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HAVING waited almost three months for a home league fixture, Nairn County are preparing for their second SHFL match at Station Park in the space of four days as they welcome Rothes on Wednesday evening having defeated Strathspey Thistle by a single goal to nil at the weekend. Indeed, this midweek encounter will be the third game at the ground in a week-and-a-half with Nairn seeing off Lossiemouth by the odd goal in five in the first round of the Highland League (Morganti) Cup in what was the first action Station Park had seen since before the turn of the year. Lossiemouth were on the receiving end again at the weekend when they came up against Nairn’s midweek opponents with a goals-laden match at the Coasters’ Grant Park ending in a 6-4 victory for Steven MacDonald’s free-scoring Speysiders, who chalked up their second win in succession as they look to push on throughout the second half of the season and secure a top eight finish in the table. You can follow live updates from the match on the club’s social media feeds – facebook.com/nairncountyfc and @NairnCounty on Twitter with team line-ups before kick-off, coverage of all the major talking points from the match as they happen, a report on the final whistle and reaction from the County camp later in the week. Do not forget to also follow the club’s new official Instagram page @nairncountyfc for all the behind-the-scenes updates from Station Park before and after every match. Meanwhile, a preview is below: Date: Wednesday February 21st 2018 Competition: Scottish Highland Football League Kick-off: 2000 Opponents: Rothes Manager: Steven MacDonald Venue: Station Park, Nairn Previous meeting: Rothes 0 Nairn County 2 April 22nd 2017 Last time out: Nairn County 1 Strathspey Thistle 0; Lossiemouth 4 Rothes 6 League position: Nairn County 10th Rothes 9th Form guides: Nairn County WDWWWW Rothes LDLLWW Team news: There will be a few changes to Ronnie Sharp’s team for this one with Adam Naismith away until the visit of Fort William on March 3rd and Jack Maclean struggling with the knock he took to the calf that forced him off at half time during Saturday’s 1-0 win over Strathpey Thistle. Inaki Fernandino-Soto is also unavailable and all three join Callum Ednie, Gregg Main and Dylan Maclean on the sidelines after that trio also missed out at the weekend. One to watch: Jaime Wilson. A lightning quick and skilful attacker who has recently committed his long-term future to the Speysiders by penning a new contract after joining on a short-term deal just after the season started. Indeed, he has already turned out at Station Park this season when he featured from the bench as a trialist for Clachnacuddin and probably should have stuck away what would have been the winning goal when the ball broke to him in the goal mouth late on in that 1-1 draw. He has proved to be an important addition among a raft of new arrivals at MacKessack Park over the last 12 months and looks more than capable of stepping back up to Scottish League football having been released by Inverness CT at the end of last season. Match officials: Referee Billy Baxter, Assistants Gordon Seago and David Milligan. Weather forecast: Clear skies and light winds 3 degrees 5 mph wind. Admission prices: Adults £8 Concessions £5 (two children under the age of 14 are admitted for free if they are accompanied by a paying adult). Graeme Macleod
