Post Match Reaction: Damage Was Done In The First Half
Nairn County's hopes of recording back-to-back away wins against Aberdeenshire FA sides were dashed at Victoria Park, Buckie as the home side ran out 3-0 victors.
Duncan Shearer's men took a two-goal lead in with them at the break and despite County plugging away in search of a way back into the match, the home side added a third goal in the final minute to rub salt into the Nairn wounds.
Nairn boss Les Fridge said after the match: "I thought the damage was done in the first half. They are
He added: "We came out in the second half and were camped in their half of the pitch for most of it and John Campbell hardly had to touch the ball. But we lost a late goal because we were chasing the game and trying to get something out of it but I thought the damage was done in the first half."
If Fridge's men could have pulled it back to 2-1 early on in the second half it would have surely changed the complex of the match for the remainder of the second forty-five.
The manager said: "We created chances and like I said, we were camped in their half for most of the second half but it didn't come for us."
When the two sides last met at Victoria Park on October 27 Fridge said that the main difference between the teams was Buckie's clinical touch in front of goal after the Jags ran out 4-1 winners. He thought differently
He said: "I don't think that was the difference today, I think it was our ourselves switching off. He (MacMillan) has drifted off us to the back post for the first one and we were caught diving in a wee bit when the ball was bobbling about on the edge of the box although it was a good finish. It was similar for the second one where there was a deep cross and he has drifted wide again."
Fridge opted to stick with a three-pronged attack consisting of Scott Graham, Willie Barron and Chris Finnigan after it was so successful last week at Fraserburgh. This week though the trio got no change out of the no-nonsense Buckie defence.
The manager said: "It was no so much about lack of height up front for us today because we were looking to play the ball into feet and use the ability of the boys up front. We did that last week against Fraserburgh and they too were a big team but Buckie are a well organised team with good players."
New signing Jonathan Holland was named among the Nairn substitutes but the Maltese international midfielder never made it off the bench.
Fridge said: "He's been injured for a couple of months now and it is just a case of getting him back to fitness before he can make his debut."