Formartine United made light of the blustery weather and blew County away with a 6-0 win thanks to a powerful display of attacking football.
The home side seldom threatened but any time they did they found experienced United keeper Kevin Main in top form.
Formartine winger Andrew Greig was delighted with his side’s overall performance and said: “We had five different goalscorers, which is great as everybody worked hard and chipped in.
“We really need to go on a run between now and the end of the season so there is still an awful lot of work for us to do, but we’re really positive.
“The conditions out there were quite tricky but we did have the advantage of the wind in the first half and that meant we penned Nairn in and they couldn’t really get out of their own half.”
In the first minute, County had an excellent chance to take the lead but Scott Davidson, falling back as he hit the ball, scooped a Liam Shewan cross over the top.
The visitors replied with a Conor Gethins snap-shot on the turn, which looped over the crossbar.
Formartine United took the lead in the 11th minute when Scott Lisle’s effort was turned into his own net by Adam Porritt.
Midway through the half, United moved central defender Craig McKeown into midfield with Kieran Lawrence dropping back into left-back as part of a back three.
Formartine made it 2-0 in the 26th minute when Graeme Rodger burst through and fired the ball back across the diving Dylan MacLean into the far corner of the net.
It was 3-0 in the 43rd minute when Greig’s cross was knocked on by Lisle to Gethins and the Irishman had all the time in the world to pick his spot.
Early in the second half, Max Ewan burst through the visitors’ defence but he delayed his shot and Main bravely dived at his feet to avert the danger.
By the hour mark the wind had really strengthened and Main did well to hold on to a blistering 25-yard Ewan drive.
In the 65th minute, United were awarded a penalty kick when Lisle was brought down by keeper MacLean and Jonny Crawford made an immaculate job of the spot-kick.
It then took a brilliant diving stop by Main to stop the impressive Ewan from grabbing a deserved consolation goal for the home side with 17 minutes to go.
Two minutes later, only a brilliant tackle by Calum MacLean on Lisle, just as the United striker was about to pull the trigger, denied the visitors a certain goal.
Formartine made it 5-0 in the 81st minute when livewire Lisle stabbed the ball home from a couple of yards and, six minutes later, substitute Jordan Leyden added another, again from close range.
County forward Scott Davidson admitted his side were well beaten.
He said: “I honestly don’t think that on the day there were six goals between the two teams, although we really weren’t at the races at all.
“That is sad, as we have done well in recent weeks. That early goal obviously helped them to settle on a day when we put in a performance which was pretty much out of character for a Nairn County side.”
