Rothes picked up their Breedon Highland League win of the season by beating Lossiemouth 1-0 at Mackessack Park.
In a tight 90 minutes the Speysiders claimed the points thanks to Ben Johnstone’s header with 19 minutes left.
Main fills in for Speysiders
With Sean McCarthy, Iain Mackenzie and Charlie Christie all missing Rothes fielded former Lossiemouth, Buckie Thistle, Turriff United and Formartine United goalkeeper Kevin Main between the posts as a trialist.
Meanwhile, Lossiemouth listed Henry Jordan on the bench with the striker having signed for the club on Friday from RAF Lossiemouth.
Custodian Main was tested in the first minute when Ryan O’Halloran’s diagonal broke for Ross Morrison on the right side of the area and his rising drive was turned behind for a fruitless corner.
Teams for the match today vs @lossiemouthfc
🍊🟠⚫️ #MonTheSpeysiders pic.twitter.com/dGm4XjUY1o— Rothes FC (@RothesFC) September 16, 2023
The Coasters were lively in the opening exchanges and on 10 minutes Ryan Farquhar did well to tee up Morrison, but his strike from just inside the box flashed over.
Shortly after Main punched an O’Halloran cross away and it dropped for Michael Weir who was unable to hit the target from 20 yards.
Rothes were coming more into the game and they had an excellent opening in the 33rd minute. A Liam McDade corner wasn’t cleared by the visitors which allowed Greg Morrison to swivel and shoot from 10 yards.
Goalkeeper Cameron Farquhar made a great block to keep the effort out and quickly gathered the rebound.
As the interval approached Greg Morrison had another attempt, but his volley from Allen Mackenzie’s long throw drifted beyond the back post.
In the 42nd minute Speysiders captain Michael Finnis broke through a challenge and let fly from 20 yards, however, custodian Farquhar was equal to it.
Rothes were in the ascendancy and Alan Pollock’s lay-off gave Greg Morrison another chance to shoot and this effort was also straight at Cameron Farquhar.
Sides search for breakthrough
Lossie had the first efforts of the second period with Ryan Farquhar firing a free-kick off target and Brandon Hutcheson heading tamely straight at Main.
At the other end Rothes half-time substitute Jake Thomson sent in a dangerous delivery from the right which evaded everyone in the middle.
In the 52nd minute Hutcheson directed a powerful header straight at Main from sub Brodie Mitchell’s right-wing cross.
Neither side was finding it easy to get on top, but just after the hour mark a Finnis ball in behind caused some alarm and was eventually scrambled behind for a corner, which broke for Alan Pollock whose drive was wayward.
At the other end Main saved a Dean Stewart header from Mitchell’s delivery then midway through the half Main held Lewis McAndrew’s header from sub Henry Jordan’s corner.
The elusive opener arrived for Rothes in the 71st minute when Liam McDade’s inswinging corner from the right was met by Johnstone who sent his header from six yards into the left corner.
Five minutes later it could have been two when Thomson’s pinpoint pass released Fraser Robertson and his shot from the right side of the area drifted narrowly past the far post.
As Lossie looked for a response Ross Paterson fired over from the edge of the area in the 83rd minute.
With five minutes left the Coasters had another good opening when Paterson found sub Fraser Forbes on the left and his tempting low cross couldn’t be turned in by Stewart or Ryan Farquhar.
A second for Rothes would have finished the contest and Aidan Wilson almost found it with a strike from 20 yards which fizzed narrowly wide.
In stoppage time Stewart dragged a free-kick wide as Lossie’s hopes of claiming a point vanished.
Both sides will have a break from league action next weekend when they compete in the first round of the Scottish Cup.