Post by Brian Mackay on Nov 3, 2009 15:44:23 GMT -5
Thurso 3 V Halkirk United 2 - report by Iain Grant
The Vikings ended a five game losing streak versus their neighbours after an enthralling contest at Sir Georges Park on Saturday.
A crowd of several hundred were entertained by an unpredictable affair which was a good advert for the strength of the game in the far north.
With Wick Academy looking good value for a second successive finish in the top half of the Scot-Ads Highland League, regular talk of a diminution in the calibre of players coming on the county scene seems well wide of the mark.
The Anglers will rue failing to sustain a lively opening quarter when they regularly buzzed the opposition goal and were unfortunate to lead by just one.
After Stuart Florence’s opener, the PSG North Caley top-of-the-table clash was turned on its head by a Mark Nichol double in eight minutes.
The visitors responded with a magnificent strike by Jimmy Budge to see the sides troop off at the interval tied at 2-2.
With the tie delicately poised, it was Thurso who looked the hungrier thereafter.
They came desperately close on several occasions before an opportunist solo from Wayne Monkman 12 minutes from time proved to be the winner.
Halkirk’s 5-2 advantage in corners gave a fair indication of the first half action areas.
Early setpieces ended with Thurso’s Andrew Bremnner’s flicked header trickling just wide before Gavin Henderson and Alan Larnach had powerful strikes from the edge of the box which dipped too late as they cleared Michael Gray’s crossbar.
Halkirk wide men Chris Sutherland and Luke Sawyer were being well supplied, with the latter in particular featuring with some menacing forays down the right.
Hard-working Sandy Sutherland also linked up well and looked unlucky not to win a free-kick when he appeared to be taken down by Bremner 20 yards out after he raced on Chris Sutherland’s feed.
United went in front on 15 yards when Florence seized on an unconvincing would-be clearance as it bobbled just outside the penalty area.
The midfielder’s unerring, low strike eluded a ruck of players before
beating Gray at his right post.
Three minutes later, the keeper ensured the visitors did not double their lead.
Henderson’s booming, diagonal pass invited another surge down the right flank by Sawyer.
He picked out Sandy Sutherland whose firm, rising shot would have counted but for the keeper’s full-extension tip-over.
Thurso levelled on 28 minutes when Jamie MacKenzie made space for himself inside the box.
His attempt came back off Williamson’s legs to Nichol who threaded the ball from 12 yards past a jumble of bodies just inside the left upright.
The score against the run of play roused the home side with Michael Petrie’s switch to help counter the threat posed by Sawyer tightening up their rearguard.
Nichol sent a snap-shot into the side-net before he grabbed his second.
Nigel MacKenzie galloped down the right with his whipped cross catching the visiting defenders in retreat and Nichol taking advantage by side-footing past Williamson from six yards.
Halkirk regained their earlier whip hand for the remainder of the half and it was no real surprise then they restored parity.
Gray had held Larnach’s firmly struck free-kick just before the 40th minute goal.
Larnach’s through-ball opened the way for Budge to steal a couple of yards on the Thurso centre-backs and his finish from 25 yards blurred past Gray into the top, right-hand corner of the net.
United enjoyed a decent start to the turnaround with Larnach and Henderson again putting just too much elevation on shots from distance.
With the United cause mysteriously running out of steam, Thurso grew in confidence and established a growing stranglehold on possession.
The home side were unlucky not to go ahead on 53 minutes when Lee MacDougall’s lung-busting overlap of Nigel MacKenzie put him clear down the left touchline.
His measured cross fell perfectly for Jamie MacKenzie whose firm header came back off the face of the bar.
Two minutes later, Halkirk went close when Larnach’s centre invited a scuffed shot from Henderson which Sean Stewart shepherded to safety from the shadow of the goal-line.
Soon, the action was centred at the other end with Monkman unable to convert from six yards from Nigel MacKenzie’s set-up.
The latter’s hanging cross soon after was nodded across goal by Petrie to Jamie MacKenzie whose close-in effort was scrambled clear.
Nichol then showed admirable perseverance to shake off two defenders to forge into the box only to stumble and send his shot several metres wide of the target.
The winner came when Monkman worked his way past the last two outfield defenders towards goal.
He looked to have taken to ball a yard too wide on the edge of the 18 yard box but he manufactured an early shot which flashed between Williamson and his near post.
Ref Graham Elder was not over-pressed to keep order in a well-tempered derby and Gary MacGregor could count himself a shade unfortunate to be sent for an early bath on 88 minutes after picking up his second yellow card.
United’s last chance of salvation vanished when Sandy Sutherland drove an injury-time free-kick against the defensive cordon.
Thurso – Gray, Stewart, Bremner, Sinclair, MacDougall, Petrie MacGregor, Monkman Nichol, N. MacKenzie, J. MacKenzie. Subs (unused) – Munro, Stven and Begg.
Halkirk United – Williamson, Florence, Traill (Sinclair 65), Murray, Davidson, Henderson, Larnach, Sawyer (Mackay Steven 56), S. Sutherland, Budge (Ross 68), C. Sutherland. Subs (unused) – Munro
and MacDonald. Ref – Mr G. Elder.
The Vikings ended a five game losing streak versus their neighbours after an enthralling contest at Sir Georges Park on Saturday.
A crowd of several hundred were entertained by an unpredictable affair which was a good advert for the strength of the game in the far north.
With Wick Academy looking good value for a second successive finish in the top half of the Scot-Ads Highland League, regular talk of a diminution in the calibre of players coming on the county scene seems well wide of the mark.
The Anglers will rue failing to sustain a lively opening quarter when they regularly buzzed the opposition goal and were unfortunate to lead by just one.
After Stuart Florence’s opener, the PSG North Caley top-of-the-table clash was turned on its head by a Mark Nichol double in eight minutes.
The visitors responded with a magnificent strike by Jimmy Budge to see the sides troop off at the interval tied at 2-2.
With the tie delicately poised, it was Thurso who looked the hungrier thereafter.
They came desperately close on several occasions before an opportunist solo from Wayne Monkman 12 minutes from time proved to be the winner.
Halkirk’s 5-2 advantage in corners gave a fair indication of the first half action areas.
Early setpieces ended with Thurso’s Andrew Bremnner’s flicked header trickling just wide before Gavin Henderson and Alan Larnach had powerful strikes from the edge of the box which dipped too late as they cleared Michael Gray’s crossbar.
Halkirk wide men Chris Sutherland and Luke Sawyer were being well supplied, with the latter in particular featuring with some menacing forays down the right.
Hard-working Sandy Sutherland also linked up well and looked unlucky not to win a free-kick when he appeared to be taken down by Bremner 20 yards out after he raced on Chris Sutherland’s feed.
United went in front on 15 yards when Florence seized on an unconvincing would-be clearance as it bobbled just outside the penalty area.
The midfielder’s unerring, low strike eluded a ruck of players before
beating Gray at his right post.
Three minutes later, the keeper ensured the visitors did not double their lead.
Henderson’s booming, diagonal pass invited another surge down the right flank by Sawyer.
He picked out Sandy Sutherland whose firm, rising shot would have counted but for the keeper’s full-extension tip-over.
Thurso levelled on 28 minutes when Jamie MacKenzie made space for himself inside the box.
His attempt came back off Williamson’s legs to Nichol who threaded the ball from 12 yards past a jumble of bodies just inside the left upright.
The score against the run of play roused the home side with Michael Petrie’s switch to help counter the threat posed by Sawyer tightening up their rearguard.
Nichol sent a snap-shot into the side-net before he grabbed his second.
Nigel MacKenzie galloped down the right with his whipped cross catching the visiting defenders in retreat and Nichol taking advantage by side-footing past Williamson from six yards.
Halkirk regained their earlier whip hand for the remainder of the half and it was no real surprise then they restored parity.
Gray had held Larnach’s firmly struck free-kick just before the 40th minute goal.
Larnach’s through-ball opened the way for Budge to steal a couple of yards on the Thurso centre-backs and his finish from 25 yards blurred past Gray into the top, right-hand corner of the net.
United enjoyed a decent start to the turnaround with Larnach and Henderson again putting just too much elevation on shots from distance.
With the United cause mysteriously running out of steam, Thurso grew in confidence and established a growing stranglehold on possession.
The home side were unlucky not to go ahead on 53 minutes when Lee MacDougall’s lung-busting overlap of Nigel MacKenzie put him clear down the left touchline.
His measured cross fell perfectly for Jamie MacKenzie whose firm header came back off the face of the bar.
Two minutes later, Halkirk went close when Larnach’s centre invited a scuffed shot from Henderson which Sean Stewart shepherded to safety from the shadow of the goal-line.
Soon, the action was centred at the other end with Monkman unable to convert from six yards from Nigel MacKenzie’s set-up.
The latter’s hanging cross soon after was nodded across goal by Petrie to Jamie MacKenzie whose close-in effort was scrambled clear.
Nichol then showed admirable perseverance to shake off two defenders to forge into the box only to stumble and send his shot several metres wide of the target.
The winner came when Monkman worked his way past the last two outfield defenders towards goal.
He looked to have taken to ball a yard too wide on the edge of the 18 yard box but he manufactured an early shot which flashed between Williamson and his near post.
Ref Graham Elder was not over-pressed to keep order in a well-tempered derby and Gary MacGregor could count himself a shade unfortunate to be sent for an early bath on 88 minutes after picking up his second yellow card.
United’s last chance of salvation vanished when Sandy Sutherland drove an injury-time free-kick against the defensive cordon.
Thurso – Gray, Stewart, Bremner, Sinclair, MacDougall, Petrie MacGregor, Monkman Nichol, N. MacKenzie, J. MacKenzie. Subs (unused) – Munro, Stven and Begg.
Halkirk United – Williamson, Florence, Traill (Sinclair 65), Murray, Davidson, Henderson, Larnach, Sawyer (Mackay Steven 56), S. Sutherland, Budge (Ross 68), C. Sutherland. Subs (unused) – Munro
and MacDonald. Ref – Mr G. Elder.