COUNTY CAPITULATE AS SUPER SUB MIKE STRIKES

DEVERONVALE 4 NAIRN COUNTY 1 (Ht 1-0)

SCORERS: Watt 38 & 90, Kerr 55, McKenzie 76, Gauld 88

Vale won their first match since the 14^th of November as they saw off visitors Nairn with a late flurry of goals at Princess Royal Park to get their title aspirations back on track.

Although the Banffers were a goal up and looking quite comfortable they lost a soft equaliser ten minutes after the re-start and the points could have gone either way until an inspired substitution turned the game in Vale’s favour.

Mike McKenzie was the super sub, coming on for Robbie Duncanson and scoring the all-important third goal with a fine finish within six minutes of his introduction & further counters from fellow sub Stephen Gauld and Graeme Watt completed the scoring.

Watty had the Banff side ahead at the break when he netted from close range but Shaun Kerr punished some slack defending to haul the visitors level & at that stage of the afternoon it was anyone’s guess where the points were going.

With Robbie Brown suspended recent loan signing from Peterhead Dean Cowie made his debut and impressed throughout while Scott Fraser was forced off after just six minutes with a back injury & may miss Wednesday’s home match versus Forres.

Vale re-organised things at the back following big Fraser’s departure and changed their formation to a three-five-two but failed to impress in the opening half hour, Graeme Watt’s turn and right-foot effort which drifted wide was their only real contribution in the final third.

The visitors weren’t much better although Brian Macleod did come close with a header at the back-stick which was inches wide and David Hind even more so when his effort smacked the top of James Blanchard’s crossbar following a Steven Mackay corner.

Dean Cowie was denied a debut goal when he met Graeme Watt’s low centre only for Callum Donaldson to get down well low to his right and save at the second attempt.

GOAL

Mark Smith stung the fingers of Donaldson with a driving run and rasping strike which the keeper turned around the post but from the resultant flag-kick the homesters were in front.

Robbie Duncanson swung the ball into the near post where Cowie flicked it on and as the ball broke Graeme WATT was on hand to stab home from close range.

Dean Cowie passed up a half chance just before the interval after a decent break saw Mark Smith square the ball to the on-loan midfielder who blazed over although to be fair he was off-balance. HT

A flowing move at the start of the second period saw Robbie Duncanson fed in on goal by Graeme Watt but the striker was caught marginally offside as he looked to make it two while at the opposite end Derek Milne’s fine interception prevented Steven Mackay with a certain equaliser.

Nairn did get back on level terms soon after though, Shaun Kerr sweeping home following a Gregg Main cross which landed on the wrong side of the striker but was allowed too much time to control the ball and beat Blanchy from 15-yards.

Vale responded immediately and Robbie Duncanson fired a 20-yarder at goal which was well watched by Callum Donaldson before the striker was replaced by Mike McKenzie.

It took just six minutes from Mikee to get on the score-sheet, a Graeme Watt ball to the feet of McKENZIE saw the sub fire across Donaldson and into the bottom corner of the net to put the Banffers back into the lead.

The game really opened up following McKenzie’s goal and the away side seemed to lose their concentration as the Vale looked to make certain of the points.

Young substitute Stephen Gauld, who had earlier replaced Paul Urquhart, saw his pace take him away from his marker on the right only for Donaldson to tip his fierce drive over the top.

GAULD did get his goal however two minutes from time when he pounced on a lose ball after Mark Chisholm had seen his header from a Mike McKenzie corner blocked on the goal-line.

Sponsor’s man-of-the-match Mark Smith was denied a fourth for the reds when Donaldson pulled off a good save on ninety minutes but the buoyant Banffers weren’t finished yet and Graeme Watt made it four when he ran onto Dean Cowie’s threaded pass and blasted the ball past the helpless County keeper moments later.

Line Ups:

Nairn – Donaldson, #Hind, Macdonald, Kerr, Mackay, Macleod, Gillespie, Coletto, Main, Main, Sanderson (Jarvie 85)

Subs Not Used – Macdonald, Macleod, Macdonald, Fuller

Manager – Les Fridge

Deveronvale – Blanchard, Gilbert, Dolan, Chisholm, Fraser (Urquhart 6, Gauld 70), Milne, Rodger, D Cowie, Smith, Duncanson (McKenzie 70), Watt

Subs Not Used: M Cowie, Coutts

Co Managers – Stuart Glennie & Scott Anderson

Officials:

Ref – M Pirie

Asst Referees – K Milne, M Milne

Vale Stats:

Shots On Target: 9

Shots Off Target: 5

Blocked Efforts: 4

Woodwork: 0

Headers On Target: 1

Headers Off Target: 1

Corners Won: 11

Offside: 1

Approx Attendance: 300

Last Season: 4-1

Ground Conditions: Not Great

Overhead Conditions: Dreich

Temperature at Kick Off: 5°C