5 hours ago
BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE
NAIRN COUNTY 0 – 4 BRORA RANGERS
SATURDAY 15 OCTOBER 2022
STATION PARK, NAIRN
Goalscorers: A. Macrae (22, 42, 83), Nicholson (37)
Royal British Legion Nairn Man of the Match: Andrew Greig
On a sun-kissed Station Park, the home side went in search of their opening league win of the season when they played host to recent North of Scotland Cup Winners, Brora Rangers.
The opening exchanges saw the visitors open on the offensive, but the home side dealt confidently with the Dudgeon Park side’s early openings.
The home side came under pressure on 12 minutes, when a Jordan MacRae effort was initially blocked on the line, with subsequent efforts from both Dale Gillespie and Colin Williamson receiving the same treatment by the home rearguard.
Following a period of sustained pressure, the deadlock was finally broken after 27 minutes. Andrew MacRae took a pass on the 18 yard line, and superbly swept a right foot effort high into the far corner of the net for the opener.
The home side retaliated, with a long throw from Cameron Lisle that eventually saw Andrew Grieg fire a snap shot just over the bar with Keeper Nicol looking on.
Nine minutes from the interval the visitors increased their advantage, when Mark Nicolson rose unchallenged to bullet home a superb effort following an Andrew MacRae corner.
Home keeper Dylan Maclean denied the visitors after 41 minutes, when he pushed away a raking drive from Rangers skipper Ally MacDonald.
A minute later the visitors added a third. Dangerous throughout, Andrew MacRae added his second of the match when he ran onto a fine through ball and swept his effort past the unsighted keeper.
Keeper Dylan Maclean excelled again, when two minutes into the second period he brilliantly blocked a point-blank range effort from Max Ewan as the visitors looked to add to their tally.
Twelve minutes later the keeper was called into action again, this time denying Alistair Sutherland, who fastened onto a Jordan MacRae pass.
Brora keeper Ruariadh Nicol was then called into action after 66 minutes, when he superbly pushed away a superb left foot drive from substitute Ciaran Young as the home side desperately looked to claw their way back into the match.
The scoring was completed with eight minutes remaining, when Andrew MacRae headed home a Gregor MacDonald cross to complete his hat-trick, to leave the home side still searching for that elusive opening league win.
NAIRN COUNTY: Dylan Maclean: Cameron Lisle (Ciaran Young 74), Callum Howarth, Adam Porritt, Paul Macleod, Fraser Dingwall (C), Wayne MacKintosh, Gordon MacNab (Glenn Main 75), Andrew Greig, Adam Porritt, Conor Gethins (Liam Shewan 61), Scott Davidson
Subs unused: Angus Dey, Sam Gordon, Stephen Rennie, Will Counsell (GK)
BRORA RANGERS: Nicol: Kelly, MacDonald, Williamson, Nicolson (Gamble 60): Gillespie, Ewan, Dingwall, Sutherland (MacDonald 63), A.MacRae, J.MacRae (Gunn 63)
Subs unused: Meekings
Referee: Gordon Morrison
