December 5th 2023
NORTH CALEDONIAN LEAGUE
NAIRN COUNTY RESERVES 4-2 ST DUTHUS
TUESDAY 11 APRIL 2023
STATION PARK, NAIRN
Goalscorers: Tyler Eadie (6), Kenny MacInnes (34), Sam Gordon (52), Owen MacDonald (73)
Outgoing Reserves Team Head Coach, Stuart Finnie bowed out from home duties with a win as his team defeated St Duthus 4-2 at Station Park last night.
We should have been ahead on three minutes when Tyler Eadie played Sam Gordon through on the right and his low cross was knocked goalwards by Stephen Rennie. The goalkeeper made a smart save but the rebound dropped to Kieran Duffty however, he scooped his shot-on-the-turn over the crossbar.
We went ahead with our next attack three minutes later though as Tyler Eadie drifted in from the left and lashed a right-footed shot inside the left-hand post.
Rennie almost doubled the lead on 15 minutes but his low drive from 22 yards cracked the post.
The visitors levelled with their first attack of the night when a ball slipped through the Nairn defence was played across for Bradi Hume and his one-touch finish beat Lewis Munro in the County goal.
Just three minutes later, A long throw-in from Cameron Lisle on the right was headed clear but only as far as the unmarked Kenny MacInnes and from just inside the box, the midfielder arrowed a shot beyond the goalkeeper.
Seven minutes into the second half, good work by Duffty saw us win the ball high out on the left touchline, with Sam Gordon driving inside before evading a challenge and firing a rising effort into the roof of the net from 25 yards to put daylight between the teams.
But St Duthus came roaring back with James Mackay blasting in a low, 30-yard free kick which squirmed under Munro on 59 minutes to trim the deficit back to one.
Aidan Cruickshank put Gordon through on 67 minutes but he stabbed his shot off the chest of the advancing goalkeeper then three minutes later, Eadie’s cross from the right was touched goalwards by Duffty but the ‘keeper made a great reaction save.
Substitute Owen MacDonald made an instant impact as he made it four just two minutes after coming on. He fastened on to a loose ball in the box – after more industrious work by the impressive Rennie – on 74 minutes and drilled it under the goalie.
The woodwork denied Rennie again on 76 minutes when his chip came back off the crossbar with the goalkeeper rooted. The rebound dropped to Cruickshank, who teed up Lisle for a cross with his delivery finding the head of MacDonald. But he was denied a second goal of the night as the goalkeeper parried the ball away from close range.
Another ball across the face from the right by Eadie was met by substitute Rory Williamson but he was denied by a great stop from the goalkeeper.
NAIRN COUNTY RESERVES: Lewis Munro, Cameron Lisle (Scott Stewart 79), Murray Wilson, Scott Mutch, Calum Howarth, Kenny MacInnes, Tyler Eadie, Stephen Rennie, Kieran Duffty (Owen MacDonald 72), Sam Gordon (Rory Williamson 67), Aidan Cruickshank (Liam Balfour 77).
Sub unused: Reid Peterkin (gk).
