December 23rd 2024
CALLUM Ednie's thunderous volley was the highlight of an impressive showing from the under-20s as they added another three points to their tally with a trio of unanswered goals against Brora Rangers. Dylan Maclean was called into action eight minutes in as he had to look sharp to readjust his feet and dive to his right before gathering one-time Brora club captain Zander Sutherland's deflected shot from the edge of the box. But Nairn settled into it and opened the scoring on 16 minutes. Seamus McConaghy delivered an out-swinging free kick from the right to the far post that was met by Craig Munro, with the centre half stretching every sinew to power home a header. What followed three minutes later was even better. A cross in from Craig McDermott on the left was flicked on to the arriving Callum Ednie to blast a rising volley that crashed into the top right hand corner from 15 yards. Scott Lisle shot straight at Maclean for Brora and then at the other end on 36 minutes, Craig McDermott slipped in Max Ewan but his low shot from just inside the right-edge of the box drifted across goal and inches past the far post. Brora started the second half well and on 49 minutes, A Zander Sutherland free kick dropped to James Ross just inside the box and he stabbed the ball inches past the right-hand post. Then, nine minutes later, Lisle called Maclean into action with a low, first time grounder from 22 yards that the Nairn stopper clutched. But County made it three with a quick break on the hour-mark. Craig McDermott cut inside on the left and flighted a cross with his right foot to the far post, where Ednie was on hand to chest the ball down to Ryan MacBean. And the striker rifled it into the roof of the net from 10 yards. Brora almost pulled a goal back on 66 minutes. Lisle met Zander Sutherland's in-swinging free kick from the right with a header that Maclean did well to claw away after diving to his right. The visitors should have got on the scoresheet two minutes later but Ryan Patterson showed dragged his shot from just four yards out off a low ball in from the right past the far post. Maclean was called into action again nine minutes from the end when he had to use his boot to divert substitute Ben Campbell's low shot over the crossbar. Nairn County – D. Maclean, Ednie, Callum Maclean (Gordon 60), Cameron Maclean (yellow 49), Munro, Cuthbert, McConaghy (Tweedie 83), Ewan, MacBean (S. Main 68), M. Macleod, McDermott (J. W. Maclean 73 (y 85)). Subs unused: Stewart (gk). Brora Rangers – Yuill, Allan, C. Sutherland, Patterson (Campbell 74), Ross (yellow 87), S. Lisle, Webster (Griffiths 74), Urquhart (Scott 85), Z. Sutherland, Allan (MacKenzie 85), MacKay (MacBeath 46). Subs unused: -. Referee – John Nicolson. Graeme Macleod
