Second half goals from youngsters Ross Archibald and Dan Smith secured all three points for Lossiemouth against Forres Mechanics for the first time since 2004. A grim first half was instantly forgotten as the youngsters of Lossie put their more experienced opponents to the sword.

Lossie went into the game missing goalscoring duo Shawn Scott and Nikki Smith, while Sam Milton and Stuart Strathdee were passed fit late in the week. Forres retained the same starting eleven who beat champions Cove Rangers last time out, while first team regulars Neil Whyte, Ryan Green and former Lossie man Simon Allan watched from the bench.

One of only three games in the league to beat the weather, this tie enjoyed a bumper crowd but the spectators endured a quiet first half with little in the way of excitement to keep them warm. Forres came closest to opening the scoring when Kyle Scott headed a Bruce Milne free kick towards goal, but Darren McConnachie made an athletic save to push the ball onto the bar.

Lossie were struggling to get into any kind of rhythm, playing a lot of sloppy passes in their own half, often handing Forres possession in the middle of the park only for the visitors to repeatedly fail to make anything of it. 

Half time – Lossiemouth 0 Forres Mechanics 0

Forres started the second half looking like a team none too happy at the prospect of a third consecutive draw against Lossie, and a series of saves by Darren McConnachie kept the home side in the game during a spell of pressure. Penwright tried his luck from inside the area only to find McConnachie in the way, and Scott Moores rebound was deflected wide of goal by a flying Mini. Moore had another chance to open the scoring minutes later, sliding onto a Wardrop pass, but again McConnachie was in the way.

And with that, Forres ran out of ideas. Gordon Winton looked to his bench for ideas, and sent on Neil Whyte, who’d spent over an hour stewing on the bench watching his teammates struggle on. Once he’d got his first touch out of the way, Forres promptly went behind.

The Lossie substitutions proved to be more effective than the Forres changes, as Tony Ross weaved down the enclosure past the Forres support before playing in Ross ARCHIBALD, who left the lumbering Nathan Sharp for dead and drilled the ball past Knight. The youngster, recalled from Lossie United to fill in for the missing Biscuits and Nikki Smith, took his first goal for the club well, and had a hand in the second.

Three minutes later Lossie doubled their advantage, scoring a goal worthy of a better game. JJ Urquhart started the move by breaking down a Forres attack on the edge of the Lossie penalty area before passing out to Strathdee, who combined with Archibald to set up Dan SMITH to rifle home what was his first goal for the club as well. 

Lossie could have had a third were it not for the reflexes of Forres keeper Stuart Knight, who tipped a goalbound header over the bar in a style similar to that of McConnachie in the first half.

Forres made more changes, sending on Ryan Green and Simon Allan to try and save face, but it was to no avail as Lossie comfortably rode out the game to get the brown and yellow monkey off their backs after six long years.

Full time - Lossiemouth 2 Forres Mechanics 0

Teams

Lossiemouth - Darren McConnachie: Steven Sim, Sam Milton, Kevin Stuart, JJ Urquhart, Dan Smith, Martin McMullan, Gary Macdonald, Stuart Strathdee, Ross Archibald, Kevin Flett
Forres Mechanics - Stuart Knight: Bruce Milne, Graeme Shinnie, Graeme Grant, Nathan Sharp, Fraser Bremner, Ross MacPherson, Iain Penwright, Ricky Wardrop, Kyle Scott, Scott Moore

Lossiemouth - Tony Ross (Gary Macdonald, 66), Jamie Bagley, Colin Charlesworth (Stuart Strathdee, 87)
Forres Mechanics - Neil Whyte (Iain Penwright, 66), Ryan Green (Kyle Scott, 80), Simon Allan (Fraser Bremner, 87)

Lossiemouth - None
Forres Mechanics - None

Referee

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