Rothes boss Ross Jack was pleased to return to action with a win – but says they need to improve if they are to move up the Breedon Highland League table.
The Speysiders beat Clachnacuddin 1-0 at Grant Street Park on their first outing in three-and-a-half weeks.
Rothes sit ninth in the table and Jack said: “It was good to get back playing and get three points again.
“The boys were a bit rusty, but we got through it. We knew it would be tough and we need to improve if we’re to push up the league.
“We’d like to go as far as we can but we know we’ll need to improve to get closer to the top sides, but that’s another three points, we’re getting there.
“The ball was in the air a lot and any plaudits go to Clach, who created more chances.
“We took one chance and then scored what looked a perfectly good second goal in my opinion.”
In the 20th minute Rothes’ Charlie Macdonald met an Alan Pollock corner only for the effort to be hacked off the line.
Shortly after Troy Cooper hit the crossbar for Clach with a strike from 15 yards following Fergus Adams’ pinpoint pullback from the right.
Just shy of the half hour mark the woodwork denied Clach again. The lively Lewis Mackenzie burst into the box and cut onto his right foot before shooting against the base of the left post.
Johnstone makes the difference
However, in first half stoppage time Rothes made the breakthrough.
Callum Haspell broke forward on the right flank and won a free-kick with the resultant Liam McDade delivery headed into the left corner by Ben Johnstone.
The Lilywhites should have restored parity four minutes into the second half.
Rorie MacLeod’s shot from 25 yards was spilled by goalkeeper Sean McCarthy, but Cooper sent the rebound over the top from three yards.
On the hour mark Rothes had a good opportunity to double their lead with Greg Morrison’s neat through ball releasing sub Jake Thomson inside the area.
However, Clach’s trialist goalkeeper James Kendall – who replaced Dougie MacLennan at the interval – made a good block.
The hosts then took control of proceedings with player-manager Conor Gethins, Connor Bunce and Martin Callum introduced as subs.
Midway through the second period Cooper burst through on the left and scored only for it to be disallowed for offside to the dismay of the Clach supporters.
In the 71st minute Gethins could have equalised. Bunce was slipped through on the right side of the area, with Haspell clearing his netbound shot off the line.
Cooper collected the loose ball and teed up Gethins who could only blaze over the bar from eight yards.
Having withstood the pressure Rothes thought they had sealed victory six minutes from time when Johnstone headed home Pollock’s corner.
But, to the surprise of most inside the ground, referee Joel Kennedy awarded a free-kick against Johnstone for a foul on Kendall.
Positive signs for new gaffer
Clach remain without a league win this season, but after his first home game in charge Gethins was encouraged.
He said: “It was a scrappy game on a heavy pitch, but over the piece I felt we created the better chances.
“There was a dubious offside where we scored and from what I’ve heard it wasn’t offside.
“However, Rothes had the ball in the net a second time and I’ll hold my hands up and say it wasn’t a free-kick so we got away with that one.
“We created some good openings, but the final pass or shot was the issue.
“We’ve got good options and I feel it’s only a matter time before it clicks.
“I think the boys have been brilliant, we’ve asked them to do things in the last two games and they’ve done it.”
- Elsewhere, Buckie Thistle v Lossiemouth and Keith v Strathspey Thistle were postponed due to waterlogged pitches.