Formartine United Run Riot at MacKessack Park, Deepening Rothes’ Woes and Cementing Their Place Among Highland League Elite

A biting Highland wind swept through MacKessack Park on Saturday, but it was Formartine United who brought the real storm, overwhelming Rothes 5-1 in a match that underscored the growing gulf between the league’s contenders and strugglers. For Rothes, rooted to the base of the table, it was yet another bruising chapter in a season that seems to hint at new depths each week. For Formartine, the performance was colder still: clinical, direct, and utterly unsparing of a side desperate for respite.

From the first whistle, the contest bore the hallmarks of a mismatch. Formartine, entering the day third in the standings and brimming with confidence after a string of composed victories, imposed their tempo and intent against a Rothes side that has not tasted victory across a dozen league fixtures this term. The visitors’ early pressure paid off inside the opening quarter-hour when Formartine’s talismanic forward struck—an incisive move finished with a curling effort that left the Rothes keeper grasping at thin air.

Rothes, who have now conceded 26 goals in their last five matches, looked shell-shocked, their back line unsettled by Formartine’s combinations and pace. The second goal followed swiftly, a set-piece routine finished at the back post after Rothes failed to clear their lines, and at 2-0 the crowd’s collective breath hung in the October chill—only the most optimistic among home supporters dared hope for a turnaround.

Yet, for a heartbeat, MacKessack Park flickered to life. Midway through the first half, a rare Rothes foray upfield was rewarded when striker J. Thomson, one of the few bright lights in a dim campaign, capitalized on a defensive slip to slot past the Formartine keeper. It was just Rothes’ fourth goal at home all season, and for a fleeting moment, the deficit halved, a contest seemed possible.

Formartine, however, responded with the implacability of a side accustomed to the upper reaches of the Highland League. They restored their two-goal cushion before the interval—a slick passing move sliced through Rothes’ midfield and ended with a powerful near-post finish. As the whistle blew for halftime, the 3-1 advantage felt both comfortable and ominous for the hosts.

The second half became an exhibition of Formartine’s depth and ruthlessness. Two further goals, one a sweeping counterattack and the other a clinical strike following a turnover, sealed the scoreline and underscored the narrative: Formartine United are a side emboldened by purpose; Rothes are a side beset by questions, their resolve and organization crumbling as minutes ticked by.

Key incidents hinted at growing frustration. A late booking for dissent, and two heavy tackles from Rothes defenders—one perilously close to a red—spoke to nerves fraying at the edges, and perhaps the heavier toll carried by a team with just two points from twelve matches.

In the broader arc of the Highland League, today’s result casts into sharper relief the trajectories of these two clubs. Formartine’s eighth win vaults them to 27 points, further consolidating their status as challengers to the established order. Their play bore all the hallmarks of a side ready, not just to chase, but to seize opportunity: movement off the ball, composure in possession, and a hunger for goals from multiple avenues.

For Rothes, the road grows rockier still. With 10 defeats and just two draws, their campaign teeters on the brink of calamity. Recent weeks have offered little solace: a 0-7 demolition at the hands of Clachnacuddin, a 0-4 reverse at Nairn County, and a battered cup exit. The solitary highlight—a 3-3 draw at Wick Academy thanks to a J. Thomson hat trick—now feels like a distant memory. Today’s heavy loss, against one of the division’s most organized outfits, did little to change the mood or the mounting sense of urgency.

Head-to-head, Formartine have made a habit of leaving MacKessack with points in hand. Today’s clinical display only extends their grip on this fixture, and there was little on evidence to suggest the balance will tip any time soon.

Looking ahead, Formartine United’s ambitions are unmistakable. With their attack firing and the league’s front-runners within reach, momentum and expectation will march hand in hand into the next round of fixtures. For Rothes, the imperative is as grim as it is clear: find a defensive backbone, reclaim some belief, or risk falling further adrift—perhaps irretrievably—at the foot of the Highland League table.

The wind at MacKessack Park eventually died down. For Rothes, the storm may just be getting started.