July 15th 2024
AN impressive second half display at Grant Park had manager Les Fridge singing his players' praises after he saw them swat aside Lossiemouth with ease, writes Graeme Macleod. County opened the scoring early on with Sam Urquhart bagging the 1000th goal of Les Fridge's reign at Station Park but the Coasters were back on level terms only a minute later. That was all the lacklustre hosts had to offer in the final third though, with Conor Gethins restoring Nairn's advantage before the first 10 minutes of the game were done. The woodwork, some splendid goalkeeping from Lossie stopper, Darren McConnachie and wastefulness from the County attackers prevented the game from being over as a contest at half time but Nairn asserted their authority just 11 minutes after the break with Gethins knocking in a Kenny McKenzie cross for his second of the afternoon. Robbie Duncanson netted Nairn's fourth before Gethins completed his hat trick from the penalty spot with the visitors creating a barrowful of other chances. Fridge said: "It was a very dominant performance. We started the game very well and went ahead, although we lost a goal straight from the kick-off, which was disappointing. Apart from that, I thought we dominated the game and were very much in control." "They tried to hit us on the break with the ball up to Ryan Green and runners off him but I thought we coped with it very well and it was a comfortable three points." Tony Wallace was twice denied by McConnachie before Duncanson also called the stopper into action, with his best save coming off an tremendous Gethins volley from 35 yards before the Irish striker somehow missed the target from six yards when all he had to do was pick his spot, all before half time. Fridge added: "We had that much possession and that many chances in the first half that my only criticism is that we were not ahead by more than one goal at half time." "We knew that with one goal in it, they would always be in the game, so we knew that we would have to go out and look to dominate possession again and hopefully take our chances and I thought it was a very accomplished second half. We were very good and Lossiemouth never really put us under any pressure, apart from maybe at a couple of corners, and at the other end, we scored some very good goals." Fridge saw his side struggle to break down 10-man Deveronvale last weekend with only a wonder goal from Ross Naismith sparking a late comeback that was completed by an unorthodox Sam Urquhart header. This time around though, there was no need for such drama as County's relentless attacking performance had the game won before the hour mark with Lossie given no chance of staging an unlikely comeback with attack after attack from Nairn keeping the hosts on the back foot. The County boss said: "We have been playing well in the last couple of weeks having a lot of possession and a lot of the ball but not taking our chances and letting ourselves down by not capitalising when we are on top. It was nice to step on in the second half today though and put the game to bed." County's defence has been criticised lately but they matched everything Lossie threw at them today with Callum Maclean and Andrew Skinner providing steady hands on the tiller in front of a solid back three of Sean Webb, Michael Morrison and Adam Naismith – in for the Glenn Main, missing due to a minor toe injury – while McKenzie and Urquhart worked tirelessly out wide. Fridge said: "I cannot recall Calum Antell having a proper save to make during the game. In general, we defended very well today and make no mistake, this is a difficult place to come and they are always going to work hard and be stuffy. I thought we overcame that well and our second half performance showed that." Graeme Macleod
