First half goals from Aidan Sopel and Allen Mackenzie earned Rothes a 2-1 win against Forres Mechanics in the Moray derby at Mackessack Park.
In a game of two halves the Speysiders had the edge and the first period and were two up at half-time.
But the Can-Cans rallied impressively in the second period with Connall Ewan pulling a goal back but despite their best efforts couldn’t muster an equaliser.
The result keeps Rothes seventh in the Breedon Highland League, but they close to within four points of sixth-placed Inverurie Locos.
Meanwhile, Forres’ disappointing run continues, they have now lost their last five games.
Early opener
In a fiercely contested first period the home side made the breakthrough in the ninth minute.
Allen Mackenzie’s long throw-in from the right wasn’t fully cleared by the Forres defence and Sopel gathered the loose ball and fired a shot from 14 yards into the bottom left corner.
The Can-Cans struggled to create many openings in the first period with the final ball into the box letting them down on a few occasions.
Dale Wood blasted over from long range and also had a tempting cross from the right cut out by Bruce Milne with Lee Fraser waiting for a tap in.
Rothes doubled their lead with 35 minutes on the clock when Allen Mackenzie curled a superb free-kick from 25 yards beyond goalkeeper Stuart Knight into the left corner.
Shortly after Aidan Wilson raced in behind as the Speysiders looked for a third, but he blazed over.
As the interval approached Forres midfielder Craig Mackenzie had a free-kick held by home goalkeeper Iain Mackenzie.
Can-Cans respond
The next goal was always going to be important and the visitors started the second period on the front foot.
Within three minutes of the restart Wood’s strike from 25 yards whistled just over and in the 50th minute the woodwork denied Forres.
Craig Mackenzie’s cross from the left broke for Jack Grant whose attempted finish from 12 yards cannoned back off the crossbar.
But on 52 minutes Forres did pull a goal back. Craig Mackenzie sent in a free-kick from the left flank, Lee Fraser glanced a header against the right post but Ewan was on hand to knock home the rebound from close range.
Rothes were having to weather the storm with Forres in the ascendancy, although initially they couldn’t find an equaliser.
With quarter of an hour left Ewan had a shot deflected through to Iain Mackenzie as the Can-Cans continued to search for an equaliser.
Wood was next to have a go, but his effort from 15 yards was scuffed straight at Mackenzie in goal.