Gutsy Fort William push Nairn County close

FORT William came to close to causing an upset away to midtable Nairn County after a firsthalf strike proved enough for the home side to claim victory at Station Park last Wednesday night, April 4.

Inches

Nairn had the early pressure but it was Fort William who were inches away from opening the scoring on 15 minutes.

John Treasurer had the time to get the ball under control and lift his head some 20 yards from goal and his curling effort flew just past the postage stamp.

Nairn then called Fort goalkeeper Martin Mackinnon into action on 23 minutes with Dylan Mackenzie pulling down a high ball wide on the left and cutting on to his right foot but his 18yard grounder was easily held by the visitors’ number one at his near post.

County broke down the Fort resistance on 38 minutes after Tom Maclennan sent an in-swinging cross over from the left to Dylan Mackenzie at the far post.

The striker headed the ball back across goal and Max Ewan was on hand to bundle it in from a few yards.

Ewen Urquhart almost grabbed his first Nairn County goal when he stepped on to Ewan’s lay-off just inside the box but his low shot drifted narrowly past the right-hand post.

Cohen Ramsay ran on to Callum Maclean’s clipped pass forward on 51 minutes but his shot from 18 yards flew just past the near post.

Despite their number of chances, County were unable to hit the target, keeping the scores at 1-0 at the half-time break and giving visitors, Fort William, some hope of an upset.

The Fort broke forward on 53 minutes with Treasurer feeding Aidan Taylor but his attempted loft over Hoban dropped just over the crossbar.

Then, three minutes later, the ball dropped invitingly to the unmarked Barna Tot 15 yards out at the far post off a cross from the left but his first time effort fizzed just wide of the target.

Fort almost found an equaliser on 72 minutes but Farquhar MacRae could only send a cross from the left sailing off target at the far post.

Despite creating some of the better chances in the second half, the Fort were unable to capitalise. Although frustrated by what could have been, the team will take heart from their gutsy performance.

Fort William’s home match against Keith on Saturday was postponed on Saturday, April 14.

The Fort’s were in action last night (Wednesday April 11), after the Lochaber Times went to print, and will be in action again on Saturday April 14, as they welcomed Formartine United to Claggan Park.