DAVE Cormie's men set about the task of maximising their points return for the campaign with a comfortable win on Speyside with more trips on the road still to come.
Inverurie Locos had the best of the opening 45 minutes and they could well have
went ahead early on when they created a flurry of chances.
In the tenth minute a ball in from Danny Milne found Scott Michie but his shot was deflected and it spun kindly into the air for Stevie Dunn to claim.
A minute later and a ball in from Craig Ross was met by Danny Milne but from six yards out he headed just over. The pressure continued and Scott Michie had a chance when the ball broke to him in the box but he dragged his effort wide. Then Jamie McKinnon met an Andrew Bisset cross with his head, the ball going wide.
Halfway through the half Mark Smith found some space at the edge of the box but his effort flew over the bar. At the other end Kris Duncan picked up the ball just over the halfway line and drove down the left wing before zipping a ball across the six yard box, but Mark Taylor wasn't quite quick enough to get there in time to convert.
The visitors took a deserved lead ten minutes before half time and once again it was a great ball in from the right that caused the problem with Danny Milne coming inside to head the ball downwards and into the net. It was his 18th of the season.
Locos doubled their tally six minutes later when a shot from the edge of the box by Milne was parried by Stevie Dunn and Scott Michie was on hand to poach the second of the evening.
Right on the stroke of half time a free kick launched into the box from deep by Steven Sim was met by the head of Mark Taylor, but his header lacked power and was cleared from just inside the six yard box.
Locos' first second half chance saw a corner was flicked on by sub Roddy Mess and Danny Milne headed goalwards but Stevie Dunn made the save. Another sub, Richie Singer, then looked to turn provider with a fine ball in for Mark Smith but Dunn did well to tip Rusty's header away.
In the 72nd minute Smith tried his luck from 25 yards but a deflection took it wide of the right hand post.
The Locos added a third to secure victory ten minutes from time. Kenny Coull had only taken the field two minutes before getting his name on the scoresheet with a strike similar to the first goal of the evening. Craig Ross swung the ball in from the right and the veteran forward directed his header away from the reach of Dunn.
There were a couple of attempts to make it four. Firstly Richie Singer fired in a shot from the edge of the box which was parried by Stevie Dunn and, after a wee stramasch, the ball was cleared by the Rothes defence. Neil Gauld then went close with a 25 yard free kick late on which just cleared the bar.
Rothes: Dunn, Grant, Horsburgh, Sim, Hector, Spence, GMilne, Shanks, Duncan (Mike Smith 60), Taylor, Dougal. Subs not used: Mark Smith, Bain, Sissord.
Inverurie Locos: Reid, Park, Bisset, Stewart (Coull 78), Simpson, McKinnon (Mess 46), Ross, Mark Smith, Michie (Singer 55), Gauld, Milne. Subs not used: Graham, Broadhurst.
