November 20th 2023
A HEALTHY crowd turned out at the Showfield to witness Nairn County put in their most impressive performance of pre-season in a local derby match against Nairn St Ninian, writes Graeme Macleod. The visitors ran out 8-1 winners having led 5-0 at half time. Manager Les Fridge shuffled his pack with starts for young goalkeeper Sam Maclean, new signings Sam Urquhart and Chris Moir and trialist Matt Murphy. Nairn wasted no time in opening the scoring with Ross Naismith turning home Paul Macleod's cutback on 10 minutes. Michael Morrison headed in a Naismith cross to make it two before Sam Urquhart latched on to Gary Kerr's pass and lifted the goal over the goalkeeper for number three. Urquhart then grabbed his second of the match as he got on the end of a Moir pass and Kerr made it five before the break by sweeping home Wayne Mackintosh's low left wing cross. Kerr picked up where he had left off before the break to lash home his side's sixth shortly after the interval before former County striker Jason Robertson curled the ball into the top corner at the other end to get the hosts off the mark. Naismith's corner was hooked home by Morrison at the back post for County's seventh and his second of the night and then substitute Alan Pollock rounded off the win with a back post finish. Graeme Macleod
