Post Match Reaction: Boss Insists "We Weren't Over-Run"
A defeat at table toppers Inverurie Locos pushed Nairn down from the summit of the league that they shared with their hosts going into this match. The results means that County slip to third in the table with only goal difference keeping Buckie Thistle ahead in second place.
County boss Les Fridge started the match with the attacking formation that had worked so well the previous week in the second half of the win over Wick Academy. But with only three attempts at goal all match, it was creating the chances that his side struggled to achieve this week as opposed to finishing
After the match, Fridge said: "We had about four or five players out which was very unfortunate for us and we had to adjust things.
"We came here and had a go and I don't think there was an awful lot in the game. Both sides huffed and puffed a bit and the first goal was a bad one to lose from our point of view. We let one of their centre halves step forward onto the game and gave away a free kick which they scored from.
"For the second goal, we were again in possession but a bad pass from Martin MacDonald trying to pick out Wayne Mackintosh gave them the ball and they scored from it."
He added: "They were mistakes from our point of view and I don't think we were run over the top of or anything like that.
"John Campbell had two great saves near the end but it was not like we were under pressure constantly."
He said: "The second goal probably killed us. It was at a stage where it was only 1-0 and we had a good spell at the start of the second half where we won a couple of corners but we then went and lost a very bad second goal."
Nairn had to do without the services of both Steven Edwards and Neil MacDonald for this match. Both players had featured heavily for the side so far this season and their absence left Fridge with no-one to play the role of sitting in front of the defence and breaking up play.
Fridge said: "Steven Edwards was away on holiday, as is Glenn Main. Obviously Iain Brooks missed out because of work while Scott Nicholl and John MacAskill both missed out and Neil MacDonald was injured. It meant we went from having quite a settled side over the past few weeks to coming here for a top-of-the-table clash and having to shuffle things about."
He added: "But we battled away and I don't think we were dominated in anyway. The two mistakes cost us dearly."
The manager was satisfied at the start his side had made to the season overall. He said: "We have played eight games and only lost three and one of them was away to Ross County, another was away to Keith while the other was away to Inverurie and they are not games to be disgraced at. We have taken care of our home games and we need to carry on doing that. We've got nine points out fo 12 so far and I'll take that."
Next week, County have no scheduled league or cup fixture but the club are actively looking for opponents to play a friendly match against to keep the side ticking over before the derby clash with Clach at Station Park on September 22. Fridge said: "We wil definitely have a game. There's no doubt about that because we need to work on a few things especially after today."