Mosset Park, where foes lose hope...
Nathan Sharp of Forres strikes past Deveronvale keeper James Blanchard to make it 2-0 to the home side at Mosset Park on Saturday.
CHARLIE Rowley hasn’t had the luxury of seeing his Forres Mechanics as championship contenders, but if there was an award for title destroyers they might well clinch it.
The Can-Cans have held Buckie Thistle to two draws, and, on Saturday, swept aside Deveronvale 3-1, extending an unbeaten record at Mosset Park to well over a year.
Other one-time runners in the race have fallen foul of them, too, and who knows what damage might still be done to Keith, who they have to play twice.
Manager Rowley would rather be in amongst the top three than trailing them in fourth place, but he is nevertheless proud of his squad for pushing so far up the table.
“We might go further yet,” he said. “If we win all our games, and depending on other results, who’s to say we won’t get into third or even second.
“We can look back at points lost earlier in the season. I didn’t think we were capable of sustaining a championship challenge but by beating many of the top sides the players have proved me wrong.
“The win against Deveronvale was well deserved and I’m sure Darren Still (Keith manager) won’t be relishing coming to Mosset Park.”
With Buckie drawing at Nairn, Vale could have gone top but found the Mosset Park men too hot to handle, going down 3-1.
Two goals inside four minutes in the first half set them up nicely. Ryan Green fired an opener in super style after 26 minutes, prompting Rowley to proclaim that he took it with the aplomb of a 40-goal-a-season man.
Archie McPhee supplied a cross and Green’s touch and finish from eight yards had fans in raptures in the 26th minute.
By the Can-Cans’ own admission, Green was then offside as he broke through and earned a corner, from which Nathan Sharp slotted inl number two.
Vale reduced the leeway in 37 minutes from a penalty awarded for a foul by Sharp on Chris Blackhall, and Scott Fraser netted the spot-kick.
The visitors pushed hard in the second half but Forres held firm and they sealed the points four minutes from time when Neil Whyte powered a 25-yarder past keeper Jamie Blanchard.
“We defended well and were dangerous on the break,” said Rowley. “It was a big test for us and we passed it.”
Stevie Dunn was unavailable because of holidays, but the experienced squad man, competing with Stuart Knight for the goalie’s jersey, is back for tomorrow’s trip to Lossiemouth.
