Nairn County have secured two talented Ross County graduates on loan as the Highland League side seek to sharpen up following a friendly lesson in finishing from Caley Thistle.
Boss Steven Mackay has added 18-year-old midfielder Andrew Macleod from the Premiership Staggies, along with 17-year-old winger George Robesten, who impressed from the bench as a trialist in Tuesday’s 6-0 defeat against ICT.
Both highly-rated graduates are on loan at Station Park until the New Year.
Ross County FC can confirm Academy Graduates Andrew Macleod and George Robesten have today joined Highland League side Nairn County on loan, initially until January 2024.
We wish both players every success with their loans at Nairn County. pic.twitter.com/ztS5np2Nu1
— Ross County FC (@RossCounty) July 12, 2023
Quality signings lauded by Mackay
Overall, the Station Park club have been proactive in adding to their player pool this summer.
Signing ex-Caley Thistle striker, Scottish schoolboy talent Aaron Nicolson – along with his former ICT team-mates Jamie Carnihan and Lewis Munro, and Invergordon striker Ben Kelly amounts to fine work on the face of it.
Mackay, speaking before the County duo’s arrival was confirmed, reckons Nicolson, Carnihan and Kelly all arrive at the club with first-class backgrounds, and with scope to improve with more matchday experience.
He said: “We were delighted to get Aaron. He played last week against Ross County. He’s a good prospect along with (his former ICT team-mate) Jamie Carnihan. We’ve got high hopes for both of them.
“It was a tough game for them both to come in for their first starts. They have not trained a huge amount with us for one reason or another, so it will be good to get their fitness levels up and get them fully bedded in. I’m sure both of them will do well.
“We’ve brought in young boys who we feel have got good potential and good pedigrees, whether they have come from Ross County or Caley Thistle. They all have good standards and have been coached well.
“We want to be the club who can now offer them first-team football and help develop them. That’s the plan.”
Nairn aim to sharpen up after rout
Mackay, meanwhile, insists Nairn will take their hiding by Championship Caley Thistle on the chin in order to be ready for facing Brora Rangers on the opening day of the season later this month.
It was a tough one for Nairn to take, especially as they competed far better seven days previously in their 3-1 home loss to Premiership County.
They were 4-0 down within 25 minutes against Inverness, but they dug deep to improve after the interval.
They start their new HFL campaign on July 29 against the Cattachs and Mackay hopes his players can focus on fixing their shortcomings ahead of the big kick-off.
He said: “It was a slightly better second half. Caley Thistle freshened it up (by changing their entire starting XI) and the message was to go and at least compete a bit better in the second half and I think we did that in elements, although the game was long put to bed at that point.
📽HIGHLIGHTS
Nairn County 0 Inverness CT 6https://t.co/YvNdzYML5l#ncfc #nairncounty #ItsaNairnThing
— Nairn County FC (@NairnCounty) July 12, 2023
“We created a few half chances. I thought George Robesten when he came on looked bright and lively, as did Kenny MacKenzie at left-back.
“Overall, there were a couple of positives from the game, but also things we have to work on.
“Defeats such as Tuesday are not necessarily a bad thing because it forces you to check where you are and look at certain things. We will do that over the next couple of weeks because the Brora game is not too far away now.”
Inverkeithing next stop for County
This Saturday, Nairn head to Fife for their next friendly fixture as they meet East of Scotland League Premier Division hosts Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts.
Manager Mackay added: “It’s (been arranged) through a work connection. (Assistant boss) David Hind and I work at Langfields in Dunfermline and one of our suppliers has links to the club.
“It’s something different.
“We will travel on Saturday to play against them.
“I think they play in the division below the Lowland League, so it will be a good enough challenge for us.
“We’re looking forward to it – hopefully we can put on a better performance that we did on Tuesday.
Nairn will then round off their pre-season schedule a week on Saturday against North Caledonian League champions Loch Ness at Fortrose.
