Match Report - By Steven Mew

Following a fortnight out of action, City got back to winning ways as they netted three goals without reply against Nairn County at Glebe Park yesterday evening.

Up against a Nairn outfit that deservedly earned a share of the spoils in the last meeting between the sides just last month, City never looked in any danger of dropping points in this encounter.

Manager Andy Kirk made three changes to his side from last time out, with Hamish Thomson and Anthony McDonald coming into the starting 11 whilst there was the welcome return of Euan Spark who made his first appearance for over ten weeks.

It was the visitors who started the better of the two sides, with striker Alasdair Gillies having two shots straight at Wilson during the opening exchanges.

City started to get in their groove however, and they were unlucky not to be ahead on 9 minutes when a goal from Botti Biabi was controversially ruled out for offside. Scott played a neat reverse pass for McDonald inside the box and he squared the ball for Biabi who fired low into the corner, however the linesman had his flag up.

Just after the quarter hour mark, McDonald slipped a neat pass through for the advancing Bain inside the box but the City skipper couldn’t keep the shot down.

A couple of minutes later City came close again when Inglis flashed a delivery across the face of goal but the ball agonisingly evaded Biabi who looked set to tap home.

Midway through the half, it was City who deservedly opened the scoring. A well worked one-touch passing move on the edge of the box resulted in McDonald intelligently flicking the ball through for GRADY MCGRATH - City's top scorer kept his composure to slot the ball beyond MacLean in the Nairn goal for his 26th goal of the season.

City would have another goal ruled out on 41 minutes when McDonald threaded a ball through for McGrath to lash the ball home, however the linesman had his flag up for offside much to the despair of the City forward who felt he had timed his run correctly.

A few minutes before the break, City doubled their advantage. Another passing move saw Inglis scamper down the left hand side and his cross found MARC SCOTT lurking at the back post and he made no mistake, firing a powerful effort in from a difficult angle.

Manager Andy Kirk would certainly be content with a two goal lead at the break and City nearly extended their advantage two minutes into the second half when Biabi and Scott both had shots blocked in the penalty area before MacLean eventually gathered.

Both McGrath and Inglis flashed volleys wide for City before MacLeod was denied by the keeper after cutting inside from the right.

Midway through the half, the impressive MacLeod would threaten again when he stooped to meet McArthur’s cross with a header but he couldn’t quite make the right connection and the ball trickled wide.

On 77 minutes MacLeod had the beating of his man down the right hand side of the box and he cut the ball back for Inglis whose shot was blocked by the Nairn defence.

City kept pushing for another goal and it arrived just a few minutes from time. Substitute Ewan Loudon made an surging run forward, evading several challenges before sliding the ball into the path of BOTTI BIABI who provided a fine finish into the bottom corner to move into double figures for the season.

We’re back at Glebe Park again on Saturday as we take on Wick Academy in another Highland League fixture.