July 15th 2024
TWO second half goals from Ryan MacBean earned Nairn County under-20s their first win of the season as they edged a home derby clash against Clachnacuddin. Clach started well and on 11 minutes, Calum Black took advantage of space in the midfield to drive forward and fire in a low shot that had to be dealt with by Dylan Maclean, who dived to his right to parry the midfielder's effort from 15 yards. Nairn took until the half-hour to call Clach goalkeeper Finlay More into action with the Lilywhites' number one diving to his left to tip wide Max Ewan's low shot across goal from the corner of the box. Then, on the stroke of half time, Chiedu Ikeme picked out Ali Gunn with a low cross into the box with the striker spinning 10 yards out at the front post before blasting across goal but his effort was held by the diving Maclean. Nairn made a flying start to the second half by breaking the deadlock in the first minute. Ewan's low shot across goal came back off the base of the post and was clipped back into the danger area by Sam Gordon for the unmarked Ryan MacBean to help over the line from a yard out. Gordon then spun in the box after receiving a ball in from the left but he bent his shot across goal and over the bar. There was drama on 73 minutes when Dylan Maclean was judged to have foul Ikeme in the box after sliding out to hold up the Clach wide man. But the stopper made amends as he threw himself to his right to deny Rorie Macleod from 12 yards with Nairn booting the ball out for the corner. Maclean excelled himself from the resulting flag kick preventing Craig Munro from knocking the ball in at the near post with another fantastic save before flying through the air to tip a header over the top. Nairn saw it out from the next corner to relieve the pressure then went up the other end and doubled their lead. Matty Macleod was played through on goal and although his shot was blocked by the legs of More, Ryan MacBean was on hand to blast home the rebound past the grounded goalkeeper from the edge of the box. Callum Ednie made a jinking run into the box on 83 minutes as he advanced down the left but he hit the side netting with his effort. The visitors pulled a goal back on 88 minutes when Craig Munro miscued a clearance, allowing Scott MacDonald to advance in on goal and slip the ball under Maclean. Nairn County – D. Maclean (yellow 73), Campbell (M. Macleod 55), McDermott (Wheeler 77), Munro, Ednie, Cameron Maclean, Cuthbert, McConaghy (y 27) (S. Main 85), MacBean, Ewan (y 35), Gordon (Tweedie 87). Subs unused: Wilkie (gk). Clachnacuddin – More, J. Fraser, Maclean, Patience, Kennedy, Black (MacDonald 79), Macleod, Dingwall, Gunn (Fraser 69), Ross, Ikeme. Subs unused: Lawrence, Davidson, Mackenzie. Referee – Lee Robinson. Graeme Macleod
