Saturday 14 January
Rothes 2 Huntly 4

The title holders moved up a place with a 4-2 win at MacKessack Park as they managed their first back-to-back wins since September in a game that also saw two goals disallowed and one effort cleared off the line in the first half alone writes Grant Turner.

The home side attacked straight from the kick-off as Chris Grant got clear and drilled a shot low across the face of goal.
Seven minutes later, Simon Scott delivered a cross from the left wing as Ross Campbell saw a header deflected behind.

With eight minutes gone, Huntly took an early lead in rather fortuitous circumstances when, after Matt Gairns had been fouled 25 yards out, Levi Stephen tried his luck with the free kick. His luck was clearly in as the ball went low round the wall and then through Darren Strong's legs on it's way into the back of the net.

Three minutes later, at the other end, Chris Grant played the ball to Michael Ewen who fired home only for the linesman's flag to deny the Speysider's.

Huntly were forced into a change after 21 minutes when Neil Reid replaced goalscorer Levi Stephen who took a knock.

There was another disallowed goal in the 24th minute but this time at the other end. Richard Craig had flicked the ball onto Graham Green who shot home from the edge of the area but once again the linesman's flag was the winner.

The match was in full flow and when Chris Henderson's cross was deflected into the path of Brian Thomson he hit a volley that brought out a fine save from Ryszard Gorski.

Rothes were still well in the game and they very nearly levelled when Chris Grant met Brian Thomson's corner but his effort was cleared off the goal line by Gairns.

Gairns attacked in 36 minutes finding Gary McGowan with a neat pass out to the left and as the winger fired in a shot, Strong dived low to turn the ball away.

The visitors pushed into a two goal lead before half time through Russell Guild. The midfielder, who has been hampered by injuries so far this season, collected a long ball from Ryszard Gorski and beat his man before going through on goal to coolly place it to the keepers left.

Gorski was called into action once again just two minutes from the break. There were some offside shouts as the ball came in from the right and with the defence backing off, Michael Ewen was given time and space to shoot only to see his effort turned round the post.

Half Time: Rothes 0 Huntly 2

The injury problems were mounting up for the visitors as Matty Gairns withdrew at the break for Jerry O'Driscoll as Huntly changed to a 4-4-2 formation.

The former Dundee striker had just been on the pitch for a minute when he missed a great chance heading over a McGowan corner from close range.

In the 53rd minute, Guild played out wide to O'Driscoll whose cross was headed down by Green only for Craig to hit wide.
Three minutes later, Henderson broke forward for the hosts and played a ball over the top for C Grant to get a shot in but Gorski again turned the strikers shot round the post.

Richard Craig made it 3-0 in the 61st minute when Jerry O'Driscoll raced down the right wing before picking out his strike partner with a fine centre and the former Elgin City man headed past another ex-City man, Darren Strong, with ease.

A minute later Russell Guild made it four with his second goal of the game. The midfielder played a one two with Richard Craig before hitting a half-volley past Strong from 16 yards out

With fifteen minutes left on the clock former Huntly player and Rothes top scorer Chris Henderson pulled a goal back when he met a corner from the left, looping his run round the back of the defence to head home his seventh of the season.

Ten minutes from time, Dod Massie opened his account for the Speysider's, when he ran on to Henderson's ball over the top, which was laid off by Steven Sim for the midfielder to side-foot past the keepers outstretched left hand from eight yards out.

The fightback ended there and it was the visitors who added three more points to their tally as only 2 points separate 2nd to 8th in the league table.