Cup Final Build-Up: Match Preview And Stat Attack
The next installment of Nairn County FC Online's look ahead to this Sunday's North of Scotland Cup final match will look ahead at the match itself between County and Inverness CT as well as bringing you statistics from the previous rounds of the competition.
All this week we have been counting down to the eagerly anticipated match which forms Part Three of this month's mammouth Grand Slam September for the club.
Manager Les Fridge is keeping his team news close to his chest going into the big game, but is not
Trying to second guess the Inverness CT team is a difficult task given that the match is taking place on Sunday and not Saturday when their first team have another game. However, last year's final also took place on a Sunday and the SPL side fielded a youthful line up to defeat Elgin City and whether they will do that again or opt to field some fringe first team players or not remains to be seen. What is known though is that Rangers Nine in a Row hero Alex Clelend and former Nairn striker Scott Kellacher will be in the dugout for the Inverness men.
Head-to-heads...
There are sure to be some crucial individual battles in Sunday's match as well as the overall clash between the two teams and Les
Shaun Kerr (Nairn County) vs. Scott Struan-Woodhouse (Inverness CT) - Kerr is County's top scorer again this season and his goals have played a massive role in the side's success so far. Nairn will need the former Ross County man to produce the goods again on Sunday if they are to come out on top but he won;t have it easy up against a strapping defender such a Struan-Woodhouse. The youngster is somewhat of an old head on young shoulders and will know what tussles with Nairn are all about having played against the Station Park side several times already in his short career. The defender will also be a handful in attack at set pieces and has already netted in this competition having scored the winner at Brora in the quarter final.
Brian Macleod (Nairn County) vs. Zander Sutherland (Inverness CT) - Sutherland can play on either flank or up front and looked set for the top when he burst on the scene at the Caledonian Stadium and featured on several occasions in the SPL under former manager Charlie Christie. The return of Craig Brewster as manager saw the young winger farmed out to Elgin City on loan last season where he again produced the goods and was nominated for the Third Division Player of the Year award. The 21-year-old has had limited opportunities since though and may see this as a chance to get back into the first team frame. Meanwhile, Macleod is one of Nairn's most under-rated players and can also play on either side. His forays down the flanks will be crucial to County's attacking play in this one but it could be fatal for their team if either player neglects their defensive duties.
Martin MacDonald (Nairn County) vs. Shane Sutherland (Inverness CT) - MacDonald has developed into a key component of the Nairn back line and his newly-formed partnership with Stephen Skinner has made a promising start after the summer departure of Martin Sanderson. The team went on a run of four games without conceding a goal and have only let in two in six matches and it is that sort of solid resistence which has been one of the most important reasons behind County's early season success.
Sutherland was picked up by Inverness CT after bursting on the scene at Wick Academy. His goal scoring helped the Scorries to several victories and he is already off the mark in this competition.
That's a fact...
- If Brian Macleod and Willie Barron start Sunday's match, they will become the only players to have played from the start in all three of the North of Scotland Cup finals Nairn have reached under Les Fridge's stewardship.
- Inverness CT coach Scott Kellacher - who will be a part of the SPL side's backroom team on Sunday - has a North of Scotland Cup winner's medal after playing sweeper for Nairn in the 2005 final win over Forres Mechanics.
- Nairn utility man Gary Black won the North of Scotland Cup during his time with Forres Mechanics when they beat Clachnacuddin at Ross County's Victoria Park in the 2004-05 final.
- Both Nairn County and Inverness CT are yet to conceed a single goal in this season's North of Scotland Cup.
- Nairn striker Shaun Kerr is the competition's top scorer with five. Inverness CT's top marksman is Shaun Carroll who has two goals to his name so far.
- Top scorers - Shaun Kerr (Nairn County) 5; Johnathan Holland (Nairn County) 3; Jordan Main (Forres Mechanics), Shaun Carroll (Inverness CT), Gary Weir (Wick Academy) 2; Neil Whyte, Simon Allan, Ricky Wardrop, Fraser Bremner (all Forres Mechanics), Willie Barron, Duncan Jones (both Nairn County), Steven Cunningham, Gary Manson (both Wick Academy), Shane Sutherland (Golspie Sutherland), Gavin Morrison, Scott Struan-Woodhouse, Shane Sutherland, Dale Gillespie (all Inverness CT), Gary Spence, Donald Horsburgh, Kris Duncan (all Rothes) 1.
- County have scored the most goals in the competition having netted 10 times in three previous rounds. Inverness CT have managed six in the same number of games.
- Top team scorers - Nairn County 10; Forres Mechanics 7; Inverness CT 6; Wick Academy 4; Rothes 3; Golspie Sutherland 1; Elgin City, Lossiemouth, Ross County, Clachnacuddin, Brora Rangers, Fort William 0.