NAIRN COUNTY
0
Nairn manager Les Fridge was without four players who started Tuesday's match against Livingston so was forced into several changes, but he also took the opportunity to shuffle his pack somewhat as well. John Campbell remained in goals and the back three of Steven Edwards, Martin Sanderson and Martin MacDonald was also unchanged. But Gregg Main and Angus Lawrie came into the centre of midfield beside Wayne Mackintosh while Brian Macleod and debutant Scott Graham occupied the wing back positions. Chris Finnigan also came in for a debut up front alongside Shaun Kerr, who was making his first start for the club. MacDonald wore the captain's armband and Nairn St Ninian player Glenn Main was listed among the Nairn substitutes as a trialist.
The home side almost took the lead on their synthetic surface after two minutes when the Nairn defence cleared a ball in from the right as far as Thomas Murdoch who was lurking at the edge of the box. His first time effort from 20-yards scortched its away over Campbell's crossbar by a matter of inches.
This delayed the opening goal by only two minutes though and it was a disappointing on for the visitors to lose. Brian McLaughlin's deep corner from the left was headed back across goal by Murdoch at the back post. He picked out Jamie Smith in the centre who nodded the ball into the net from a couple of yards out.
Campbell had to be alert to keep the score at only one in the 20th minute when Scott McCulloch powered a free kick goalwards from the right edge of box but the former Hibs shotstopper managed to get strong hands behind the ball to beat it away.
Then in the 25th minute it was Nairn's turn to try their luck from a set piece when Edwards tried to catch out home goalkeeper John Hillcoat with a strike at goal from 35-yards but the shotstopper was alert enough to make the block.
A long ball over the Stenhousemuir back line a minute later caught the home defence napping and sent Kerr racing towards goal but Hillcoat did just enough to put the ex-Clach striker off.
The hosts doubled their lead with 29 minutes on the clock. A long ball forward was allowed to bounce once to many by Martin MacDonald and he tried to head it back to Campbell from a coupel of feet off the ground. The ex-Brora man couldn't get enough purchase on the ball and allowed John Dempster in on Campbell. The Nairn shotstopper showed great bravery to deny to Stenhousemuir man but with both players grounded, Ross Hamilton rolled the ball into the unguarded net.
Nairn went close when Gregg Main fired a half volley goalwards from 20-yards that was held by Hillcoat before the hosts went on the attack again as Murdoch had a free header in the box from a Hamilton cross but could only send his effort over the crossbar.
A poor lay off by forward Finnigan four minutes before the break gave away possession and sent McLaughlin harring down the left. His ball into the box found Steven hampshire at the back post but his angled drive at the back post was held by Campbell.
Two minutes later, Edwards was caught in possession at the back by Dempster and he sprinted through on goal but could only blast his shot over the bar from 15-yards.
Just when it looked as if Nairn would get in at half time only two goals behind, the home side added a third. Not deterred by seeing his previous effort saved, McCulloch stepped up to hammer a free-kick from the right edge of the box straight into Campbell's top right hand corner. (H-T 0-3).
Fridge re-jigged things at half time, pushing Edwards into midfield and deploying Macleod in the sweeper role. That meant sub Scott Nicholl came on to play at left wing back as Lawrie was subbed off. Graham and Finnigan also swapped roles while Callum Donaldson played the second half between the sticks in favour of Campbell.
Nairn's more physical approach in the second half knocked the hosts out of their stride for long spells and it was 19 minutes into the half before the Third Division side created another chance - Dempster's snap shot from the edge of the box being palmed to safety by Donaldson.
Campbell Money's side added a fourth in the 69th minute though when Steven Ferguson flashed a free-kick from the left across goal for McCulloch to send a glancing header into the far corner of the net to score his second of the afternoon.
County began to step things up though and Mackintosh smashed a shot goalwards from 22-yards that was held by Hillcoat in the 71st minute and then Graham burst in from the right before seeing his low pushed behind by the ex-Brechin shotstopper 60 seconds later.
The Warriors added a fifth in the final minute though to put somewhat of an unfair scoreline on the match. They caught the Nairn defence napping as McCulloch clipped a quick free-kick from the right into the box to the unmarked Dempster who lifted the ball over the exposed Donaldson from 15-yards. (F-T 0-5).
Goals: 0
Shots on target: 4
Shots off target: 2
Corners won: 4
Offsides against: 1
Fouls conceded: 20
Woodwork hit: 0
Yellow cards: 0
Red cards: 0
Goals: 5
Shots on target: 9
Shots off target: 3
Corners won: 6
Offsides against: 2
Fouls conceded: 17
Woodwork hit: 0
Yellow cards: 0
Red cards: 0
1)John Campbell: 5
[20)Callum Donaldson 46]: 5
2)Steven Edwards: 6
3)Martin Sanderson: 6
4)Gregg Main: 5
[16)Glenn Main 74]: 2
5)Martin MacDonald: 5
6)Wayne Mackintosh: 6
7)Angus Lawrie: 4
[14)Scott Nicholl 46]: 5
8)Scott Graham: 5
[12)Marc Macdonald 87]: 1
9)Shaun Kerr: 5
10)Chris Finnigan: 5
11)Brian Macleod: 6
Sub unused:
16)Ross Mackenzie
1)John Hillcoat: 7
2)William Lyle: 6
3)Craig McEwan: 7
4)Steven Ferguson: 8
5)Jamie Smith: 8
6)Scott McCulloch: 9
7)Ross Hamilton: 8
[16)Scott McManus 76]: 2
8)John Dempster: 9
9)Steven Hampshire: 7
10)Thomas Murdoch: 8
11)Brian McLaughlin: 7
Subs Unused:
12)Rhys Galloway
14)Craig Menzies
15)Robert Forde
17)Scott Johnstone