Fort reserves lack experience as Rhu seal win

Rhu Amateurs 3

 

Fort William 0

 

Pre-season friendly

 

The first pre-season friendly of the 23/24 season saw Fort William take on Helensburgh side Rhu Amateurs, writes Peter Newman.

 

In the absence of the usual management team of Alan Gray and Darren Duncan, injured skipper Mikey Rodgers and established first teamer Michael Gillespie took control for the afternoon.

 

Rhu proved to be fantastic hosts and welcomed the players from the off. There were no cards issued by the referee to either team and the game was played in a friendly spirit.

 

With several trialists in the starting line-up, Fort started slowly.

 

In the first 15 minutes, several players struggled to cope with the pace and physicality of the Rhu attack and a mix-up at the back saw Rhu centre forward Jamie Paterson tap in to an open net to open the scoring.

 

This seemed to be the wake up call Fort needed and for the next 30 minutes they dominated the game with a high intensive press and good passing linking the defence into veteran Dave Forbes and his partners in midfield.

 

Chances were created but Fort William failed to put the ball in the net.

 

The second half  played out much the same with Fort William struggling to break down Rhu who were good in the air and well organised at the back.

 

Bustling full back Finlay McDonald forced a great save from the Rhu keeper on 75 minutes but Fort William could not find the net.

 

Rhu got two late goals on the counter through Jordan Wyllie as the clock wound down to make the final score 3-0.

 

Mikey Rodgers said: “The energy and effort from the boys was there. We just missed experience up top. That would have changed the game.”

 

Alan Gray concurred with his club captain. “Rhu was always going to be a tough game. Travelling without a host of first team regulars gave us an opportunity to run the rule over six trialists against a physical team so it was valuable pre-season game.”

 

Fort William’s next pre-season fixture is away to Nairn St Ninian on Saturday July 15.

 

• Last season's Fort Football Club captain Mikey Rodgers has re-signed with the team and despite a foot injury hopes to be in the opening line-up when they kick off in August.

 

Just to make sure he was putting his name in the right place, Mikey's five-year-old daughter Maci, who has joined the dugout squad on several previous matchdays, came along to help him. Photograph: Iain Ferguson, alba.photos.

 

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