Lossiemouth continued their unbeaten start to the season with a solid win over Nairn County at Grant Park. A Stuart Strathdee goal gave the hosts a half time lead before Ross Grant levelled, but minutes later Shawn Scott headed home a corner to secure all three points and a share of first place in the league table.

Lossie were without the Archibald brothers, Kevin Stuart and Nikki Smith for the weekend, and began the match with Stuart Strathdee partnering Biscuits up front for the afternoon. Nairn started the game minus the suspended Andrea Coletto and an injured Paul Macleod, but had recent signing David Hannah, formerly of Dundee United and Celtic, in the starting line-up.

Nairn were four goals down to Cove at half time in their last game and the last thing they needed was to concede an early goal at Grant Park, but unfortunately for them they did exactly that. Stuart STRATHDEE took possession well outside the penalty area and, from almost the enclosure side touchline, sent a cross over the head of a stranded Donaldson and into the net.

Lossie were forced onto the defensive by Nairn, and the home side were taking time to settle down. Sam Milton was required to head a Duncanson free kick over his own crossbar, and Darren McConnachie was grateful to see a Wayne Mackintosh strike fly over the frame of the goal. Shortly after, McConnachie was called into action again when Craig Campbell set up Duncanson for a shot, but the strike was poor and the Lossie keeper gathered easily.

The hosts thought they had doubled their lead just before the interval. A scramble in the box culminated in Martin McMullan forcing the ball over the line while lying on the ground only for the linesman to flag for offside, despite the presence of two Nairn players on the goal line.

Half time - Lossiemouth 1 Nairn County 0

The visitors spent long spells of the second period camped in the Lossie half, as the experienced visitors searched for an equaliser. For all their possession, however, Nairn could not find a way through, and become ever more frustrated with their inability to get the ball past McConnachie on the rare occasion they broke through the defence. The Lossie keeper pulled off a fine save from a Gregg Main free kick and shortly after held a tame shot from Duncanson.

Nairn threw on former Ross County man Ross Grant and put down a marker with almost his first touch when he hit a fierce shot just over the bar. Lossie went even closer when a long range shot from Shawn Scott rattled the crossbar before being cleared.

County continued to press and were rewarded with an equaliser with twenty minutes left. Substitute GRANT was left unmarked in the centre of the penalty area and was perfectly placed to side-foot home a square ball from Gregg Main.

Nairn were noticably cheered by their equaliser but before they could push for a second, Lossie beat them to it. A corner from JJ Urquhart was met by the head of Shawn SCOTT and flew past a rooted Donaldson to put the Coasters back in the lead.

That goal all but ended any attempts from Nairn to level again. A volley late in the game from Gillespie was saved by McConnachie, but a second equaliser would have been undeserved for a Nairn team who seemed to think merely turning up was going to be enough to earn three points.

Full time - Lossiemouth 2 Nairn County 1

Teams

Lossiemouth - Darren McConnachie: Steven Sim, Kevin Flett, JJ Urquhart, Sam Milton, Garry Macdonald, Tony Ross, Martin McMullan, Shawn Scott, Stuart Strathdee, Ross Duncan
Nairn County - Callum Donaldson: David Hannah, David Hind, Martin MacDonald, Wayne Mackintosh, Craig Campbell, Steven Mackay, Dale Gillespie, Robbie Duncanson, Glenn Main, Gregg Main

Lossiemouth - Dan Smith (Garry Macdonald, 62), David Wilson (Tony Ross, 75), Kevin Grant (Stuart Strathdee, 85)
Nairn County - Ross Grant (Glenn Main, 58), Shaun Kerr (Robbie Duncanson, 62)

Lossiemouth -Jamie Bagley, Gary McKnockiter
Nairn County - Scott Barlow, Marc MacDonald, Trialist

Lossiemouth - Stuart Strathdee (10), Shawn Scott (79)
Nairn County - Ross Grant (72)

Lossiemouth - None
Nairn County - None

Referee

Disagree?