November 20th 2023
BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE
NAIRN COUNTY 2 – 1 TURRIFF UNITED
SATURDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2022
STATION PARK, NAIRN
Goalscorers: Ciaran Young (27), Fraser Dingwall (78); Munro OG (47)
Royal British Legion Nairn Man of the Match: Wayne Mackintosh
County went into their meeting with Turriff United on the back of a three game unbeaten run and were looking to add to that impressive tally against the Aberdeenshire side, when they met at Station Park.
The first period belonged to the home side, as they totally controlled proceedings, with the visitors seen little in an attacking sense. There were a number of fine performances from the home side with Ross Tokely and skipper Fraser Dingwall marshalling the defence superbly.
In midfield, there were superb performances from Conor Gethins, Adam Porritt and Angus Dey, while Liam Shewan and Ciaran Young caused numerous problems to the Turriff United defensive line throughout.
The Station Park side were the early aggressors with Ciaran Young prominent in the opening exchanges. The visitors were being pushed back constantly following an impressive start from the home side. Ciaran Young raced to the by-line, and his cutback was swept over the bar by Conor Gethins when in good position.
Seven minutes later, Nairn created another clear opportunity, this time Gethins spurned the opportunity when he latched onto a Liam Shewan cross but swept the chance past the post from eight yards with the home support waiting for the net to bulge.
The sustained pressure from the home side saw the opener arrive after 26 minutes, when Turriff United defender Liam Cheyne failed to clear a ball into his own box, and the impressive Ciaran Young reacted superbly to beat the advancing David Dey for the opener.
The home side now had their tails up. A minute later only a superb point blank save from the Turriff United keeper denied Ciaran Young his second in as many minutes. Three minutes from the interval it was almost 2-0, with only the width of the post denying Young a second, following a thumping left foot drive.
Two minutes into the second period, the visitors controversially drew level. From a Callan Gray corner County keeper Lewis Munro gathered the ball on the line, but to the consternation of the home side, referee Joel Kennedy indicated the ball had crossed the line for the equaliser.
The home side regained the advantage with fourteen minutes remaining. Adam Porritt flighted a long free kick into the visitors box, found skipper Fraser Dingwall with time and space to sweep home a superb effort.
With time running out Conor Gethins should have increased the home side’s advantage with a blistering strike that brought an equally fine save from the Turriff keeper David Dey.
A superb performance from the home side as they continue a rich vein of form. They will go into next weeks Highland League Cup meeting with Lossiemouth at Grant Park, with a lot of confidence.
NAIRN COUNTY: Lewis Munro: Callum Maclean, Stephen Rennie, Fraser Dingwall (C), Ross Tokely: Angus Dey, Adam Porritt, Wayne MacKintosh: Conor Gethins, Ciaran Young (Sam Gordon 72), Liam Shewan (Steven Mackay 65)
Subs unused: Gordon MacNab, Cameron Lisle, Rory Williamson, Paul MacLeod, Dylan MacLean (GK)
TURRIFF UNITED: D.Dey: Chalmers, Cheyne (Livingstone 85) Foster, Stuart, Cooper ( Smith 74) McKenzie, Strachan, Reid, Clark, Gray
Subs unused: R.Clark, McKeown
Referee: J Kennedy
