BROXBURN ATH V NAIRN COUNTY

Report

Attendance 422

Scottish Cup 2nd Preliminary Round: Broxburn Athletic v Nairn County 23 September 2023

The First Round of the Scottish Cup proper was what was on the menu at the Albyn as opponents from Tier 5, 1 above the Brox, Highland League Nairn County made the long trip down from the North. This was a reverse of the fixture from the Covid interrupted season, 2020-21 where Broxburn were somewhat controversially beaten on penalties following what seemed a perfectly fair goal being chopped off at the end of extra time.

Broxburn made 2 changes to the side that beat Whitburn on penalties last Saturday, Moyles and new loan signing Ward replacing D.Nimmo and Campbell.

Nairn County currently sit 11th in the Highland League having had an indifferent start to their league campaign winning 3 games and losing 4. Nairn came into the game having beaten Inverurie Loco Works 4-0 last Saturday. Not surprisingly Nairn named an unchanged team which included ex Ross County, Finn Harps and Peterhead striker Conor Gethins and Ross Tokely who made 593 appearances for Inverness Caley.

Broxburn got off to an amazing start in the 2nd Munro’s cross deflected out for a corner off a visiting defender. Nimmo took the corner flighted perfectly for TURNER to bullet a header past keeper D.MacLean to give the hosts an early lead.

Both sides were cancelling each other out as they tried to gain an upper hand in the game.

In the 15th minute Page played a great long ball forward looking for R.Nimmo who set off in chase but D.MacLean in the Nairn goal was alert to the danger and collected the ball.

Young forced a corner off Munro for County, Gethins taking the kick which was met by Dingwall but his header was blocked and cleared.

Tokely played a long ball forward in the 20th minute to McLeod who chested the ball off to Gethins who sized up a shot from 25 yards but his shot was always rising.

Dingwall was booked in the 22nd minute.

R.Nimmo got a curling shot on target a minute later but MacLean saved comfortably at his near post.

Gethins won a corner on the Nairn right off Ward but the corner didn’t produce anything Douglas headed clear.

In the 26th minute C.Maclean strode purposefully forward feeding ball to Gethins but his cross was easily collected by Watt.

On the half hour Bremner was dispossesed in midfield by MacIntosh who saw Watt slightly off his line and ambitiously tried to take the keeper on from 45 yards but he didn’t connect well with his shot and Watt easily saved.

Munro curled a great long pass down the right wing to Brass who did well to beat C.Maclean, his cross from the byeline was hard and low which D. Maclean gathered at the 2nd attempt.

Nairn had their best move of the game in the 39th minute Gethins, Dey and Young combining well with Young’s shot blocked by a home defender and over the bar. Dingwall rose the highest at the corner but couldn’t direct his effort on target.

The Brox then punished the visitors Locke going on a surging run forward stopped illegally by Dingwall just outside the penalty box in a central position. PAGE took the free kick over the wall and hitting a Nairn defender and into the net to put Broxburn 2 goals to the good. Time 41 minutes.

HALF TIME: Broxburn Athletic 2 – 0 Nairn County
Nairn started on the front foot in the 2nd half Gethins played a good ball forward to Robesten who played the ball back to C.Maclean but his cross was easily cleared.
In the 50th minute Bremner was penalised for handball 35 yards from goal Gethins took the kick but it just went over the bar.
Broxburn then rode their luck Dey and Robesten carved out a chance for Young at the back post whose shot rattled the bar. The danger wasn’t cleared MacIntosh then cracked in a shot which Watt dived full length to his left to save, the ball breaking to MacLeod who was challenged by Turner, the Nairn player going down with loud claims for a penalty the referee booked the Nairn player for diving.
R.Nimmo was booked for Broxburn in the 55th minute for a challenge on keeper D.MacLean.
Nairn were much more prominent now MacIntosh striding forward and smacking a shot from 30 yards which just went wide of the right hand post.
In the 59th minute Heath came on for Brass.
On the hour Broxburn forced a corner on the left which R.Nimmo took, which was flicked on by a Brox head but a County defender cleared from danger inside the 6 yard box.
A minute later Nairn made 2 changes Young and Dey were replaced by Nicholson and McKenzie.
In the 65th minute Turner dispossessed MacIntosh slipped the ball to Heath in the penalty area with his shot blocked for a corner by McKenzie. R.Nimmo took the corner Heath getting his head to it but his header drifted past the right hand post.
Douglas won a head flick in midfield which found Locke who made good ground down the left his cross was taken by D.MacLean.
Robesten came off for Nairn, Davidson going on.
In 72 minutes Turner played in a ball to Locke in the box, The Brox captain showed great control and turned and hit a volley which D.Maclean saved.
In the 74th minute Douglas ran on to a long ball forward from R.Nimmo he battered his way past defenders and smacked a great shot which D.MacLean had to look lively to get strong hands on the ball.
Downie came on for Douglas in the 75th minute.
Kelly came on for Gethins for Nairn. Time 80 minutes.
Kelly’s impact was immediate taking a long throw Watt doing well in the home goal to get a palm on the ball, MacIntosh was on to the loose ball but fired wide left.
County were in the ascendancy now pressing for a breakthrough Mackay played in a ball from the left which found Kelly in a great position but his shot was disappointing hitting his effort wide left.
In the 89th minute MacIntosh was booked for a foul on Munro.
Binnie came on for R.Nimmo in the 90th minute.
Nairn won another long throw on the left Kelly took the award again and launched the ball into the danger area where the ball was partially cleared but MCKENZIE got his head to the ball which went into the net to throw the visitors a late lifeline. Time 90+1.
Turner was booked for Broxburn.
The aerial bombardment continued with Kelly launching in another long throw which this time the Brox defence scrambled out for a corner. McLeod took the kick but the referee spotted an infringement on a home defender and awarded a free kick.
As things started to become a bit heated Moyles was booked for kicking the ball away. Time 90+4.
MacIntosh was then red carded for a foul on Moyles.
The Brox held out for another famous victory keeping their undefeated start to the season intact.
FULL TIME: Broxburn Athletic 2 – 1 Nairn County

Referee    Mr. T. Ormiston    Assistants   Mr. D. McGuire, Mr. J. Gardiner