Rothie Rovers and Forres Thistle clash ends with a share of the honours
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While the continued heavy rain put paid to a host of matches across the north-east, in Rothienorman, the hosts Rovers were lucky to see the torrential rain hold off for the majority of the day on Saturday allowing play to go ahead.
This was the first time the side had welcomed Forres Thistle as the visiting team and with both teams sitting in the top three of the league which has just passed the half way stage, it was all to play for.
An early clash within the first two minutes saw the first free kick of the game go in Thistle's favour on the halfway line, with further pushing from the visitors testing the Rothie defence.
End to end action saw both sides quickly testing out the opposition, with Thistle's Charlie Beck (7) being beaten by an offside call after making a break up the right hand wing.
Rothie's Ewan Clark would be the first to have a crack at goal after 11 minutes when he found himself in space at the edge of the box on the left, only for his shot to be denied by keeper Daniel McLeod.
Forres first solid shot on goals came a few minutes later when Beck on the right hand side of the box again, was this time onside but sent it over the top of the Rothie goal.
Gavin Smart was next up with a shot on the visitors goal, again denied by McLeod and in return Forres came close when a header from Sean McIntosh(9) was stopped by keeper Lewis Milne's quick reactions.
Forres would again beat the Rothie defence with Neil Moir sending a sure shot from around 25 yards out just over the woodwork to a large collective intake of breath from the fans.
And five minutes later, McIntosh would again force a save from Rothie's Milne who only just managed to send it past the left post to deny the goal.
The opening goal came on 26 minutes when Rothie's Jake Stewart fired in a low thundering shot from the left of the box leaving no chance for the Thistle keeper to get a touch on it.
Pushing back Scott Campbell for Forres got the equaliser three minutes later with a powerful shot from around 30 yards out in the middle of the pitch which rattled into the net, much to the surprise of the home side.
Play stopped shortly after when Campbell picked up an injury and had to go off field, allowing a temporary break and it was Rothie who were the first to capitalise on this when on 37 minutes a build up of play between Gavin Smart and Ewan Clark saw Clark get the final chip in touch to give the home side the lead.
The rest of the half would see both sides making probing attacks but neither able to capitalise on the build up.
Starting the second half, it would be Rothie that were first off the mark, with two long range efforts ending up wide of the target.
With just over 60 minutes played, McIntosh would again find himself in the Rothie box and this time a well taken header was only just wide of the post on the right.
As the clock continued to tick down, Stuart Hodge for Rothie saw a 30 yard effort go just wide of the post as the home side applied the pressure to increase their lead.
On 75 minutes, things would take a turn in favour if the home side when a penalty was awarded after keeper McLeod ended up in a one on one Smart, punching the ball clear which the ref took issue with and red carded him.
Protestation from the visitors to what many of the home fans also saw as a harsh decision saw Forres Neil Owen swap jerseys to stand in goal as Clark lined up to take the shot.
What the visitors may have described as karma ensued as Clark's shot bounced of the right hand side post and was cleared by the Forres defence to deny Rover's their third.
Not to be downhearted, Rovers continued their attacks with Lewis Hendry the next to take a crack from the edge of the box, only to see it sail over the crossbar.
Forres continued to pile on the pressure in the hope of a defensive mistake and were rewarded with the late equaliser when a stramash in the Rothie box saw Beck capitalise on clash of bodies to send it in to the right hand side of the net just moments before the final whistle.
This was tough encounter which on the balance of play saw both sides lucky to claim a point with a missed penalty proving crucial to the outcome.
Results -
McBookie.com Superleague: Deveronside 1 - 3 Colony Park; Dyce Juniors 2 - 0 Bridge of Don Thistle; Hall Russell United P - P Banchory St Ternan; Hermes 3 - 0 Aberdeen East End; Maud 2 - 3 Montrose Roselea; Nairn St Ninian 1 - 2 Culter.
McBookie.com First Division: Buchanhaven Hearts1 - 4 Fraserburgh United; DufftownP - PAberdeen University; Stonehaven P - P Longside; Sunnybank 2 - 2 Stoneywood Parkvale.
Second Division: Islavale P - P Cruden Bay; New Elgin 0 - 4 Burghead Thistle; Rothie Rovers 2 - 2 Forres Thistle; Whitehills 5 - 5 Glentanar
