A Kris Duncan strike just on the stroke of half time was enough to give Rothes their first win of the season and to lift them off the bottom of the Scot Ads Scottish Highland Football League.

There was never going to be much between the two teams and on the day Rothes had the edge over their rivals in the first half but it was Fort who could have came back and taken a point in the second.

The first effort of the match was one from the edge of the box by the player-assistant manager Mark Taylor, however Fort William's loan signing from Huntly (keeper Stewart Gray) made a fine block low to his right.

Cove loanster Jordan Reid then fired a shot just wide of Gray's right hand post before a drilled ball across the face of the goal from Kris Duncan saw two Rothes players sliding in but neither of them could extend gadget legs to toe the ball into the net.

Fort William had a few chances of their own.  A free kick from 40 yards out by Bob McGillivary found Mark Gillespie but he spooned his effort over the top from 6 yards.  Then a corner from the left saw Micheal Ellis bring out a great save from sub keeper Stevie Dunn.

Mark Taylor tried a curler towards the other corner later in the half before a slip from Michael Rodgers gave Kris Duncan the chance to open the scoring but he was denied by a fantastic double stop from Stewart Gray.

The defining moment of the game came in first half injury time.  The ever willing Kris Duncan ran through the heart of the Fort defence on to a Kyle Mackay pass and when Stewart Gray slipped the midfielder duly placed the ball into the back of the net.

The second half saw Fort William go in search of a leveller and they were not far away, especially from set pieces.  Bob McGillivary had a 22 yard free kick tipped over the bar and Sean Ellis went really close with a 20 yard set piece effort that curled just wide of the post.

From open play Paul Molloy forced another good save out of Stevie Dunn meanwhile, that the other end, it was Kris Duncan who, once again, had the best opening for Rothes but Stewart Gray came out on top on that one.

For all the efforts of the second half there was to be no further scoring and it is Rab Mulheron's Rothes who will be celebrating tonight while the Fort are left to look ahead to a changing future.

Full Time: Rothes 1 Fort William 0
Reporter: John Wattsman