Post Match Reaction: Nairn Ready For North Cup Crunch
A first half tap in from Shaun Kerr was enough for Nairn County to advance to the Quarter Finals of the inaugural Scottish Challenge Cup on Saturday when they dumped local rivals Forres Mechanics at Station Park. The result also set Les Fridge's side up nicely for tomorrow night's decider in Group Four of the North of Scotland Cup. County only need a draw at Ross County's Victoria Park to progress. Match kicks off at 8.00 pm.
After Saturday's match, Fridge told the site: "It was a good cup tie. It was a good spectacle to watch
"If we had won it two or three nil, I don't think anyone who was at the game would have said that was unjust. We had a couple of great chances and were a bit unfortunate not to come in 2-0 up at half time because just before the break Duncan Jones had a great chance.
"In the second half, we hit the bar and their goalie had a good save but at 1-0 they have always got a chance. There might be a mistake or a bit of magic that lets them back into the game so you're never really save at 1-0. Even in the last five minutes, after they had had the man sent off, they just punted everything forward and got in about our box but we defended well, our shape was good and overall I'm happy because it was a cleansheet and another win."
Summer signing Shaun Kerr grabbed the headlines again with the match winner and Fridge was pleased with the way his recruit has hit the ground running.
at parent club Ross County
Next in line for County is a trip to Ross County in the North of Scotland Cup tomorrow night where a draw will be enough to see the club progress. Fridge was boosted by the news that defender Stephen Skinner, who is on loan at Nairn from the Dingwall club, will be available to play against his employers. The manager also killed any notion that he would play for a draw against his former club. He said: "It's not going to be easy. We won the first game at home and we will jsut have to try our best to get something out of this game."
He added: "It's not my style to play for a draw. We'll go up there and approach it in the same way we have approached every other game. I think if you set out your stall just to be negative, that usually back fires on you so we'll be approaching it in the same manner we have approached the last three games."