Nairn County captain looking to cause upset against Inverness Caley Thistle
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FRASER Dingwall is urging Nairn County colleagues to grasp the moment and create a major upset tonight.
The Wee County face what is likely to be a strong Inverness Caley Thistle side full of first team talent in the North of Scotland Cup semi-final at Station Park
It will be Nairn’s first semi-final in any knock-out tournament since defeating Turriff United in the Highland League Cup last four in 2016.
Ronnie Sharp’s side went on to lose the final in a penalty shoot-out with Brora Rangers and have not lifted silverware in just over a decade since winning the North Cup final 2-1 against Wick Academy in October 2012.
For a club that aspires to progress and push itself back towards the leading lights in the north game, the track record is unsatisfactory.
Defender Dingwall, who is proud of his medals and achievements at amateur level, craves the chance to tilt for senior level honours with the team he captains.
“It is the first semi-final we’ve been in, as a club, since 2016,” Dingwall emphasised.
“If we can get to the final, it is a real achievement. There is a trophy on the line, medals. I’ve not won anything with Nairn, but at North Caledonian League level I won cups with Avoch and Maryburgh, and the league with Maryburgh.
“They are all special and to win something with Nairn would be massive to me, and to the rest of the players.
“You obviously want to win as much as you can in your career, so it would be absolutely huge to get to the final and have a crack at it winning it.
“This is a big opportunity for the club to go and try to win some silverware again.”
There were 1300 fans at Grant Street Park on October 20, 2012 as Nairn triumphed against the Scorries and lifted the trophy for the seventh time in their history.
The game went to extra-time after Robbie Duncanson’s early opener was wiped out late on by a Craig Shearer reply. It then fell to John Cameron to net the 102nd minute winner.
Securing the trophy for an eighth time, after earlier round wins over Forres and Lossiemouth, will be a big ask given the likelihood that ICT will pack their side with first team players.
The Championship club booked the semi-final spot by beating Rothes 1-0 through a Keith Bray finish, with Jake Davidson, Zak Delaney, Lewis Hyde, Adam Brooks, Harry Lodovica, Robbie Thompson and Austin Samuels all featuring.
“We’ll be underdogs – everybody knows that,” Dingwall said. “But we’re really looking forward to it. It is going to be a really good test for us and we’ll go into it fighting.”
