October 5th 2026
BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE
NAIRN COUNTY 2 – 1 BRORA RANGERS
WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2026
STATION PARK, NAIRN
Goal Scorers: Paul Brindle (64′), Calum Mackay (89′); Craig MacKenzie (77′)
Ralph Sayer Man of the Match: Jamie Carnihan
Match Report by John Dolan
County made two changes from the side that drew 4-4 at Inverurie. Gary Pullen was missing and Tyler Eadie dropped to the bench. In came Kenny McKenzie and Angus Dey; however, for the latter it was a night to forget when he was sent off just minutes after half time for picking up a second yellow.
The visitors began the night top of the table and were looking to bounce back from their surprise home draw to Keith in their last outing.
There wasn’t much between the sides in the opening exchanges – and it took until the 17th minute for the first real opening to come.
An error by Michael Finnis allowed McKenzie to bear down on the Brora goal. The midfielder though opted to lay the ball off to Paul Brindle, however, the ex-Brora man lifted the ball over the advancing keeper, but he got too much on it and it flew over the bar.
The visitors threated with half an hour played when Craig MacKenzie cut the ball back for Aidan Wilson, on the edge of the area, but he couldn’t keep his shot on target and it flew over the top.
However, a minute later Wilson did much better when he went close with a drive from 20 yards, which brought out a fine save in Thomas McHale, forcing the keeper to push the ball wide for a corner.
The visitors began to dominate possession, but found the home defence in no mood to capitulate; however, McHale had to look lively again, just before the break, to keep out Alex Cooper’s 20-yard free kick. (H-T 0-0.)
Two minutes after the re-start came Dey’s ordering off, but the visitors’ Mark Nicolson was lucky to get away with just a yellow for a cynical challenge on Andy Greig, hauling the player to the ground after he had been skinned by the tricky winger.
But Nicolson’s night would be over, too, on the hour when he received a second yellow card.
The sending off looked to have unsettled visitors and minutes later, Nairn were unlucky not to take the lead when a Brindle shot hit the base of the post.
However, with 64 minutes played Brindle wouldn’t be denied. The striker latched on to Eadie’s through ball and as Brora keeper Cameron Mackay came racing off his line, Brindle did just enough to nudge the ball past the shot-stopper and the ball rolled into the empty net.
County were looking comfortable with their narrow lead, but were pegged back in 77 minutes by a fairly simple goal. Max Ewan found space down the right before delivering a fine cross into the box where the unmarked Mackenzie stooped to head the ball low beyond McHale.
Brora came close to a second when Jordan MacRae slipped a couple of Nairn markers before unleashing a powerful drive from 25 yards, but McHale was well placed to block.
However, it would be the home side who would snatch all three points, and put a massive dent in the Wee Rangers’ title hopes, when Calum Mackay’s free kick eluded everyone as it curled its way beyond a ruck of players and caught keeper Mackay flat-footed and the ball ended up in the back of the net.
And three minutes into added time, substitute Ben Barron was denied when he met a Greig cross, but Mackay was in the right place to block with his feet in what was the game’s last goal-scoring opportunity.
A great morale-boosting result for Wayne Mackintosh’s ever evolving team and augurs well as County head into the final third of the season and there is every reason to believe they can continue to move up the SHFL table.
NAIRN COUNTY – McHale, Carnihan, Wood, Gamble, Dingwall (MacLean 52) , K. McKenzie (Voigt 78), Mackay, Dey, Brindle (Barron 65), As-Chainey (Eadie 52), Greig (yellow 42). Substitutes not used – Mackintosh, Munro (gk).
BRORA RANGERS – MacKay, Draper (Nicolson 28 (y43,60)), Finnis, Cooper, MacKenzie, Sutherland, Keogh, Thompson, Ewan, Wilson (Dingwall 56), Bruce (MacRae 73). Substitutes not used – Rae, Hardie, Wallace.
Referee – Robert MacKinnon
Match sponsor – Tom Monteith Solicitors
