July 15th 2024
SOMETHIING has to give at Kynoch Park this weekend as two teams on a run of recent defeats come face-to-face looking for the win that will set them up nicely ahead of fixtures that both clubs will see as winnable over the next week. Keith go to Turriff United on Wednesday night before visiting Fort William in their next two outings after this visit from Nairn and the Maroons boss Dean Donaldson will feel that his side are capable of taking all nine points, which would dramatically enhance their existing tally for the season. Nairn, meanwhile, welcome Fort William to Station Park on Wednesday night and then go to Rothes next weekend and despite having lost in five of their last six outings, three of those have been by single goals to top teams Fraserburgh, Formartine United and Brora Rangers where positive displays have been heartening to manager Ronnie Sharp. Keith will reflect on their last few matches with the same feelings, having been unfortunate to be narrowly edged out 2-1 by Huntly last weekend after going 1-0 up. That was the Maroons’ second successive loss by the odd goal in three having also been defeated in the quarter finals of the Highland League (Morganti) Cup thanks to Brora Rangers’ last-minute winner the week before and now manager Dean Donaldson will be looking for his team to turn these positive performances into points, starting this weekend. There will be live updates from the match on the club’s official social media channels, starting with team lines before kick-off and continuing with live coverage of all of the major talking points as they happen, a report on the final whistle and reaction from the Ronnie Sharp later in the evening. To keep up-to-date, logon to facebook.com/nairncountyfc or follow @NairnCounty on Twitter. You can also follow the club on Instagram by visiting Instagram.com/nairncountyfc. Match preview below: Date: Saturday March 31st 2018 Competition: Scottish Highland Football League Kick-off: 1500 Opponents: Keith Manager: Dean Donaldson Venue: Kynoch Park, Keith Previous meeting: Nairn County 2 Keith 1 September 9th 2017 Last time out: Keith 1 Huntly 2; Nairn County 0 Brora Rangers 1 League position: Keith 16th Nairn County 12th Form guides: Keith WLLLLL Nairn County LLWLLL Team news: Goalkeeper Daniel Hoban is in contention to make his Nairn County debut having joined on loan from Inverness CT on Thursday. The stopper has signed up until the end of the season. Danny Highet is also available again but Adam Naismith is out because of the hamstring injury he sustained in the match against Brora Rangers on Wednesday evening. He will be joined on the sidelines by top scorer Jordan MacRae, who is ruled out because of a one-match suspension due to an accumulation of yellow cards. Ryan MacDonald is struggling after landing awkwardly on his hip during the match in midweek and Callum Ednie continues to build up his fitness having only just returned to training. Inaki Fernandino-Soto is still out with a groin injury and although Seamus McConaghy and Ryan MacBean have been called up from the under-20s squad to train with the first team this week, they are both unavailable for this weekend. One to watch: Cammy Keith. The former Highland League Player of the Year is the leading line up attack for the Maroons. He has been back at his spiritual home of Kynoch Park for the last year or so and in that time he has claimed the record as Keith’s all-time scorer, surpassing the great Derek Nicol’s tally with a superb hat-trick in the impressive win at Buckie Thistle. He will be looking to stretch clear at the top of the charts to set an overall total that will be difficult to beat in the future and lead his former team mate Dean Donaldson’s young team to three points in this one. Match officials: Referee Darren Munro, Assistants Brian Dean and Cameron Mackay. Weather forecast: Light cloud showers 3 degrees 12 mph wind. Admission prices: Adults £8 Concessions £5 (two children under the age of 14 are admitted for free if they are accompanied by a paying adult). Graeme Macleod
