Lossiemouth fell agonisingly short of a place in the Fosters Highland League Cup final, losing by a single goal to Forres Mechanics at Mosset Park. An early goal gave Lossie plenty of time to recover, but stubborn defending from the hosts denied Lossie an equaliser.

After a week of rumours suggesting otherwise, Darren McConnachie was fit to start in goals for Lossie, while Martin McMullan and Tony Ross returned to the starting line up after playing only the second half against Nairn the previous midweek. Forres were forced into a change immediately prior to kick-off when Ricky Wardrop was replaced by Iain Penwright, while disco dancing Fraser Bremner started the game with a bandaged head.

The late replacement to the side paid off almost immediately. Bruce Milne failed to control a long ball over the top, and PENWRIGHT found himself with time to rifle the ball past McConnachie.

Following the goal, Forres chose to go on the defensive in the hope of snatching a second on the counter. The visitors threatened early with a header from Martin McMullan which was saved by Knight, but after that Lossie were restricted to long range efforts. Gary Macdonald shot over the bar, before Nikki Smith did likewise with a set piece. Smith almost stole an equaliser with a long range effort following a poor clearance from Knight, but the ball again sailed just over the bar.

As the game progressed, Forres looked increasingly comfortable with their defensive plan, while Lossie were becoming ever more frustrated at being unable to find a way past the ironically surnamed Nathan Sharp. Forres had chances of their own, and Penwright was unfortunate not to double his tally for the day as he smashed a half volley over the crossbar.

Half time - Forres Mechanics 1 Lossiemouth 0

The second half continued in the same vein as the first, with Lossie struggling to get past the stubborn Forres defence. The introduction of Dan Smith and Stuart Strathdee gave Lossie the chance to try something different but Forres continued to hold out.

Lossie had Darren McConnachie to thank for twice keeping them in the game in the second half. On the first occasion, a sloppy pass back from Colin Charlesworth allowed Penwright to steal in for a shot but McConnachie was equal to it, and later in the half a volley from ICT cast off Graeme Shinnie was pushed away.

At the other end, Knight was proving as difficult to beat as his opposite number. A succession of corners kept Lossie camped in the last third of the pitch, but some accurate punching and last gasp scrambles in the six yard box kept Lossie from levelling the scores. McMullan again tested the Forres keeper with a shot but saw it blocked.

The closing stages saw Lossie continue to press for an equaliser, but Forres continued to defend resolutely. Another long range effort from McMullan caught a stricken Knight off his line but the ball dropped agonisingly behind the goal.

Forres almost stole a second in the closing minutes, when Neil Whyte and Kyle Scott combined to set up Penwright, but his shot from inside the area was blocked. His opener was to be the difference at full time, as Forres limped over the finishing line and into a place in the final by the narrowest of margins.

Full time - Forres Mechanics 1 Lossiemouth 0

Teams

Lossiemouth - Darren McConnachie: Colin Charlesworth, Sam Milton, Steven Sim, JJ Urquhart, Gary Macdonald, Tony Ross, Martin McMullan, Shawn Scott, Nikki Smith, Kevin Flett
Forres Mechanics - Stuart Knight: Simon Allan, Graeme Shinnie, Graeme Grant, Nathan Sharp, Fraser Bremner, Neil Whyte, Bruce Milne, Iain Penwright, Kyle Scott, Scott Moore

Lossiemouth - Dan Smith (Gary Macdonald, 63), Liam Archibald (Kevin Flett, 70), Stuart Strathdee (Tony Ross, 75)
Forres Mechanics - Ross MacPherson (Fraser Bremner, 70), David Chambers (Iain Penwright, 88)

Lossiemouth - None
Forres Mechanics - None

Referee

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