Nairn County 1 – 3 Huntly – Highland League – Wednesday 13 August 2025

BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE
NAIRN COUNTY 1 -3 HUNTLY
WEDNESDAY 13 AUGUST 2025
STATION PARK, NAIRN

Goalscorers: Ben Barron (86′)

Match Report by John Dolan

Huntly were the visitors for Wednesday’s SHFL clash at Station Park. Both sides were looking to avoid back-to-back defeats, but in the end it was the Aberdeenshire men who ran out comfortable winners.

All the goals came in the second half and Nairn boss Wayne Mackintosh will be disappointed at some of the lax defending, which led to at least two of the Huntly goals.

As for an injury-ravaged County – Mackintosh having to name himself among the subs – their goal in the dying minutes was no more than a consolation, although it did spark a brief charge on the Huntly goal; however, as the old adage goes: it was too little too late.

The visitors edged the opening exchanges and came close to unlocking the home defence in 10 minutes. A fine move down the left saw a delivery to Angus Grant, but the Huntly man lost control of the ball as he tried to turn and get his shot away.

At the other end, Calum Mackay threatened as he cut in from the right, but he was stopped abruptly when he was clattered by keeper Leonard Wilson as he punched clear.

Good play from Adrian Voigt down the left saw the ball played into the Huntly box. The visitors’ defence failed to clear properly allowing Ben Barron to get a header away, but his effort came back off the upright.

Matthew Wallace came close to breaking the deadlock for the visitors when he got a boot to a low ball off a corner, but it drifted just wide of goal.

Careless play from Mackay saw Grant almost capitalise, but the Nairn man’s blushes were spared when Lewis Munro managed to get strong gloves behind Grant’s effort.

Nairn suffered a blow with 35 minutes played when captain Millar Gamble limped off. Sammy Gordon was his replacement, while Callum MacLean took the armband.

Five minutes before the break, Barron outjumped everyone to meet a corner from the left, but the striker couldn’t get over the ball enough to get it on target and it flew just over. (H-T 0-0.)

There hadn’t been much in the way of goal action in the first period, so it was a bit surprising when a goal arrived just a minute after the restart – unfortunately if fell to the visitors.

Grant was being closely marked by Angus Dey just inside the box and when Grant went to ground ref Will Adam – who handled the game well – immediately pointed to the spot. Grant got up to take the spot kick and fired powerfully into the bottom corner, giving Munro absolutely no chance.

Some poor defending, though, let the visitors in for goal number two after 51 minutes.

Sam Robertson was allowed to make space for himself as he cut in from the right, beating his marker on the byline. He then stepped inside to drill the ball home from a tight angle.

Gordon then came within a whisker of pulling a goal back when, racing in from the left, he met Ben Kelly’s low cross superbly, but it flew just wide of Wilson’s right-hand post.

Then some sloppy play from Nairn allowed the visitors to counter and it took a fine low save from Munro to stop Wallace from increasing his side’s lead.

A fine high ball found Barron looking to capitalise on the edge of the area, however, he was well marshalled by James Connelly who did just enough to nudge the ball clear of the striker.

But some poor defending, with seven minutes to go, led to the ball finding its way to S. Robertson on the right of the Nairn box and he had time to pick out Scott Logan, who knocked the ball home from close range.

It looked all over for the home side until some calamitous defending from the visitors let Barron in for the easiest of chances to make it 3-1 with four minutes to go.

Gordon then tested Wilson with a fine angled drive, before another error from Wilson saw the ball break for Kelly, on the edge of the area, but he pulled his shot wide. And in the dying seconds, Tyler Eadie fired just over in what was the game’s last threat on goal and the result leaves Nairn in 13th spot with four points from five games.

NAIRN COUNTY – Munro, Carnihan, C. MacLean, Gamble (c) (Gordon 35), Dey, Eadie, Mackay, Kelly, Barron, As-Chainey (K. McKenzie 70), Voigt. Substitutes not used – Bain, Thomson, Mackintosh, D. MacLean (gk)

HUNTLY – Wilson, Connelly, McNaughton, Heslop (Watson 60 (yellow 77)), Logan, S. Robertson, Grant (Allen 76), Youngson, (D. Robertson 76) Fraser, Crosbie (Morris 60), Wallace (Sewell 70). Substitutes not used – Brodie (gk).