November 20th 2023
POOR decision-making in the final third was costly for Nairn County this afternoon as manager Ronnie Sharp saw his side held to a goalless draw at Lossiemouth's Grant Park. The visitors conjured up six shots on target in each half to the home side's two throughout the entire 90 minutes but two goal-line clearances apart, there was nothing to worry a goalkeeper of the quality of Lossie number one, Darren McConnachie. Meanwhile, at the other end, Dylan Maclean produced probably the two best saves of the day tipping away a Chris Ross headed before repelling a Tony Ross drive in injury time, which ultimately secured County their share of the spoils. "I thought we were very poor in the last third of the park," said Sharp. "The quality of the final passes, the quality of the crosses and the decision-making were all the poorest it has been for a while and that cost us the three points." "We did not look under pressure at all for most of the game until probably the last five minutes when we started chasing it and throwing everyone forward to try to get the win. It was a very disappointing performance." "We did not test the goalkeeper enough but that comes down to quality. It comes down to using the brain in the last third. We can get in as many times as we want but if we do not make the right run or play the right pass then we are not going to score and we did not look like scoring." On the plus side, it was another clean sheet for County, their second in succession after last weekend's 5-0 victory over Fort William. "We looked solid," Sharp stated. "Glenn Main had then marshalled well and Callum Maclean and Stevie Mackenzie did well too. That is a second clean sheet in a row and Dylan Maclean has come back in and got through it OK. We looked solid and the play was good up to the halfway and the last third." He added: "Once we crossed the halfway line though, we just totally ran out of ideas. I know it is something to build on but that has been happening too many times this season and it has cost us a lot of points. We have lost 10 games but a single goal this season and in a lot of them, we could have picked up points if it was not for poor decision-making in the final third and a lack of quality." Graeme Macleod
