Clachnacuddin
1
In what is usually a blood-and-thunder clash between the two sides, it took until after the tame 90 minutes were over for any fiery moments to occur when several players from both sides clashed while leaving the park.
This was after a scrappy match in which the home side flattered to deceive. A lack of bodies in the box to get on the end of crosses was County's downfall as they failed to create meaningful chances after being pegged back to one all.
The hosts had taken the lead somewhat against the run of play when Wayne Mackintosh scored his first goal of the season but Clach were level ten minutes after the restart. The visitors had the chance to go in front from the penalty spot when whistle-happy referee David Watt awarded a spot kick after Blair Lawrie had gone down under little or no contact at all from Nairn's Mackintosh. But justice was done as Campbell saved the resulting penalty.
There was one change in Les Fridge's starting line up from the last outing at Inverurie as Chris Finnigan dropped down to the bench in favour of the returning Steven Edwards. Neil MacDonald was also available again but he too could only find a place on the bench along with striker Jason Robertson, who was making his first squad appearance of the season.
County made the brighter start of the two sides and Duncan Jones appeared to be up for it from the off against his former club. He had a direct run forward from the heart of midfield in the fourth minute beating three men before releasing Shaun Kerr down the right. His cross found its way to Darren Jarvie on the left edge of the box who cut in and shot on his right foot but his effort flew into the side netting.
Jones had Nairn's next effort at goal after 18 minutes when Steven Edwards rolled the ball into the stride of the former Aberdeen youth. He skipped past one defender and fired a shot goalwards from 25 yards that was parried by Clach goalkeeper Neil Hastie.
A training ground free kick routine saw Clach go close two minutes later when Gordon Connelly squared the ball for Lawrie who saw his 22 yard shot held by Campbell.
Lawrie came close to scoring again less than a minute later when he left Stephen Skinner for dead and raced down the right before cutting in and seeing his shot drift across goal and past the far post.
There was a let off for the hosts in the 24th minute when Connelly played in striker Steven Sanderson, who was returning to Station Park. The standside linesman raised his flag for offside and everyone on the park stopped but the Clach striker who struck his shot off the post and saw it go behind for a goal kick which John Campbell had made no attempt to save presuming the referee had stopped play for the offside decision when he in fact pointed for a by kick.
County went up the other end though and opened the scoring with 25 minutes on the clock. Jarvie's throw-in form the left found the feet of Willie Barron who then picked out Wayne Mackintosh. He took the ball down and launched a volley goalwards that took a deflection off a visiting defender sending it looping across Hastie's goal and into the far corner of the net via the back post.
The visitors were inches away from equalising ten minutes before half time. Lawrie broke free down the left and sent over an inviting cross that Martin Sanderson had to knock goalwards at the front post with his namesake Steven waiting to pounce. Goalkeeper Campbell did just enough to take the sting out of the ball and allow defender Sanderson enough time to recover sufficiently and hack the ball clear from the goal line. (H-T 1-0).
The second half started with chances at both ends as Jones conjured up County's first effort of the second forty-five. He collected the ball wide on the right and surged towards goal beating three men on the edge of the box before seeing his left-footed shot held by Hastie.
At the other end, Chris Sutherland teed up strike partner Sanderson but his first time, curling shot from the edge of the box was held by Campbell.
Jones was the creator of County's next chance in the 50th minute when he picked out Willie Barron on the right with a raking ball from the middle of the park but the Nairn captain smashed his angled drive from 18 yards over the crossbar.
Sutherland and Sanderson again linked up for the visitors with the former Nairn man being sent through on goal by the ex-Inverness CT youngster but his attempted chip was read by Campbell who gathered on the edge of his box.
The game was level though 10 minutes into the second half. The visitors had won a series of free kicks in dangerous areas throughout the match without making Nairn pay. But that all changed when Lawrie stepped up to curl the ball around the wall and into Campbell's bottom left hand corner. It was goal that was very similar to Inverurie's opener in County's visit to Harlaw Park a fortnight ago.
There was controversy in the 67th minute when Clach were handed to chance to go in front. Goalscorers Lawrie and Mackintosh chased down a throughball and the Clach winger jumped over the ball towards the Nairn midfield and both players tumbled to the deck. Unbelievably referee Watt pointed to the spot but justice was done as Campbell dived to his left to save Lawrie's spot kick.
This seemed to give the home side a boost and they nearly got themselves back in front four minutes later. Jones danced past several challenges on the left before cutting the ball back to substitute Jason Robertson but his first time shot at the front post was tipped over the bar by Hastie.
Both teams had a chance to win it in the closing stages. Robbie Duncanson raced clear of the home defence down the left but his tame shot was easily gathered by Campbell. Then Jones swung in a free kick from the right at the other end that Martin Sanderson got on the end of but his header went over the crossbar. (F T 1-1).
Goals: 1
Shots on target: 4
Shots off target: 4
Corners won: 5
Offsides against: 3
Fouls conceded: 18
Woodwork hit: 1
Yellow cards: 2
Red cards: 0
Goals: 1
Shots on target: 7
Shots off target: 3
Corners won: 4
Offsides against: 0
Fouls conceded: 12
Woodwork hit: 1
Yellow cards: 1
Red cards: 0
1)John Campbell: 8
18)Stephen Skinner: 6
24)Martin Sanderson: 8
16)Darren Jarvie: 7
5)Martin MacDonald: 7
[2)Neil MacDonald 83]: 2
6)Wayne Mackintosh: 7 y72
7)Willie Barron: 7
17)Steven Edwards: 5
[13)Chris Finnigan 46]: 5
9)Shaun Kerr: 6
[21)Jason Robertson 64]: 3 y90
12)Duncan Jones: 7
11)Brian Macleod: 6
Subs Unused:
14)Angus Lawrie
22)Gregg Main
1)Neil Hastie: 7
2)David Watson: 7
3)David Clark: 6
4)Gordon McNab: 7
5)David Mackay: 6
6)Neil MacCuish: 6
7)Blair Lawrie: 8
8)Chris Sutherland: 7
[14)Robbie Duncanson 62]: 3
9)Steven Sanderson: 7 y 57
[17)Gary Ross 62]: 3
10)Gordon Connelly: 7
11)Andrew Fraser: 7
[16)Chris Ross 87]: 1
Subs Unused:
12)Mark McKernie
15)Neil Gibb