Fort fall short in two home Highland League fixtures
Fort William Nairn County Highland League 0 2
NAIRN County took all three points in the swirling Claggan Park wind last Wednesday night as an unlucky Fort William were unable to take their chances.
Fort William produced their first shot on target of the game on 17 minutes but Barna Tot’s first time effort was saved comfortably by the County ’keeper.
Nairn struck the post twice in the first half, with the second deflecting off a Fort defender before looping on to the crossbar.
Fort open had a great chance to the scoring 10 minutes before the break when Mark Gillespie was unmarked to meet a corner from the right with a header that he could only direct over the crossbar.
However, Nairn made them pay for that miss almost instantly by opening the scoring. Ewen Urquhart delivered a cross to the back post that the home defence could not deal with, allowing Max Ewan to sweep the ball home.
Fort William threatened again two minutes later but Iain MacLellan’s shot-on-the-turn deflected just wide of MacLeod’s goal.
Nairn continued their pressure in the second half almost immediately after the restart and looked to put the game to bed early on in the second half.
County duly made it two on 57 minutes as Tom Maclennan marked his debut for the club with a goal as his in-swinging free kick dropped into the net at the near post.
Fort goalkeeper Campbell limped off injured on 63 minutes with attacker Stephen Lopez taking over in goal.
The Fort almost pulled a goal back with three minutes remaining when Iain Maclellan’s low shot from the left flew across goal and just wide of the far post.
Fort William Huntly Highland League 1 4
HUNTLY recorded their third straight win at Claggan Park over 10-man Fort William on Saturday to move up to eighth position.
Fort threatened early on with Iain MacLellan having a shot blocked before being denied a few minutes later by a last-ditch challenge in the Huntly box.
On the quarter-hour mark, a Huntly free-kick was whipped in to Matthew McDonald to open the scoring.
Less than 10 minutes later, a long throw from Cameron Booth was dropped by goalkeeper Bryan Simpson and after Michael Ewen’s shot was blocked Michael Clark tapped in the rebound from close range.
John Farquhar again kept the home front-line out late on in the half when he got down low to hold a Jack Lingard deflected drive just before the half-time whistle.
The hosts were reduced to 10 men only eight minutes into the second half when Mark Gillespie picked up a second caution following a late challenge.
Huntly extended their lead in the 56th minute after Cameron Booth netted the ball with a downward header.
The hosts did manage to pull a goal back immediately after with Jack Lingard firing in low from an Ian MacLellan corner.
Following the restart, Huntly broke upfield and a harmless shot from Cameron Booth squirmed through the legs of Fort goalkeeper Simpson and into the net to round off the day’s scoring.
Fort William remain without a win so far this season at the foot of the Highland League.