Loco. Work’s groundsman Arthur Robertson took all the plaudits on Saturday as, despite the winter weather, he had Harlaw Park in fine condition for the league encounter with Rothes.
As match after match fell victim to the snow and freezing temperatures, there was never any real doubt that this one would survive and it turned out to be the only one which did so.
It was a bonus for Locos as the team notched its sixth consecutive league win to take the slightest of holds of Turriff United’s coat-tail in the struggle for fourth place.
That place is now critical with the top four sides in the SHFL to be rewarded with a place in next season’s Petrofac Training Cup.
Both sides are locked on 49 points, but Turriff have three games in hand and a better goal difference. However, Locos are on a good run and there is still a league match to play at The Haughs.
Nairn County sit on Locos’ shoulder three points behind but with two games in hand. The race for fourth spot by Locos, Turriff and Nairn will be every bit as intriguing as the three-way battle for top spot between Brora, Cove and Formartine.
There was some good natured banter in the Social Club after the 6-0 win as to the man-of-the-match. The sponsors awarded it to left-back Gordon Forsyth who played extremely well and scored an excellent goal; but many felt that Michael Selfridge’s hat-trick merited the award. With two goals under his belt when Locos were awarded a penalty, and with captain Neil McLean substituted, there was only going to be one taker as he grabbed the ball and drilled it past Rothes ‘keeper Matthew Mackie – the sign of a confident striker.
No one at Harlaw Park will be carried away by this result. Rothes are recovering from their financial problems and that is reflected on the park as the team re-groups. The Rothes side played valiantly, but they gave Locos too much time and space and were punished accordingly. As their players visibly tired towards the end, substitute Kayode Ezekiel was very unlucky to see his breakaway “goal” disallowed for marginal offside.
Rothes are a great club and I always look forward to the annual league visit to Mackessack Park where a warm welcome is always received. Everyone at Locos wishes them well for the future.
Locos can now put league business aside as they face Fraserburgh at home on Tuesday evening in the semi-final of the Aberdeenshire Shield; and Brora Rangers at Dudgeon Park in the Highland League Cup next Saturday.
These are two very challenging games, but Locos have at least had games behind them in January. What odds on eight consecutive wins by next Sunday?