December 5th 2023
HONEST Nairn County manager Ronnie Sharp took responsibility for his side's flat showing at Turriff United as the hosts eked out a 2-0 win. The visitors failed to really trouble Kevin Main in the Turriff goal and after a punishing recent schedule, Sharp felt he should have freshened up his starting line up. He reflected: "I blame myself because I was going to change the team around a bit but I went with the team that had been playing well." "I had three or four changes in my mind but I did not make them when I probably should have in hindsight." "We were not sharp enough and we looked heavy legged right from the start. That was our fourth game in 10 days and we were just were not sharp at all." County found themselves behind just before the break with Darren Wood free to head home a corner from the right. The visitors started the second half brightly but from the moment Nicholas Gray capitalised on a Glenn Main slip to cross for Allen MacKenzie to make it two on 53 minutes, there did not any way back for Sharp's men. The boss added: "We lost the first one just before half time and we lost our man to give him a free header, which was a mistake." "For the second one, Glenn had already beaten the boy in the corner but made a mistake after that to give the ball away and off the cross they scored their second one." "We did not really look like scoring though. We created one or two half chances but we were lacking that bit of quality. We were not sharp enough in front of goal but sometimes it is just not your day and you are not going to score – that is football." County had a late shout for a penalty turned away after a Wayne Mackintosh shot struck Antonio Vastano on the arm in the penalty area. Sharp stated: "I thought his arm was up to guard his face. I thought it was a penalty because if you raise your arm and the ball strikes it then it should be given." Nairn now have a free week due to the second round of the Scottish Cup taking place next week and are next in action at home against Lossiemouth on Saturday October 29th. Sharp said: "We will get two weeks of good training and more fitness into some of the boys who have just come back. They got some more game time today which was positive and we will look forward to the next game." Graeme Macleod
