July 15th 2024
ROSS Naismith returned to the Nairn County team with a bang as his two goals at Turriff United were enough to see the visitors come away with all three points. County threatened three minutes in when Callum Maclean got his boot to Ross Naismith's in-swinging corner from the left with a deft touch at the near post but the ball flew across goal and rose over the bar. The visitors went even closer two minutes later. Dylan Mackenzie took on Cameron Bowden down the right and his delivery was cleared off the shin of Cohen Ramsay, with the ball then coming back off the face of the crossbar. The opening goal arrived on 10 minutes. Adam Porritt's cross was cleared into the path of Jordan MacRae, who was denied by a great sprawling save from Kevin Main in the Turriff goal but Ross Naismith was the quickest to react as he bundled home the rebound from close range. MacRae was involved again on 23 minutes when he was played through by Kenny McKenzie but his low drive from 18 yards across goal was tipped wide by the diving Main. Then, on 29 minutes, Dylan Mackenzie raced down the right and cut the ball back to the on-rushing MacRae at the edge of the box but his side-footed effort was gathered by Main at the second attempt. Nairn should have had a penalty on 35 minutes. Callum Maclean knocked the ball past an out-stretched of a defender on the box and was tripped but referee Chris Fordyce booked the County defender for simulation. Turriff threatened seven minutes into the second half with Scott Miller's in-swinging cross from the right being headed over the crossbar by David Booth on the stretch at the far post. Cohen Ramsay did well down the left a minute later and then picked out Naismith in the middle but from close range, the midfielder was denied by an impressive block by Main, who spread himself well to keep the ball out. Nairn were awarded a penalty this time on 61 minutes after an impressive run from Dylan Mackenzie saw the ball break to Cohen Ramsay. His shot was blocked but when the ball broke back to the left-sided player he was tripped in the box and Ross Naismith stepped up to send Kevin Main the wrong way from 12 yards. Naismith then slipped in MacRae on 65 minutes but with space at the far post, the forward was kept out by Main who raced off his line and made himself big to make the save that kept his side in it before tipping Naismith's follow up over the bar. The visitors threatened again on 71 minutes with the impressive Kenny McKenzie beating two men before slipping MacRae in on goal but his left-footed drive came back off the near post. Turriff pulled a goal back on 79 minutes with Louis Myers stepping up to a free kick on the edge of the box before firing the ball into the top right-hand corner. Turriff United – Main, Cairns, McBride (yellow 27), Wood, Bowden (y 82), Flett (y 55) (Herd 70), Booth, Botell (Wozniak 57 (y 75)), Myers, Miller, MacKenzie (Reid 68). Subs unused: Allan, Chalmers, Strachan, Walker. Nairn County – Foster, J. Maclean, C. Maclean (yellow 35), MacDonald, Glenn Main (y 78), Porritt, R. Naismith, K. McKenzie (y 76), D. Mackenzie (Kerr 85 (y 90)), MacRae, Ramsay (y 64). Subs unused: Ewan, Ednie, Munro, M. Macleod, R. Macleod (gk). Referee – Chris Fordyce. Graeme Macleod
