Forres Mechanics welcomed Inverurie Locos to Mosset Park on Saturday 5th September and based on current league form I’m sure both teams would have settled for a draw before kick-off.
However it didn’t turn out that way as Inverurie won easily 5-0, inflicting on our normally solid defence for the 3rd time in a month the loss of 5 goals.
I said earlier in the season that if Forres didn’t sort out their passing and take advantage of the chances created then the better teams in the Highland League would exploit this and punish us accordingly, and this proved to be the case.
With still a few out injured, we had to start with Liam Baxter and Simon Allan, who both passed late fitness tests, but they didn’t last the 90 minutes as both were substituted in the second half. There was even the surprise inclusion of semi-retired Kyle Scott on the bench, who came on in the second half still looking fit but was obviously well short of match-fitness.
Lee Fraser could and should have scored a hat-trick if only his efforts were on target but it was the midfield that really let us down and we were overrun by a rampant and clinical Inverurie, who could have scored many more.
We played with no passion, no drive, no enthusiasm, no commitment, no bottle, no guts – and dare I say no balls for the match.
It must have been a real headache for the match sponsors to pick a man-of-the-match, Gordon Finlayson getting the nod, when really no one was worthy of it.
Manager Charlie Rowley now has got a really tough job raising the spirits of this lot for the long trek up to Wick Academy on Wednesday 9th and then for our next home game against Deveronvale on Saturday 12th September.