July 15th 2024
SUBSTITUTES Greg Buchan and Paul Campbell came off the bench to make an instant impact for Fraserburgh as they both found the net to turn this game at Station Park on its head and secure all three points for the visitors. Adam Naismith put Nairn ahead early in the second half but after being introduced as soon as the Broch fell behind, Buchan and Campbell both struck within six minutes to swing the game the way of Mark Cowie’s men. Scott Barbour anticipated Callum Maclean’s pass back to James Kendall in the Nairn goal on 11 minutes, which meant when the Nairn goalkeeper miscued his clearance, the attacker was able to pounce and play in Ryan Sargent. But his effort was blocked by the sliding Adam Naismith to let his goalkeeper off the hook. Nairn’s luck was in again just a minute later when a free kick into the County box was knocked down to Barbour six yards outside the right-hand post. He smashed the ball across goal but luckily for the hosts, there were no takers for Broch to convert the opener. County almost opened the scoring themselves on 21 minutes. Tom Maclennan swung in a right-footed free kick from right-of-centre 25 yards out. Callum Maclean was unmarked and stooped to meet it with a header but the centre-half made too clean a connection with the ball, sending it straight into the grateful arms of rooted Fraserburgh goalkeeper, Edward Flinn. Ryan Cowie delivered an in-swinging free kick from the right into the Nairn box on 27 minutes. Sean Butcher directed it goalwards with a header but his effort deflected off Ewen Urquhart and dropped just past the near post. Flinn stepped up to the mark for his side on 31 minutes as he threw himself to his right to prevent Tom Maclennan’s 22-yard free kick from finding to top left-hand corner of the net. At the other end, Lewis Davidson stood over a free kick three minutes later just outside the 18-yard line and although his drilled low effort took a nick off Barbour, Kendall pounced on the ball to keep the game level. County opened the scoring from the penalty spot on 51 minutes. Adam Naismith was tripped inside the penalty area by Marc Dickson and picked himself up to stroke home from 12 yards. But Fraserburgh turned the game on its head to lead it just six minutes later. They found a leveller on 55 minutes with Aidan Combe jinking between down defenders to find his way to the by-line on the right. And his low ball across was knocked home by Greg Buchan from close range. Then, two minutes later, Combe again delivered from the right and although his cross was headed away by Kenny McKenzie, the ball dropped to the unmarked Paul Campbell just inside the penalty area and he smashed a volley into the top left-hand corner. Barbour then clipped a cross into the box from the by-line on the right but Campbell was underneath it and sent his close-range header well over on 66 minutes. Then, a minute later, Glenn Main made a vital interception to deny Barbour as the attacker ran in on Kendall’s goal. Combe clipped the ball into the box from the right-edge of the penalty area on 76 minutes and it glanced off the head of Cameron Buchan but dropped just beyond the far post. Combe should have added gloss to the win in the final minute when he went around Kendall but he stroked the ball past the post with the goal gaping. Nairn County – Kendall, Dingwall, K. McKenzie, Callum Maclean (yellow 66), Glenn Main, Maclennan, Naismith, Urquhart (Shewan 71), D. Mackenzie, Ramsay, Ewan. Subs unused: Dey, Ednie, J. Maclean, Cameron Maclean, Eadie, D. Maclean (gk). Fraserburgh – Flinn, Dickson, Hay, Cowie, C. Buchan, Davidson, Combe (MacDonald 90), Young, Butcher (Campbell 52), Sargent (yellow 17) (G. Buchan 52), Barbour. Subs unused: Stuart, Simpson, Leask (gk). Referee – Filippo Mazzoni. Graeme Macleod
