NAIRN COUNTY
1
The visitors dominated possession and territorially from start to finish but failed on numerous occasions to find a killer touch in front of goal.
County boss Les Fridge included three trialists in his squad, Gary Calvert, Alan Grant and Glenn Main, as well having Duncan Jones on the bench after an injury lay off. Goalkeeper John Calder made his first start for the club in goals while Martin Sanderson, Martin MacDonald and Steven Edwards played in defence. Main and brother Gregg played in midfield alongside Angus Lawrie, Wayne Mackintosh and captain for the night Brian Macleod. Willie Barron partnered Shaun Kerr in attack.
The home goalkeeper made his first save of the night with only four minutes on the clock as he dived low to his left to push a powerful Edwards free-kick behind for a corner. From the resulting set piece, Edwards went even closer when he volleyed Gregg Main's delivery into the ground and saw the ball bounce up and hit the crossbar.
Six minutes later, the ball broke nicely to Barron on the edge of the box but his low shot was easily held by the home goalkeeper.
Lawrie teed up Macleod on the left and his shot from 22-yards flashed inches over the crossbar in the 11th minute.
Macleod went even closer to giving his side the lead after 17 minutes. The County wideman cut in from the left and slotted the ball past the advancing keeper but the bogey conditions slowed it down enough for the covering Bishopmill defender to get back and hack the ball clear.
Bishopmill signalled their own intent in the 27th minute when a neat cutback from the left was guided goalwards by a forward but came back off the foot of Calder's left hand post.
Nairn finished the first half with a flourish as they twice went close to breaking the deadlock. Kerr broke free down the right and whipped in a deep cross which Macleod volleyed goalwards at the back post only to see his effort tipped over the crossbar. From the corner kick, Martin MacDonald neatly flicked the ball over the head of a Bishopmill defender on the edge of the box but his powerful shot was palmed wide of the post. (H-T 0-0).
It took County only five second half minutes to finally get their noses in front. Substitute Jones picked out Kerr on the edge of the box and he surged towards goal. The ex-Clach forward then lifted the ball over the advancing goalkeeper and saw Angus Lawrie nip in to head the ball over the line from 12 inches to score his first goal in Nairn colours.
Macleod went close to doubling the visitors' lead a minute later when he let fly from 22-yards but his shot flew just over the crossbar.
Jones then danced his way through the defence in the 57th minute and played trialist Grant in on goal but his angled drive was always rising as it flashed over the bar.
There was then concern in the Nairn camp as Jones went down clutching the same knee that has been bothering him recently and had to be replaced only eight minutes after taking to the field.
Glenn Main went close to scoring his first goal for the club in the 71st minute when he drove forward from the centre of midfield and fired in a low shot that was held by the goalkeeper.
Less than a minute later though, the home side were level. The same forward who had hit the post in the first half and was impressive throughout wriggled his way through the centre of the Nairn defence before despatching a right footed shot into the corner of the net.
This looked to be the wake up call Nairn needed as they began to lay seige on the home goal. Lawrie looked for his second of the game as he drove goalwards and shot from 20-yards but his low shot was pushed behind for a corner in the 73rd minute.
Then Glenn Main smashed a low shot goalwards from the same distance but his effort was held by the hosts' shotstopper.
Main again went close when he received the ball from a corner in the 77th minute and spun his marker but his low shot was pushed behind as County desparately sought a winner.
But disaster struck for the visitors as their North Junior Division Two opponents went in front 11 minutes from time. The same striker who netted the first goal showed good close control to take a ball into feet before spinning and bending a 20-yard shot into the top corner of the net.
Nairn created one more chance to salvage a draw from this friendly when Lawrie beat two men before the former Fort William man was tackled. The loose ball fell to the feet of Grant but his low effort was blocked by the goalkeeper. (F-T 1-2).
Goals: 1
Shots on target: 14
Shots off target: 17
Corners won: 13
Offsides against: 4
Fouls conceded: 5
Woodwork hit: 1
Yellow cards: 0
Red cards: 0
Goals: 2
Shots on target: 4
Shots off target: 0
Corners won: 3
Offsides against: 2
Fouls conceded: 12
Woodwork hit: 1
Yellow cards: 0
Red cards: 0
1)John Calder: 6
2)Steven Edwards: 6
3)Martin Sanderson: 5
4)Martin MacDonald: 5
5)Angus Lawrie: 5
6)Wayne Mackintosh: 5
7)Gregg Main: 4
[16)Duncan Jones 49]: 2
[15)Gary Calvert 57]: 3
8)Glenn Main: 6
[9)Shaun Kerr 78]
9)Shaun Kerr: 5
[14)Alan Grant 52]: 3
10)Willie Barron: 5
11)Brian Macleod: 6
Subs unused:
12)Ross MacKenzie