Post-Match Reaction: County Cruise Past Brora
A comfortable win at Brora Rangers saw Nairn County keep their 100 percent record in 2009 in tact as they saw off the hosts with relative ease at Dudgeon Park.
Les Fridge's men took the lead after only 86 seconds as Shaun Kerr was on hand to place home a Brian Macleod infield pass.
It was two just after the quarter-hour mark as Kerr turned provider to set up Lewis MacKinnon. Nairn's top scorer cut the ball back from the by-line on the right to his strike partner who did the rest from a
It left the hosts with a mountain to climb and Nairn finally killed off any aspirations Muir Morton's men had of getting back into the game in the second half. After Martin MacDonald's header was parried into the air, MacKinnon was on hand to nod home the dropping ball from a couple of yards to make the points safe.
County manager Fridge was satisfied with a solid day's work from his side. After the match, he spoke exclusively to Nairn County FC Online. "I thought we passed the ball really well today," he said. "Especially in the first half. We scored a couple of great goals and our movement was good. In the second half, I thought they (Brora) came into it a wee bit. But I thought we were very slack in the second half, particularly in the first 15 or 20 minutes. We didn't seem to have the same urgency that we had in the first half but I thought we then finished the game very strongly."
Kerr's opener settled any nerves there may have been in the County camp as it gave Fridge's men the perfect start to the game. Fridge said: "To score the first goal in the manner that we did was brilliant. We had another couple of chances and their goalie had a couple of good saves in both halves. But we got off to the perfect start with the first goal and I
After waiting seven games for a first clean sheet of the season, goalkeeper Callum Donaldson now has two in succession. Fridge added: "Callum has come in and is doing well so the clean sheets will be very good for him."
New signing David Hind came in for his debut in the centre of the defence and looked comfortable alongside Martin MacDonald. "He (Hind) is a good player and I don't think there's any doubt about that. He came in today and did well. He has good experience and is a good talker on the park so it worked well for us today."
The return of Scott Nicholl to the side was almost like having a new signing for Fridge. The former Clach and Ross County full back has only made one appearance in the last two seasons - in the draw at Cove Rangers in April - but was a surprise starter at Dudgeon Park. "Scotty came in today and he can play in various positions. He has played a lot at left back for us before. He came in today and I thought he did fine. He's been out for a long time but he's been working really hard so he deserved his chance."
The draw for the first round of the Highland League Cup took place in midweek and paired Fridge's men with an away trip to Rothes. "It'll be a hard game and I don't think there are any doubts about that. It's a difficult place to go but we'll look forward to it and deal with it when it arrives."