Post Match Reaction: Penalty Set The Tone
Nairn County were looking to make it two wins in succession when they travelled to Deveronvale on Saturday but it was the home side who took the spoils thanks to four second half goals.
After County's Duncan Jones had struck the crossbar in an evenly matched first half, the home side took the lead a minute after the restart through a Scott Fraser penalty. Gary Clark doubled the Vale's advantage 20 minutes later before late goals from Keith Robertson and Bryan Dlugonski put an unfair slant on the scoreline.
"We had to make four or five personnel changes as in moving players around throughout the game because we had a few players who picked up knocks and had to come off. We ended up with a very young team on at the end, particularly across the middle of the park."
He added: "I thought it was very soft penalty at the start of the second half and that set the tone for the rest of the half. We were in possession with Scotty Graham wide left but he lost the ball. His strength is to go at people but we lost a goal from it when we were in their attacking third.
"We went to three up front towards the end, weren't defensive and we were chasing the game. But we lost the two late goals.
"I thought we matched them for most of the game but they are a clinical side. If you make mistakes, you'll get punished."
Fridge said: "I thought the soft penalty set the tone in the second half. We were standing next to their dugout and even their boys were having a wee chuckle about it but obviously you take it if you get it. I thought we controlled the first half but we came out and went one down to a soft penalty like that and that sort of knocked the stuffing out of us.
"We had a go and even at two down we were pushing forward with three up front and we were having a right go. We then had to take boys off through one thing or another but that's football. Young Ross Mackenzie came on, Marc MacDonald also came on and Glenn Main did well so we are looking to next season. Our performances are good and that's a pleasing thing. We now have to turn that into results."
Nairn's starting line up contained two changes from Wednesday night's win over Fort William as Brian Macleod and Gregg Main missed out. Andrea Coletto and Glenn Main came in on the left and right hand sides of midfield respectively.
Fridge said: "Glenn and Andrea did well. Brian Macleod picked up an injury on Wednesday and Gregg Main's not well and we only found out about young Gregg this morning so we had to change things at the last minute. But I thought both players came and did well. Andrea tired a bit towards the end. That's fair enough so young Ross Mackenzie came on. I thought Glenn had a good game and these are boys for the future. The more experience they get now, the better."
County defender Martin Sanderson was forced off in the second half for the second time in recent times.
Fridge said: "It is a hamstring problem but we don't have a game next Saturday - although I am trying to arrange a friendly - so that will give him two weeks to recover."