Nairn Cruise Into Round Two

An Inverness XI faced Nairn County in the North of Scotland Cup at Station Park Nairn tonight (Tuesday 20th August.) The Inverness side was mainly fringe players and youth players with Robbie Thompson and Mathew Strachan the most senior players in the starting XI. Not the best weather as rain came in during the day and a chilly wind to boot. As it was, Nairn romped home 4-1 against a very youthful Inverness XI.

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It didn't take Nairn long to get the scoring underway when Callum Maclean headed in from a corner in the 7th minute. Fraser Dingwall was booked after 15 minutes and according to the Nairn feed he was booked for a studs up challenge and you could hear a "dunt" followed by a "clack". Ouch! Nairn were in the ascendency creating some half chances over the opening quarter of the game. Dylan MacLean saved from Ben Corner after he was fed through on goal by Cameron Ferguson. Nairn added a second after a scramble following a corner and Fraser Dingwall found the net. A bit more even than the score would suggest at the break, but it's Nairn that have taken their chances.

HALF TIME: 2-0

Allan Pollock replaced Jonathan Bain at the interval. A Callum MacLean cross was knocked down in the box and Scott Lisle reacted first to it and lashed the ball high into the net from eight yards. Three minutes later Mathew Wright put the tie beyond doubt as he got a fourth for Nairn when he turned the ball in from ten yards at the back post. Shae Keogh benefitted after a headed backpass goes awry and he got the consolation after 64 minutes for the Caley Jags with a good finish from the edge of the box. A spate of substitutions but no further scoring and it ended at 4-1.

FULL TIME: 4-1

Good luck to Nairn in the next round.

NAIRN COUNTY 4-1 INVERNESS CT XI

 Nairn: Callum MacLean (7)

 Nairn: Fraser Dingwall (15), ICTFC: ??? (56), Nairn: ??? (73), Nairn: ??? (86)

 Nairn: Fraser Dingwall (35)

 Nairn: Scott Lisle (56)

 Nairn: Mathew Wright (59)

 ICTFC: Shae Keogh (64)

The Inverness graphic designer must have had a night off, but here's the team lines from ICTFC.

1. Martin MacKinnon

2. Gavin Thomson 3. Matthew Strachan 4. Sam Thompson 5. Jack Walker

6. Leo Walker 7. Calum MacKay 8. Shae Keogh 9. Cameron Ferguson

10. Robbie Thompson 11. Ben Corner

Subs 13. Szymon Rebilas, 12. James Clark, 14. Ben Gardiner, 15. Hashem Alsharaydeh, 16. Lewis Luxton, 17. Matteus Robertson, 18. Matthew Pearce

REFEREE:  Stuart Randall - AR1: John Falconer - AR2: Kenny Martin