October 9th 2026
BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE
NAIRN COUNTY v DEVERONVALE
3PM, SATURDAY 29TH AUGUST 2026
STATION PARK, NAIRN
Written by Pierce Menzies
Highland League football returns to Station Park this weekend as Nairn host Deveronvale as County look to bounce back from last weekend.
Wayne Mackintosh’s side are winless since their opening day victory against Rothes and are off the back of a 6-1 derby day defeat away to Clachnacuddin last weekend.
The defeat saw Mackintosh field the same starting-11 that draw with Lossiemouth just days prior as Mackintosh dusted off his boots and started in the middle of the park.
Mackintosh explained his decision to take to the pitch as he said: “We needed some more experience and organisation in the middle of the park, and I felt I could help the players in there; it is not something I plan to make a habit of going forward.”
Deveronvale sit one point below Nairn as the Vale have also only won one game so far this season: a 3-0 win at home against Rothes earlier this month.
Mackintosh gave his thoughts on the opponents as he said: “Deveronvale have had some good results over the last couple of weeks.
“By all reports, they were unfortunate not to be further ahead of Forres at half time last week and will be annoyed they were pegged back in the second half to draw the game.
“Before that, they had knocked Turriff out of the Aberdeenshire Cup and beat Rothes in the league, so they will arrive in a positive frame of mind and confident that they can win the game.
“It goes without saying that we will need a massive improvement from last week if we want to take all three points.”
Mackintosh was candid ahead of the match as he said: “There are a few things we have needed to work on.
“Obviously, what happened last week was completely unacceptable; we take responsibility for that and are doing everything we can to turn it around.
“The players know what is required of them, and it is our job as coaches to get the best out of them; we have good quality in the squad, and it is up to us to give the players the best opportunity to go out and show that.”
Nairn are unbeaten in their last three meetings with the Vale as the Wee County won 6-1 away at the Princess Royal Park and drew the remaining two.
County’s last loss to Deveronvale came in the form of a 2-1 loss away to the Banff based side in the 2024/25 season.
Ahead of Saturday’s match, Mackintosh addressed the players and Station Park faithful directly as he said: “We need to stick together as a group if we want to come out the other side of this.
“We are all still hurting from last week and it has been one of my toughest weeks in football.
“If the players go out there and execute the game plan and follow the instructions that we give to them then we give ourselves a chance and I am sure they will get as much positive support from the fans on Saturday to help them do that.”
