Full midweek Highland League round-up plus Saturday's fixtures
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NAIRN County tested Highland League challengers Cove Rangers at Station Park last night (Wednesday) but were edged out 2-1 by the visitors.
Cove's victory, on a night when Brora and Formartine also won, keeps alive a three-way title race.
Les Fridge's Nairn side though, who finished with 10 men on the park, still remain in a respectable sixth place with three games in hand over Inverurie Locos, who are just above them with a six-point advantage.
The hosts got off to a strong start and it took a fine save from Stuart McKenzie to deny Robbie Duncanson before he pulled off another good stop to prevent Sam Urquhart from scoring.
Andrew Skinner then went close but again McKenzie was there to touch his long-range effort over the crossbar.
At the other end, Nairn goalkeeper Calum Antell was called into action when he saved an effort from Jamie Nicol.
However, Cove got the opener just before half-time when Jamie Watt got on to the end of a superb pass from Sam Burnett to finish from 12 yards.
Nairn had hoped to get back into the contest early in the second half, but soon were trailing by two when Nicol was lined up by Connor Scully and he sent a left-foot drive past Antell into the net.
Duncanson fired a shot over the crossbar as Nairn probed for a way back into the game but they did score on 63 minutes when Conor Gethins netted from close range.
Nairn, who beat champions Brora 2-1 away in January, were lifted and eager to gain at least a share of the spoils and it required another decent save from McKenzie to keep Urquhart out again.
Cove had the chance to finish Nairn off though when Nicol was brought down in the box for a penalty. However, he smashed his spot-kick off the post and Nairn survived.
A second booking forsub substitute Gregg Main led to his second off and Nairn, with a man short, could not find a second goal.
Second-placed Cove remain just three points behind Brora with one game in hand, with Formartine only one point behind them and on the same number of fixtures played.
Nairn will aim to push towards the top five this weekend when they travel to Huntly.
Leaders Brora Rangers got all their scoring out of the way in the first half before a second half comeback from Fort William resulted in a 4-2 win for the hosts at Dudgeon Park.
Former Fort forward John McLeod won Brora a penalty after 15 minutes and former Caley Jags starlet Dale Gillespie netted from the spot.
Fort barely had time to recover before they were 2-0 down as Inverness CT loanee Ally Macdonald headed home by meeting a cross from Ally Sutherland.
Macdonald doubled up on 32 minutes when he got on the end of a free-kick from player manager Richard Brittain.
The goals kept coming and it was 3-0 a few minutes later when Gillespie grabbed his second of the night when he scored a penalty after Grant Munro was tripped in the box.
Second-bottom Fort improved in the second half and returned south with some pride ahead of Saturday's trip to face Cove Rangers at Inverurie as a penalty from Darren Quigg and a goal from ex-Brora player Adam Porritt rounded off the scoring.
Clach remain just five spots off the bottom of the table as they went down 2-0 at Turriff United.
It was always going to be a tough clash for the Lilywhites against their fourth-placed hosts and they were a goal down after just eight minutes when Nick Gray slotted the ball past keeper Aiden Macdonald.
Clach came right back into the game and it took a fine save from Kevin Main to prevent captain Gordon Morrison from equalising from the penalty spot.
Turriff blew several chances in the second half but they killed off their visitors with 10 minutes to go when Nikolas Wozniak crashed home a superb volley.
Iain Polworth's Merkinchers will be determined to return to winning ways this weekend when they travel to Strathspey Thistle.
Formartine United are firmly in the chase for the championship after their sweeping 4-1 victory at home to Deveronvale keeps them third, four points behind Brora with a game in hand.
Elsewhere, under-strength Buckie Thistle pulled off a fine 3-1 win at Wick Academy, Huntly were 2-0 winners at basement team Rothes and Lossiemouth departed from Forres Mechanics with a 1-0 win.
Saturday's Highland League fixtures are: Brora Rangers v Inverurie Locos, Buckie Thistle v Deveronvale, Cove Rangers v Fort William (at Inverurie), Fraserburgh v Forres Mechanics, Huntly v Nairn County, Keith v Wick Academy, Rothes v Lossiemouth, Strathspey Thistle v Clach, Turriff United v Formartine United.
