December 5th 2023
JACK Maclean was the hero for Nairn County as they took care of Lossiemouth at Station Park. The visitors broke the deadlock from the penalty spot 10 minutes in. Gregg Main fouled Scott Miller with a challenge from behind as the Lossiemouth attacker controlled a throw-in from the right with his back to goal. Referee Dan MacFarlane pointed to the spot and striker got up to dust himself down and covert from 12 yards. County failed to muster much in the final third in the opening quarter of the game but were back on level terms on 24 minutes. Gregg Main's free kick from the right was touched off the head of Gary Kerr by Lossiemouth goalkeeper Darren McConnachie but when the ball came back into the box from the left following a Jordan Macrae throw-n, Callum Maclean was on hand to sweep home his second goal of the season from 10 yards. County looked to find a way in front on 33 minutes through Gregg Main's corner from the left but the ball was knocked just past the near post by Kerr. Then, a minute later, McConnachie elected to punch the ball into the air with Wayne Mackintosh knocking it down to Paul Macleod. The defender's angled drive from 10 yards out was beaten away by McConnachie at his near post with the ball coming back to Macleod who again blasted goalwards but the Lossie stopper again came out on top. The hosts continued to press with Jordan Macrae losing his footing and skewing his shot well over the bar after connecting with a low cross in from the right on 35 minutes. Lossiemouth retaliated on 39 minutes as the Nairn defence stood and watched a free kick in from the left allowing goal scorer Miller to meet it with a side-footed volley that Dylan Maclean touched over the crossbar with a stunning save. The visitors were reduced to 10 men on 43 minutes. Joao Rodriques was rightly booked for a dive in the penalty area and then lost the plot with a violent reaction towards Gregg Main resulting in a second yellow before landing himself in even more hot water by making an obscene gesture towards the supporters in the stand on his way off. Nairn were first to threaten in the second half through Wayne Mackintosh's clipped ball towards the far post from the right but McConnachie managed to claw it away from finding the net. Jordan Macrae challenged the 'keeper as the ball dropped with it then landing at Kenny McKenzie to smashed home but the referee awarded Lossiemouth a free kick for Macrae's foul. County then hit the front in style on 62 minutes. Chris Moir's superb clipped pass into the right channel was latched on to by Kerr, as the striker bullied two defenders to get their first before laying it back to Moir. The midfielder then popped a cross into the box for Jack Maclean to charge on to and crash a header over McConnachie from eight yards. Nairn could have made the result safe nine minutes from time when Ally Bellingham fouled Wayne Mackintosh in the box after some superb trickery by the County skipper. But Kerr stepped up to smack the base of the post with the penalty. Lossiemouth should have made Nairn pay for that miss on 84 minutes though. Ryan Farquhar rolled the ball across goal for fellow substitute Ross Archibald but he side-footed the ball across goal and beyond the right hand post when it looked easier to find the net. Nairn County – D. Maclean, J. Maclean, C. Maclean (yellow 70), P. Macleod, Glenn Main, Mackintosh (y 15), McKenzie, Riddell (Moir 12), Kerr, Gregg Main (y 41), Macrae (D. Mackenzie 82). Subs: S. Mackenzie, Mackay, Ednie, R. Macleod (gk). Lossiemouth – McConnachie, Ross (yellow 90+2), Bellingham, C. Ross, Hamilton, Stewart (McMullan 53), Miller (y 67), Charlesworth (Archibald 80), Rodriques (y, 42, 43), Mathers (Farquhar 62) (y 90+1), Scott. Subs: Smith, Bell, Noble, Wardrop. Referee – Dan MacFarlane. Graeme Macleod
