Clachnacuddin
1
Nairn boss Les Fridge was forced into making one change to the starting line up that had defeated Rothes at MacKessack Park seven days ago when Neil MacDonald called off late on meaning Steven Edwards was drafted in at right back. It meant that midfielder Wayne Mackintosh remained on the bench alongside returning captain Willie Barron, who filled the void left by Edwards' promotion to the starting line up.
It took only six minutes for County to open the scoring when Duncan Jones struck against his former club before a Neil MacCuish own goal three minutes later capped Nairn's flying start. That was how it remained until half time after which the home side's top scorer Shaun Kerr grabbed the decisive third goal of the game to put the outcome all but beyond doubt. Former County talisman Scott Kellacher came off the bench for Clach and inevitably found the net to pull one back for the visitors, but Nairn restored their three-goal advantage when Kerr cashed in on some poor defending to snatch his second goal of the afternoon.
Jones took only three minutes to get the ball rolling for the home side when he ghosted his way inside with a great piece of skill to get past his marker before matching the build up with a cool finish to put the home side one goal to the good.
The dream start was completed six minutes later when Scott Graham's thunderous effort came back off the crossbar and Neil MacCuish attempted to head clear. But his effort was misjudged and he instead nodded the ball beyond helpless Clach goalkeeper Neil Hastie and into the visitors' net.
Graham almost got his own name on score sheet minutes later when he tried his luck with a long range effort from just inside the Clach half but his attempt at catching Hastie off his goal line only just failed as the ball drifted wide of the post.
The former Fort William man again had a chance from distance when Hastie and MacCuish were up to their comedy antics at the back. The pair failed to communicate when the goalkeeper came out for a cross ball and after getting in the way of one another, the ball dropped at the feet of the pacey Nairn front man from Hastie's clearance. With an open goal to aim at but from some distance, Graham fired in a shot but it drifted just wide of the target. (Half Time: 2-0).
Visiting boss Ian Polworth brought on former Nairn striker Scott Kellacher for his first return to Station Park since his acrimonious departure in the summer along with Gordon Morrison to try and add some more fire power to his side. And the rookie manager was lucky to not have to bring on his substitute goalkeeper when Hastie raced from his line to try to beat Graham to a through ball. But the Nairn striker won the race and was chopped down by a reckless challenge from the goalkeeper, who was fortunate to only be given a yellow card for his troubles.
The next goal in the game was always going to be crucial and when it arrived in the 51st minute, it went the way of the hosts. Shaun Kerr received the ball with his back to goal inside the Clach penalty as he held it up waiting for options to arrive. With none forthcoming, the former Clach forward brilliant spun his marker and slammed a shot into the top right hand corner of the net.
It could have been four for the home side when Graham controlled a long ball forward and was through one-on-one with Hastie but the goalkeeper came out on top as he made the block from the County front man.
The home side suffered a setback in the 66th minute when the visitors clawed one goal back. As always seems to happen in football, a former key player netted on his return to his old stomping ground as Scott Kellacher came back to haunt his old employers. The home defence failed to deal with a free kick into the box and after a goalmouth scramble, the former Celtic youth poked home from six yards.
Nairn didn't let that blow effect them though as they continued to attack and almost added a fourth when Clach right back Adam Naismith's clearance came back off Shaun Kerr and was looping into the top corner until it was clawed away by a Hastie diving save.
Nairn's top scorer wasn't to be denied a second goal against his former club though when he made it four in the 83rd minute. Hastie's throw out to defender Steven MacDonald was badly controlled by the former Elgin City man allowing Kerr to nip in and he couldn't miss as he rolled the ball into the unguarded net to stretch County's unbeaten run to five games. Previously substituted Steven Edwards raced from his seat on the bench to join in the mass celebrations and was booked for his troubles after gesturing to the visiting supporters. (Full Time: 4-1).
Goals scored: 4
Shots on target: 9
Shots off target: 9
Corners won: 7
Offsides against: 1
Fouls conceded: 20
Woodwork hit: 1
Yellow cards: 4
Red cards: 0
Goals scored: 1
Shots on target: 4
Shots off target: 3
Corners won: 4
Offsides against: 0
Fouls conceded: 13
Woodwork hit: 0
Yellow cards: 2
Red cards: 0
1)John Campbell: 7
17)Steven Edwards: 6 y83
[6)Wayne Mackintosh 72]: 2
21)Billy Horne: 7
18)Stephen Skinner: 7
5)Martin MacDonald: 7 y64
12)Duncan Jones: 7
[7)Willie Barron 60]: 3
22)Gregg Main: 7
15)Scott Graham: 8
9)Shaun Kerr: 8 y60
[13)Chris Finnigan 85]: 1
10)Gary Black: 7
11)Brian Macleod: 7 y60
Subs Unused:
16)Darren Jarvie
20)Callum Donaldson (GK)
1)Neil Hastie: 5 y48
2)Adam Naismith: 6
3)David Clark: 5
[12)Andrew Lewis 54]: 2
4)Steven MacDonald: 5
5)Neil MacCuish: 5
6)David Watson: 6
7)Blair Lawrie: 6 y74
8)Gordon McNab: 6
9)John McLeod: 3
[14)Gordon Morrison 46]: 4
10)Chris Ross: 6
11)Chris Sutherland: 3
[16)Scott Kellacher 46]: 5
Subs Unused:
15)Mark McKernie
17)David Harrison (GK)