Post-Match Reaction: Boss Wants More Credit/Loan Update
Two late goals saw Deveronvale salvage a point from their visit to Station Park on Saturday - but Nairn County manager Les Fridge felt his side deserves more credit for their performance.
It was a disappointing end to a game that County had led by two goals before conceding in the 85th and 91st minutes.
Lewis MacKinnon put the home side in front 10 minutes before half time before Gary McGowan was sent off for the visitors on the hour mark.
That triggered a late collapse by the hosts which began when Mark Chisholm drilled home to give Vale hope moments later. And the writing was on the wall on 91 minutes when Mike McKenzie popped up to drill home a dramatic equaliser and shatter Fridge's troops.
The manager was unhappy at comments attributed to Deveronvale co-manager Stuart Glennie after the game. The former Forfar Athletic player had said: "Although we were sloppy, we were very happy to take a point but with no disrespect to Nairn, we should have been capable of taking all three."
Fridge responded: "I saw that they felt they were sloppy and didn't play well. But I think the reason they didn't play well is because we didn't let them and we are not getting the credit we deserved.
The manager added: "We shot ourselves in the foot with Gregg (Main) getting sent off at the end. That put us under a bit of pressure and they threw everything at us. In the end, a bit of switching off at the edge of the box cost us and you can't do that against teams."
He concluded: "We were comfortable and controlled things up until the sending off but we have to learn from it against so-called bigger teams or anyone else for that matter."
Meanwhile, young defender Callum Riddell has joined County's junior neighbours Nairn St Ninian on loan until the end of the season. The 19-year-old is yet to make his competitive debut for Nairn but has featured in several friendlies and indeed scored at Ardersier in November. But a lack of match action has seen the former youth team captain grow frustrated and he will now link up with clubmates Jason Robertson, Lee Haines and John Blackhall on loan at the Showfield club.
That has led Fridge to recall Marc Macdonald from his loan stint at Strathspey Thistle. The 22-year-old joined the Grantown club in the summer and has enjoyed a fruitful spell at Seafield Park playing through the middle as a central striker having previously only been used in a wide midfield role by Fridge.
He will come into contention for Saturday's visit to Keith, a match that mark the end of forward Lewis MacKinnon's brief stay with the club as he is due to return to Australia next week.
In other news, the Highland League has Turriff United, Formartine United and Strathspey into their ranks ahead of next season. It brings the number of clubs up to 18.