on.
However, the opener was only delayed by 60 seconds when Morrison, wide on the right, sent the ball into the Lossie box, it hit the far post and bounced into the net for a somewhat fortunate opener.
In the seventh minute the Speysiders made it 2-0 when Alan Pollock’s pin-point corner kick picked out Bruce Milne and the skipper celebrated making his 151st Rothes appearance by bulleting a header high past Logan Ross in the Coasters’ goal.
Jared Kennedy cleared an Aidan Wilson drive off the line with keeper Ross beaten, but Lossie replied with a close-range Ryan Stuart header which was saved by Sean McCarthy.
Rothes 3-1 Lossie
Two goals from Greg Morrison and one from Bruce Milne ensure the 3 points today.
🍊🟠⚫️ #MonTheSpeysiders pic.twitter.com/5Sa8vZvHJg— Rothes FC (@RothesFC) November 5, 2022
In the 77th minute, Rothes made it 3-0 when Machado raced up the right flank and crossed low for Morrison to slide in and clip home his second goal of the afternoon from eight yards.
With seven minutes to go Dean Stewart pulled one back for Lossie, turning home the rebound from a couple of yards after McCarthy had brilliantly parried his first effort.
Lossie boss Joe Russell said: “Rothes’ first goal was a bit of a freak, it was a cross which went right over the top and in off the far post.
“We then gave Bruce Milne too much time and allowed him to make the run, but after that we were the better team for the rest of the game. We definitely played the better football and probably made the better chances.”
Nairn County 2-1 Turriff United
Nairn County player-manager Steven Mackay led his side to their third home win on the spin with a battling 2-1 victory over Turriff United at Station Park.
The player-manager even played a cameo role in his side’s latest success coming on as a second half sub, although he had to be helped off the pitch at the end with a calf injury.
Nevertheless, Mackay was delighted with yet another three points.
He said: “I’m really pleased with the win, particularly the manner of it; we were in control for the majority of the first half – I don’t think they had a shot on target on goal.
“We had a bit of a setback at the start of the second half with young Lewis (Munro) dropping the ball, he just misjudged the cross.
“But what was pleasing was the way we reacted. It felt like there was only one team that was going to get the second goal.”
78' THE CAPTAIN TAKES COMMAND! Adam Porritt's pin point accurate free kick is headed goalward by Fraser Dingwall and Nairn take the lead!
🟡 2-1 🔵 pic.twitter.com/XJFAqEA41S
— Nairn County FC (@NairnCounty) November 5, 2022
Nairn made three changes from the side which defeated Wick midweek, including goalkeeper Lewis Munro, on loan from Inverness Caledonian Thistle, replacing the departed Will Counsell.
Nairn’s Liam Shewan created the first real chance of the game in the ninth minute when he crossed into the box only for Conor Gethins to fire high and wide.
The home side looked the more likely to score and the pressure paid off in the 27th minute. Ciaran Young out-muscled Turriff defender Liam Cheyne inside the area before placing the ball beyond David Dey for the opener.
Young was in the mood and he cracked a shot against the upright before Fraser Dingwall headed past at the other post as Nairn finished the half well on top.
Munro was forced to make his first save of the day at the start of the second half when he brilliantly turned an Aaron Reid shot behind.
But from the resultant corner kick Callan Gray’s delivery was adjudged to have crossed the goal-line after the Nairn goalkeeper dropped the ball. Claims from the home side the ball had stayed out fell on deaf ears.
It was a much more even second half but Nairn restored their lead in the 78th minute when Adam Porritt floated a free kick into the box – his skipper Fraser Dingwall won the aerial battle before firing the loose ball into the net.
Angus Dey almost added a third for Nairn shortly afterwards but his header rattled the crossbar.
Turriff manager Dean Donaldson said: “The goals we lost – you wouldn’t see that in an under-8s game let alone a Highland League game.
“It was pretty poor stuff, there wasn’t a lot of quality on show and probably the hungrier team won the game. It’s probably the poorest I’ve seen us play.”
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