Forres Mechanics 3 Nairn County 4: Can-Cans twice lose two-goal lead in derby defeat to Nairn County as Conor Gethins hits hat-trick
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FORRES Mechanics twice lost a two-goal lead as they succumbed to a dramatic 4-3 defeat against Nairn County at Mosset Park on Saturday.
The Can-Cans led 2-0 at half-time, and were 3-1 up after 70 minutes, before being stunned by a 15-minute hat-trick from experienced County striker Conor Gethins.
Despite the painful nature of the defeat, Mechanics manager Steven MacDonald said the visitors deserved to win the match.
"We were 2-0 up at half-time but I didn't really think we deserved to be, to be honest," he said.
"I didn't ever think we were in control of the game and we said at half-time that we weren't happy and we knew it wasn't over.
"We were in a good position at 2-0 and 3-1 but Nairn were pushing and pushing and I couldn't begrudge them getting the equaliser and then they got the winner as well.
"Nairn were really good and we had a real off day. Nairn deserved the points, as much as it hurts me to say it."
Forres took the lead in bizarre fashion after just seven minutes when Jack Grant's corner floated all the way over everyone and into the far top corner.
And the Cans were 2-0 up inside 20 minutes when a good move ended with Tom Brady's cross from the left being nodded square by Shaun Morrison and headed home by Ben Barron.
Nairn were limited to chances from set plays in the first half but did go close on the brink of the break when Andrew Greig turned the ball into the sidenetting at the back post.
The visitors came out a completely different team after half-time and staged a series of dangerous attacks. They halved the deficit on 52 minutes when Sam Gordon's well-hit 20-yarder found the corner.
It could have been all square just two minutes later but Angus Dey turned Andrew Greig's cutback over the bar from 12 yards.
It seemed as if Forres had weathered the storm when a corner fell to substitute Kane Davies, who smashed into the roof of the net from the penalty spot for 3-1.
But the Cans were just in the eye of the storm that Nairn cooked up at the break. A penalty, awarded for a handball by Craig Mackenzie on 73 minutes, was tucked away by Conor Gethins for 3-2.
And it was all level with six minutes to play when visiting sub Liam Shewan did well down the right before cutting back for Gethins to slam home his second.
With three minutes on the clock, Gethins was denied his hat-trick when Robert Donaldson tipped his free-kick onto the crossbar.
But when County were awarded another set piece, 22 yards out and central, Gethins hammered the ball perfectly into the corner to seal a dramatic victory.
MacDonald was full of praise for Nairn's hat-trick hero – but added that he was lucky to be on the pitch after a first half kick-out.
"Conor Gethins was fantastic for them," he said. "Not just because he got the three goals but he was a bit of quality on the park.
"His set piece deliveries, touch, movements and game intelligence was really good.
"He was lucky to stay on the park, he had a wild swing off the ball and on another day would have been sent off for that – and he should have been sent off for it.
"Conor should have gone off for his swipe and Wayne Mackintosh should have gone off as well for a stamp. It's the biggest stamp you could see.
"We needed something like that to turn in our favour because we were well off the pace."
