July 15th 2024
NEALE Davidson netted an exquisite free kick to settle this contest on an afternoon where both sides will feel aggrieved to finish with 10 men. Neither red card was the most controversial call of the day though as referee Alex Shepherd appeared to be the only man in the ground who saw a brilliant Wayne Mackintosh tackle that led to the winning goal as a foul. It was an incident that summed up the day with Nairn going down to 10 men on 28 minutes with Jamie Mackay's dismissal before Paul Young saw red for the visitors 20 minutes into the second. Gregg Main's deep free kick from the right created an opening for Nairn on two minutes as he picked out Gary Kerr at the far post but the stooping striker headed the ball over the bar. It was the same source again for Nairn seven minutes later but this time the midfielder slipped a low ball into Jordan Macrae's path and his first-time strike from 10 yards rattled off the right-hand post with Kevin Main rooted to the spot. Turriff threatened with quarter-of-an-hour gone when Robbie Allan tossed in a free kick from the left that was flicked on by the head of David Booth towards the far post with the ball dropping just beyond the upright. United had a great chance to open the scoring on 18 minutes after a tangling of legs between David Ross and Glenn Main on the by-line led to referee Alex Shepherd pointing to the penalty spot. But Ryan Macleod threw himself to his left to hold David Booth's effort from 12 yards. The hosts were reduced to 10 men on 28 minutes with Jamie Mackay seeing a straight red for tripping Neale Davidson as he advanced down the left. The United wide man was well outside the width of the penalty area and two defenders were covering in the middle but referee Alex Shepherd still saw fit to dismiss the County player. But the 10-man hosts opened the scoring on 34 minutes. Jordan Macrae whipped in a superb in-swinging cross from 30 yards out on the left and Wayne Mackintosh rose highest to flash a superb header past the motionless Main. Turriff began to make their extra man count though by controlling possession and on 39 minutes, Ryan Macleod arched his back to tip David Ross's dipping shot from just inside the box over the bar. But the visitors levelled it two minutes before the break. David Ross used an arm to control Cammy Booth's shot from outside the box with the ball dropping at the striker's feet but the referee and lineman ignored it and the striker never needed a second invitation to sweep home. Turriff threatened again three minutes after the restart with Cammy Booth working the opening for a shot just outside the box but his effort was shovelled behind by Ryan Macleod at his near post. Neale Davidson then got in behind the Nairn defence as he controlled a long ball forward into his stride before screwing a low effort across goal and beyond the far post. Macleod had to look smart on 57 minutes as he threw himself to his left to push Allen Mackenzie's stinging drive from 20 yards around the post. The visitors went on front on 64 minutes with another poor decision going against Nairn. Wayne Mackintosh's tackle saw him win the ball but the referee awarded Turriff the free kick 20 yards from goal. And Neale Davidson stepped up to curl the ball around the wall and into the bottom corner. The numbers were evened up just a minute later though with Paul Young seeing red for United after a clash with Gregg Main in front of the stand. A superb, patient passing move by Nairn on 73 minutes ended with Gary Kerr teeing the ball up for Mackintosh and his drive from 20 yards out was pushed past the post by the diving Main. Nairn County – R. Macleod, Mackay (red 28), C. Maclean, S. Mackenzie, Glenn Main, Mackintosh (yellow 14), D. Mackenzie (Morganti 32), K. McKenzie, Kerr, Gregg Main (yellow 65), Macrae (Naismith 71). Subs: Riddell, Ednie, Fraser, Wilkie (gk). Turriff United – Main, Wood (yellow 83), Chalmers, C. Booth, Bowden, Young (y 21) (red 65), MacKenzie, Allan, Ross (Wozniak 77), D. Booth. Davidson. Subs: Herd, Nowosielski, Strachan, Bruce, Walker, Sherman. Referee – Alex Shepherd. Graeme Macleod
