Deveronvale
4
County were left on the starting line by the away side who raced into a three goal lead before the break. Elgin City target Michael Ewen put them on the road to victory with the opener before a double from Scotland semi-pro internationalist all but wrapped up the points. The hosts managed to nulify Deveronvale's attacking threat after the restart but a lack of punch in attack prevented Les Fridge's men from hauling themselves back into the match. And Vale sub Grant Noble rounded off the scoring late on to wrap up his side's second 4-0 win over Nairn in succession.
Fridge made three changes to the team which took to the park against Deveronvale a week and a half ago. Ever-present midfielder Wayne Mackintosh missed his first match of the season as he sat out through suspension while sweeper Duncan Jones was injured. This meant Garry Black dropped back into the defence and Steven Edwards and Gregg Main came into the midfield. Meanwhile, wide man Andrea Coletto dropped to the bench and saw his place in the starting eleven taken by the returning Brian Macleod.
The visitors took five minutes to get into their stride and only a goal-line clearance from Black stopped the home side falling behind. Keith Robertson's cross from the right was met by a header from Vale skipper Mark Chisholm but his effort was headed clear by the well-positioned former Forres man.
Robertson was the man on the end of the delivery into the box soon after when he met Ewen's cross but the former Cove Rangers forward headed just inches past John Campbell's post.
Deveronvale made their pressure count on the quarter-hour mark though as former Rothes front man Ewen found himself unmarked out on the left. Robertson picked him out with an excellent through ball and Ewen did the rest as he dispatched past Campbell from 15 yards.
County were almost gifted an equaliser by Vale goalkeeper James Blanchard who dropped a Brian Macleod free kick into the box but there were no takers for the home side who let the flapping shotstopper off the hook.
Blanchard show his true value to the Vale cause a couple of minutes later though as raced from his line to collect the ball just ahead of Nairn striker Chris Finnigan.
The visitors doubled their lead after 25 minutes when goalscorer Ewen's cross wasn't dealt with by the Nairn defence who allowed the ball to drop to the unmarked Chisholm and all the Deveronvale captain had to go was hook the ball past the exposed Campbell.
And Deveronvale left the home side with a mountain to climb seven minutes before the break as they added a third goal. Steve Dolan had acres of space to advance down the left and upon hitting the by line, he delivered an inch perfect cross to the front post where Chisholm was on hand to powerfully header home his second goal of the night. (H-T 0-3).
County took until halfway through the second half to threaten the Vale defence again as Willie Barron raced forward from midfield but his progress was halted by a fine Allan Stephen sliding tackle just as the Nairn captain was about to pull the trigger.
A heavy deflection almost came to Nairn's aid minutes later when Scott Graham's shot from 18 yards was sent towards the corner of the net after coming off Vale man Bryan Dlugonski by Blanchard scrambled across his goal-line to deny the former Fort William forward.
Top scorer Shaun Kerr was next to go close for County after he appeared from the substitutes bench but his 14-yard volley flashed over Blanchard's crossbar.
And Vale rounded off the scoring in the 89th minute when Grant Noble was unmarked in the box to meet a cross into the danger area with a low volley the ball that drifted through a group of County defenders and into the net. (F-T 0-4).
Goals: 0
Shots on target: 3
Shots off target: 5
Corners won: 3
Offsides against: 3
Fouls conceded: 14
Woodwork hit: 0
Yellow cards: 3
Red cards: 0
Goals: 4
Shots on target: 10
Shots off target: 6
Corners won: 6
Offsides against: 4
Fouls conceded: 11
Woodwork hit: 0
Yellow cards: 1
Red cards: 0
1)John Campbell: 5
21)Garry Black: 7 y79
24)Martin Sanderson: 6
17)Steven Edwards: 5
5)Martin MacDonald: 6
19)Glenn Main: 5 y73
7)Willie Barron: 5
22)Gregg Main: 5
15)Scott Graham: 6 y84
13)Chris Finnigan: 5
[9)Shaun Kerr 66]: 2
11)Brian Macleod: 6
Subs Unused:
14)Andrea Coletto
23)Marc MacDonald
25)Ross Mackenzie
30)Willie Ridgers (GK)
1)Jamie Blanchard: 7
2)Bryan Dlugonski: 7
3)Paul Munro: 7
4)Mark Chisholm: 8
5)Scott Fraser: 8
6)Allan Stephen: 7
7)Paul Urquhart: 6 y84
[15)Franny More 88]: 1
8)Gary Clark: 6
[12)Mark Cowie 88]: 1
9)Michael Ewen: 7
[16)Grant Noble 76]: 3
10)Keith Robertson: 7
11)Steve Dolan: 7
Subs Unused:
14)John Coutts
17)James Fraser