November 20th 2023
GOALS in the first and last 10 minutes of this pre-season friendly saw visitors Airdrieonians earn a second win over Highland League opposition in less than 24 hours following the League 1 club's victory over Strathspey Thistle last night. In their first visit to Nairn since a match against Nairn Thistle in 1896, the Diamonds took the lead early on when former St Johnstone, Blackpool and Scotland under-21s striker Keigan Parker showed all his nous to latch on to a fine through pass and slide the ball beyond Nairn goalkeeper Callum Donaldson with an accurate shot from a tight angle when the margin for error was nil. Nairn fielded a trialist up front alongside Robbie Duncanson in the first half and he was replaced at the interval by Conor Gethins – earlier named players and supporters player of the year for last season – to restore the club's prolific strike partnership and immediately there was an impetus added to the County attack, aided by the midfield craft of a further two trialists who were also introduced at half time. The quartet of trialists – only one of whom featured at Elgin in midweek – was completed by a second half substitution and despite Nairn's best efforts to force an equaliser, it was Airdrie who bagged the second goal of the game in the final minute through John Boyle. Graeme Macleod
