December 5th 2023
THREE late goals saw St Duthus turn this game around with Nairn County under-20s taking the opportunity to have a look at some of the younger players coming through from the under-17s squad. After a couple of half chances at both ends, Nairn broke the deadlock 23 minutes in. Debutant Ian Payne clipped a neat through ball behind St Duthus centre half John Skinner. That setup a foot race between the defender and County attacker Jamie Mackay, with the Nairn man sprinting away before finishing coolly beyond visiting 'keeper Steven Martin. Fraser Wilkie had to look alert to keep out Ken Morrison's side-footed effort on 31 minutes as the Nairn goalkeeper made a smart save to keep out the Tain man's shot from 15 yards. Nairn doubled their lead on 39 minutes. Mackay was the provider this time as he drilled in a low cross from the right that Sam Gordon flicked on to Nick Highet, who managed to poke it out to trialist and he lashed the ball into the bottom left corner of the net from just inside the box. Tain pulled a goal back seven minutes after half time. Liam Rostock charged down the right and pulled the ball across goal for Scott Miller to drill home from 10 yards out at the far post. The visitors pushed on from that continuing to threaten, with trialist heading a cross from the right just past the far post on 75 minutes. Nairn spent the majority of the second half defending but broke away on 81 minutes with Matty Macleod feeding Joe Cuthbert but his bending shot from 20 yard brushed the top of the net on its way just over the crossbar. St Duthus found a leveller on 83 minutes. Trialist threaded a pass through the Nairn defence and although Alan Davis looked a yard offside, play continued and he placed the ball beyond the exposed Wilkie. And the assisting trialist netted himself on 87 minutes as he nicked a low cross from the left beyond the helpless Wilkie at the near post. It was a double for trialist in the final minute as he was the first man on the scene after a bending shot from Sam Beeston came down off the underside of the crossbar. Nairn County – Wilkie, Payne, Reid (Alexander 46), Millard (Colliar 58), Tweedie (Wheeler 8), Munro, Barton, Trialist (Trialist 43), Mackay (Macleod 52), Highet (MacBean 52), Gordon (Cuthbert 58). Subs unused: St Duthus – Martin, MacDonald (Trialist 67), Sutherland (Davis 53), Beetson, John Skinner, Campbell, Cowie (Trialist 53), Mackintosh, Miller (Jamie Skinner 67), Rostock (Farquhar 67), Morrison. Subs unused: Referee – Darren Munro. Graeme Macleod
