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Locos hit Nairn County for six at Harlaw Park to record their biggest win of the season. The visitors were reduced to 10 men early in the second half but the Railwaymen were already 4 goals to the good by that stage.
It was a glorious afternoon in the Garioch and Locos couldn’t have asked for a better start, taking the lead on 3 minutes. Cole Anderson’s positive run into the box was abruptly halted by Wayne Macintosh and Paul Coutts despatched his second spot kick in as many games.
Nairn looked to hit back immediately. Ben Barron got his header on target but Zack Ellis, returning from injury, got down well to save. Myles Gaffney wasn’t quite able to take advantage of an under hit pass back before Ellis was called into action again, this time keeping out an Andrew Macleod free kick.
Locos doubled the lead just after the half hour mark. Anderson won the ball high up the pitch and drove towards the penalty area before slipping a neat pass to Gaffney who finished coolly past Dylan McLean to register the club’s 2000th goal since joining the ranks of senior football.
There was more joy for the Harlaw faithful four minutes from half time and again Anderson was involved, finding Nathan Meres who lifted his shot over the onrushing keeper. As the first half drew to a close, there was still time for Jay Halliday to get on the scoresheet. His first effort from Meres cross was blocked buy he got to the looses ball, poking it past MacLean before thumping home from close range with virtually the last kick of the half.
The Wee County had a mountain to climb in the second half and their task got harder when they were reduced to ten men. With Ross Tokely picking up a yellow card in the first period for dissent there seemed a certain inevitability about a second with Locos taking every opportunity to run at the veteran defender. That moment duly arrived six minutes after the restart when he caught Meres late and was dismissed in successive games at Harlaw Park.
Locos capitalised on the numerical advamtage immediately. Following the free kick, Logan Johnstone’s effort from wide on the left was parried by the goalkeeper and the ball fell to Tam Reid to steer home.
It was starting to feel like a question of how many Locos would score as the depleted and deflated visitors struggled to muster any attacking threat. Lloyd Robertson hit the post with a drive from the edge of the box before Gaffney scored his second of the afternoon, taking advantage of another slack back pass to tap home at the second attempt after Mclean had saved his first.
Locos swarmed forward looking for more. Substitute Sam Robertson came closest to adding to the score with a curling effort from the edge of the box that drifted narrowly wide of the far post.
As the scoreline suggests, this was a comprehensive victory for Locos who put on an impressive display of attacking football. The visitors are having a good season and reacted well to falling behind so early. It looked like they might get back into the game but their threat diminished after the second goal and Locos didn’t look back.
Locos will look to take confidence from this performance as they hit the road to face Clachnacuddin on Wednesday evening before Rothes next Saturday.
