Two headed goals midway through the first half from Nathan Sharp and Ross MacPherson put the Mechanics in the driving seat, but a well-taken strike from Dale Gillespie five minutes after the re-start kept this game on the boil right to the very end.

The home side made a bright start forcing three corners inside the first three minutes and they almost took the  lead when a Gregg Main piledriver from 22 yards tested Steven Dunn in the Forres goal.

But the visitors soon settled and Garry Tweedie had his side's first chance of the game after eight minutes but he fired straight at Callum Donaldson from 20 yards. Main again went close with another rasping shot which flew just over.  By midway through the half there was little between the sides as the game swung from box to box.

A cross from Bruce Milne was spilled by Donaldson but the keeper recovered in the nick of time to scramble the ball out for a corner, which was headed clear for a second corner from which the visitors took the lead. Simon Allan flighted the ball high into the area where Nathan Sharp outjumped everyone to head home.

It was 2-0 in 25 minutes when a pin-point cross from Archie McPhee picked out Ross MacPherson who sent a bullet header past Donaldson.  Another dangerous cross into box, this time from Milne, had the Nairn defence on the back foot but Glenn Main was on hand this time to make sure Scott Moore couldn't get on the end of it at the back post.

A Kyle Scott head flick picked out Moore in space but the winger was stopped in his tracks by a well-timed blocking tackle from last defender David Hind.  With 37 minutes played, Craig Campbell found himself shackled by Graham Fraser and MacPherson as he burst into the box and it took the outstretched boot of Fraser to deflect the ball for a corner.  Gillespie took the flag kick which was headed just wide by Robbie Duncanson.

 Half Time: Nairn County 0 Forres Mechanics 2

Forres threatened to extend their lead four minutes after the break when substitute Lee Fraser cut in from the left before picking out Garry Tweedie. The striker failed to connect properly and the ball broke to Simon Allan but his first time effort from just inside the box was blocked.

But it was the home side who found the back of the net in the 50^th minute. Some neat build-up play along the edge of the area saw Duncanson play the ball wide to Glenn Main. The defender cut the ball back to Dale Gillespie and the ex-Caley man curled a sweet shot into the top corner.

County's tails were up and Gillespie played a fine ball inside McPhee but Dunn had read the pass well and was out quickly to gather as Campbell and Duncanson looked to capitalise. Forres were next to threaten in 55 minutes when Allan drilled a 30-yard free kick which forced Donaldson into a save low to his right.

The visitors again went close in 63 minutes when an angled drive from Neil Whyte flew just wide of Donaldson's far post. Nairn were almost gifted an equaliser three minutes later when a Sharp sliced clearance flew past his keeper but luckily for the defender it flashed just wide of the upright.

Incredibly, just a few minutes later and Milne almost put through his own keeper when he stretched to clear a Gregg Main ball into the danger area and it arched over Dunn before landing on the roof of the net.

From the corner, Steven Mackay was given a free header at the back post but was left holding his head in his hands after sending his effort over the bar. With 77 minutes on the clock good defending from Paul Macleod ensured that substitute Ryan Green couldn't get a shot away as he surged into the box.

Two minutes later and Nairn were back on the attack when Davie Watson picked out Gillespie 22 yards out. The midfielder seemed to hesitate for a split second before pulling the trigger and in the end it was an easy stop for Dunn.

Moore made a surging run to the by-line in 81 minutes before delivering a teasing ball to the near post which Donaldson did well to block before being scrambled clear. As the game moved into added time, substitute Tony Low delivered a high ball to the back post but Steven Mackay was crowded out as he looked to nod home.

And in the game's last action, Lee Fraser delivered a low ball to the near post which was flicked on by Green. The ball squirmed past the diving Donaldson but Macleod was on hand to clear. Seconds later the ref blew for full time in a match the home side were unlucky not to grab a share of the spoils.

Full Time: Nairn County 1 Forres Mechanics 2