Nairn County manager Steven Mackay was thrilled to see his men show killer touches to defeat Clachnacuddin 2-0 in the New Year Highland League derby at Grant Street.
Swift first-half goals from Andrew Greig and Aidan Young gave the visitors a deserved victory, although real chances overall were few and far between.
Greig’s opener for Nairn arrived on 25 minutes when, from a Kenny McKenzie pass, the winger coolly clipped a high ball over Martin Mackinnon into the net.
Five minutes later, Young swiped the ball into the net from an acute angle after slack play from Clach at the back allowed him in.
A saved effort from Nairn’s Kenny McKenzie was as close as it got to another goal in the second half as Clach failed to find a way through.
Mackay praised both scorers for showing a killer instinct when it mattered to secure the win – and make it seven successive league games without defeat as they moved into ninth spot in the Highland League.
He said: “We were debating whether Andrew meant the first one. We’re not sure if the keeper has helped him out a bit, but it was great awareness from him when he saw the keeper off the line. I think he has intended to chip him and it was great to see it go in.
“With the second goal, we always ask Ciaran to chase lost causes. You never know what can happen and he’s picked the pocket of a defender and finished it from a really acute angle, which was great. It gave us a nice cushion.”
It was Nairn’s first game since drawing 1-1 with Formartine on December 10, and Clach’s first fixture since a battling 4-2 defeat at Brora Rangers on November 26.
Mackay added: “It was a great win for us. The pitch was in a better condition than expected, with the way the weather has been. It was quite firm initially, but it was good to get a game on and it was a tough battle, as we knew it be.
“We matched their appetite and work-rate, which was important, especially coming to Clach in a derby.
“We got two good goals and perhaps could have added to it, but we were delighted to get the clean sheet and delighted to get the win.”
Defeat for the Lilywhites leaves them third-bottom, two points behind Deveronvale, who lost 3-2 late on at Buckie Thistle.
Defending slammed by Clach boss
Home manager Jordan Macdonald was less than impressed with his team’s efforts and said the fact this was their first game since November 26 was “no excuse”.
He said: “We shot ourselves in the foot. The goals we gave away came from absolutely nothing – it was a foul-throw for the first goal, I might add.
“However, we need to defend better for both goals. We let ourselves down. Martin Mackinnon didn’t have a lot to do, and neither did their keeper (Dylan Maclean), although Martin was maybe a bit busier.
“We huffed and puffed in the second half, but it was all in the wrong areas. It is just not good enough.”
Clach are away to Inverurie Locos on Saturday, while it’s Banks o’ Dee at home for Nairn County.
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