December 23rd 2024
BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE
NAIRN COUNTY 2 – 1 TURRIFF UNITED
SATURDAY 4th NOVEMBER 2023
STATION PARK, NAIRN
Goalscorers: Aaron Nicolson (19), Dingwall (32); Clark (68)
Nairn County game themselves the perfect tonic before this week’s North of Scotland Cup Final, with a hard-fought victory over Turriff United, at Station Park.
Goals from Youngster Aaron Nicolson, and skipper Fraser Dingwall eventually saw them secure the points, a result that saw them move into sixth spot in the Highland League.
The home sided lined up with one change from last weeks starting eleven, with skipper Fraser Dingwall coming back into the side, in place of Jamie Carnihan, who took a place on the bench.
The match opened with a minute’s silence in respect of two former club legends, Tommy McGillivray & Alex Young, who both passed away last week.
The opening exchanges saw both teams go in search of an early opener, with John Allan going close for the visitors, while at the other end, Aaron Nicolson was inches away from giving County that early lead.
Ciaran Young brought a fine save from United keeper David Dey as County continued to press at every opportunity, following a corner. The visitors were anything but out of the early stages, and a fine interchange involving Allan and Neil Gauld saw Dylan Maclean push the latter’s effort round the post.
The opener duly arrived after 20 minutes, and it was the home side who broke the deadlock. A good move down the left touchline ended with player-manager Steven Mackay delivering a superb ball for Aaron Nicolson, who swept home to give the Wee County the lead – and in doing so netted his first goal for the club in fine style.
Back came the visitors and twice in five minutes, Dylan MacLean pulled of two excellent saves to deny Gauld and Murray Cormack in quick succession.
Those missed opportunities were to prove costly for the visitors, when the home side doubled their advantage after 33 minutes. Fine build up play ended with skipper Fraser Dingwall smashing home a fine second, to put the home side in control.
The second period saw the visitors come out on the offensive, desperately looking to claw their way back into the match. The home side countered and should have added to their lead when Dingwall went close with a powerful header that drifted agonisingly close to the third.
Steven Mackay could have scored for the home side on 62 minutes, when he failed to control an opportunity at the far post – with the chance eventually cleared for a corner.
Six minutes later the visitors were back in the match when John Allan found the net after excellent lead up play opened up the Nairn rearguard to set up the chance.
With opportunities going a begging at both ends, Nairn County held their nerve to set themselves up nicely while maintaining their winning run before this week’s North Cup Final meeting with Ross County, at Grant Street Park, Inverness.
NAIRN COUNTY: Dylan Maclean: Callum Maclean, Steven Mackay (Ben Kelly 81′), Ross Tokely, Fraser Dingwall (C): Alasdair Gillies (Angus Dey 54′), Andrew MacLeod (Wayne MacKintosh 64′), Kenny McKenzie, George Robetson, Ciaran Young (Calum Mackay 54′), Aaron Nicolson
Subs unused: Lewis Munro (GK), Owen MacDonald, Sam Gordon, Tyler Eadie, Jamie Carnihan
Match Referee: Lewis Brown
