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NORTH OF SCOTLAND CUP FIRST ROUND
NAIRN COUNTY 4 – 1 INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE
TUESDAY 20TH AUGUST 2024
STATION PARK, NAIRN
Goal Scorers: Callum Maclean (‘7), Fraser Dingwall (‘35), Scott Lisle (‘56), Matthew Wright (’59); Shae Keogh (’64)
Today Team Ltd: Man of the Match Scott Lisle
Match Report by Thomas Altheron
It was a breath taking display from The Wee County on Tuesday evening at a well attended Station Park. Nairn put four past Caley, only conceding once to proceed in the North of Scotland Cup.
County kicked off the match and right away showed intent to score. It only took four minutes for a major chance to come Nairn’s way where a free kick was whipped into the box, being headed and nearly flew in just gliding past the post.
That chance was deflected and so a corner was the result, where an Ali Gillies corner met a Callum MacLean free header.
For a while, Nairn kept in control of the ball with nice passing play and possession football. However, this stint was also marked by a few chances towards Dylan MacLean’s net. Caley’s Calum MacKay who had a few impressive dribbles throughout the match, played a wonderful pass through to Cameron Ferguson who subsequently had a shot on goal which came to no avail.
Nairn also had their chances, particularly when Callum MacLean had an impressive one-two on the side of the box where the ball was crossed in but ultimately dealt with. Weather conditions began to turn around this time with light rain trickling onto the pitch. With 10 minutes left on the clock before half time, a ball travelled into the box from a corner where it failed to be dealt with by Caley defenders, letting Fraser Dingwall slot it home.
In the run up to half time, Caley seemed to calm things down by keeping the ball in the middle of the pitch. Nairn did have one more half chance where Scott Lisle had the ball from a far distance and took a shot, going over the bar. Then the half-time whistle blew and both teams headed back to their dressing rooms.
Caley got the match back underway and within a matter of moments had the ball close to the Nairn box, before being cleared. Caley very marginally seemed to have the upper hand in the opening minutes, keeping possession but not making many chances. Nothing optimised this more when in the 52nd minute, Caley had a free kick on the edge of the box and a ball was swung into the box only to immediately be stopped by a free kick given in the opposite direction.
Only four minutes later, Inverness would regret not making more out of their possession of the ball as Scott Lisle found the net from inside the box. The goal occurred after Callum MacLean crossed the ball from the far right of the pitch with Matthew Wright placing it on a tee for Scott Lisle.
The pendulum began to tip heavily in Nairn’s favour as they were on the hunt for a fourth goal. Caley began to look outstretched and were struggling to keep up with the passing play which Nairn were utilising. This passage of play was perfected, when only three minutes after the last goal, Nairn had another. Matthew Wright who was already having a spectacular evening made it even better with a clean finish after having the ball passed to him.
Despite Nairn’s utter domination up to this point, Caley were not done quite yet as a goal from Shae Keogh gave the visitors some hope. It occurred in the 64th minute after a mistake at the back from the Nairn defence, with Dylan MacLean unfortunately not able to clear the ball, giving Keogh a golden opportunity.
Despite the slight blip, Nairn would continue with their supremacy, as a wonderful chance presented itself in the 70th minute. Scott Lisle fought hard in the centre of the pitch, delivering a wonderful pass to Callum MacLean who did a Cruyff turn and by millimetres hit it over the bar.
Both teams by this point were showing lots of effort to retain possession with hard tackles and a changing of possession that would reflect a bit of a ping pong match. Nairn would have one or two more decent opportunities but from here on out it was a stalemate. The game ended as the sky turned pitch black and Nairn were the winners.
In conclusion, it was an impressive victory for The Wee County, with Scott Lisle earning Man of the Match. There were some excellent performances all over the pitch and some much needed redemption after Rothes. Caley’s youthful team, despite the result, also gave a good account of themselves.
Up next in the North of Scotland Cup, Nairn will host Clachnacuddin at Station Park.
Nairn County: Dylan Maclean, Callum Maclean, Fraser Dingwall (C), Alister Morrison, Kenny McKenzie (Jamie Carnihan 73), Alasdair Gillies, Angus Dey, Jonathan Bain, Ben Barron (Gary Kerr 65), Matthew Wright (Ben Kelly 65), Scott Lisle (Sam Gordon 77)
Subs Unused: Munro (GK), Andrew Greig, Alan Pollock, Wayne Mackintosh
Inverness Caledonian Thistle: Martin MacKinnon, Gavin Thomson, Matthew Strachan, Sam Thompson, Jack Walker, Leo Walker, Calum MacKay, Shae Keogh, Cameron Ferguson, Robbie Thompson, Ben Corner
Subs: Szymon Rebilas, James Clark, Ben Gardiner, Hashem Alsharaydeh, Lewis Luxton, Matteus Robertson, Matthew Pearce
