'Don't stop believing' – Strathspey Thistle boss calls on squad to lift performance levels
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Strathspey Thistle manager Robert MacCormack has appealed to his players to increase their level of performance in the coming weeks after a stinging defeat to bottom of the table rivals, Inverurie Locos.
The Grantown club remain bottom of the Highland League with zero points after seven games, having scored just three goals and conceded 29.
The Jags face a run of home matches to complete the month of October, as hosts to Buckie Thistle on October 21 before their rescheduled bottom-half showdown with Lossiemouth on October 28.
But MacCormack's men will have an immediate opportunity to bounce back from their weekend defeat tonight, as they welcome Rothes for an evening kick-off at Seafield Park.
The manager said: "Losing games will never be acceptable or easy to take. But it’s about believing in what we are trying to do and I’m confident I can lift the boys and get the points on the board we need.
"We have had a really tough start to the season but we can’t keep saying that. We have an important month coming up and I believe in the players to start performing to the levels they can and when that happens we will start winning games.
"Conceding early in both halves in Inverurie killed us, as well as not taking chances when we were on top. We played really well in the first half but then conceded 45 seconds into the second half and it killed us. We didn’t give ourselves a chance to get into the game.
"We will be looking for a much better performance tonight. Obviously we will be looking for a positive result but we need a much better and solid performance to give ourselves an opportunity.
"We need to keep believing in ourselves. We have so many good players. I believe in the group, once we get our first points, I know we can go on a run and get more."
The Jags boss went into Saturday's game knowing that a win could lift his side off the bottom of the Highland League table.
But the 'trap-door' tussle proved to be a one-sided affair, as home side Inverurie Locos flexed their muscles, netting five goals without reply.
The Railwaymen grabbed the opener after just three minutes. A low ball in from the right hand side from Sam Robertson found Greg Mitchell who forced a save before from Jags keeper Callum Ligertwood, before knocking in the rebound.
The Jags were presented with an immediate chance to get back into the game, but with the final touch, striker Michael McKenzie dragged his shot wide of the post.
Moments later, Locos custodian Zak Ellis was called into action to tip a Kane Davies free kick over the bar.
The stuffing was knocked out of a determined Jags on 39 minutes when Lloyd Robertson made it 2–0, making no mistake with a clever lob after receiving a pass from his brother Sam.
The second period belonged to the home side who netted a further three goals without reply.
Nathan Meres netted first just a minute into the half when he nodded home after Ligertwood had to react to prevent a Jack Davison clearance from crossing the line.
Meres found the net again on 69 minutes after Sam Robertson and Blair Smith combined to lay the ball into the path of the striker.
It seemed as though the Jags may have been offered a lifeline when referee Nathan Crawford pointed to the penalty spot for a handball offence. After much confusion though, and a conference with his assistants, the official reversed his decision.
Five minutes later, Locos sub Cole Anderson added a fifth for his side.
Inverurie Locos – Ellis, Buchan, Morrison (Johnstone), Mitchell (Yunus), Dingwall, Donald, Meres, Coutts, S Robertson (Duncan), L Robertson (Anderson), Halliday (Smith)
Strathspey Thistle – Ligertwood, Gilliland, Mutch (Cuthbert), Sutherland, Kerr, Mackay, Whitehorn (Giles), Davies (Loveland), Logan (Ross), McKenzie (McConaghy), Davison
