Post by Brian Mackay on Jan 27, 2005 15:33:35 GMT -5
Thurso 0 Alness United 1 - Report by Iain Grant
This victory takes United to within a whisker of being crowned this year's MSIS North Caley kingpins.
They took advantage of a late defensive gaffe to inflict on the home side their first league reverse of the season.
With defending champions Golspie's challenge spiked by a 3-2 defeat at Balintore, the way is now clear for Tommy Regan's men to land the title.
A win at home to lowly Bonar Bridge in their last match would put them outwith the reach of their two rivals.
Thurso meanwhile need to win in Golspie tomorrow to keep alive their outside chance.
Saturday's match at the Dammies failed to hit the high spots.
With so much riding on the outcome, both sides favoured a cautious approach and the respective defences were seldom seriously troubled.
Only after David Chapman's tap-in goal after 77 minutes did Thurso show their teeth and mount a sustained onslaught on the United goal.
While they enjoyed more than a slice of luck to survive that late pummelling, United over the piece showed enough resilience and organisation to earn their success.
A goal-less draw had looked very much on the cards, given the dearth of shots on (or off) target up until Chapman's late gift.
Neither midfield could claim supremacy and with no-one really menacing to penetrate in wide positions, the game was largely shoe-horned into the middle third of the park.
The Vikings were dealt a big blow before the game when 33-goal striker Mark Nichol was ruled out with work commitments.
Alness went into the game brimming with confidence, having racked up eight league wins on the spin since going down 2-0 at home to Thurso in mid-October.
The visitors also had the advantage of two outings this year, with Thurso idle since their pre-Christmas win versus Halkirk.
Ring-rustiness was apparent in the Vikings' early play with their opponents just that bit sharper and sparkier.
Within a minute, they had their first effort on target, a snap-shot from Brendan MacGarvey, which was pouched by Michael Gray.
After 12 minutes, smart work by Chapman on the right saw his low cross cause an awkward moment for Gavin Bremner on the edge of the six yard box before he scrambled the ball to safety.
Bremner helped create Thurso's first moment of note at the other end seven minutes later when a flowing move ended with him tee-ing up Brian Gray for a rasping 25 yarder which was deflected just wide.
The main goal threat in the first half came from Kevin Keith who crafted a series of hanging crosses from the left flank.
Keith Dingwall wasted the first after 20 minutes when he rose unchallenged, only to direct his header straight at Michael Gray.
Lee MacDougall was Thurso's best performer before the break.
Prominent in build-ups, he went close after 21 minutes with a clipped shot which was just off-target.
Two minutes later, the home side had a major let-off when a slide-rule pass from the lively Chapman left MacGarvey unmarked inside the penalty box.
He delayed fractionally, allowing Michael Gray to smother his shot.
The game had a lengthy hold--up midway through the half when Alness defender Malcolm Docherty had to be carried off after he fell awkwardly in the centre
circle.
After 32 minutes, Ross Jack headed over another teasing cross from Keith when the veteran would have expected to have done better.
Two minutes from the break, the home side almost profited when a MacDougall corner had United keeper Ally MacLeod in trouble but play was halted for a
foul on another defender.
The deadlock turned increasingly to a stalemate after the interval with the sides seemingly happy to take a point and viewing a win as a bonus, rather than a requirement.
Before the goal, there was little in the way of serious goalmouth action.
About the only near thing came after 58 minutes when an inswinging free-kick from MacDougall almost caught out MacLeod.
After 74 minutes Jamie MacKenzie looked to have put Gordie Steven in on goal but the sub was thwarted by a rogue break of the ball.
A minute later, Paul Houston was yellow-carded for a clumsy lunge on Bremner, who himself had been booked earlier.
Alness could easily have scored a minute before they did when a swift counter resulted in a three-on-one in their favour.
They did not exploit it thanks to the guile of Shan Moar who stood his ground before cutting out the would-be money pass to the unmarked Keith.
The winner was created by a slack pass-back from Brian Gray which put his brother Michael in no man's land.
Jack nipped in and played the ball past the keeper and forward to Chapman, who was unmarked six yards out.
To this eye, the latter looked offside as he netted but the officials saw nothing amiss.
The goal stung the Vikings into action and the visitors spent just about the rest of the match corralled in their own half.
Within a minute, a Bremner corner flashed across goal with Alan Murray's flick brushing the wrong side of the post.
Jamie Mackenzie's 83rd minute header from Steven's cross was well held by MacLeod as Thurso went on all-out attack mode.
In between, they were almost caught out when an Alness sortie resulted in Chapman's angled shot being clawed away at full-stretch by Michael Gray.
In injury time, a succession of three corners saw Moar, Brian Gray and MacKenzie all going desperately close.
In the final action, sub Hamish Boyd's stinging volley was fielded by MacLeod.
United manager Tommy Regan was understandably delighted with the display and the result.
He said: "There was nothing in the game and I thought it had 0-0 written all over it.
"We got the goal and Thurso were unlucky not to have got an equaliser at the end.
"I thought our defence was excellent and that for the first time this season, we matched Thurso.
"We have come on leaps and bounds since we lost to them on our own ground."
Thurso's first league reverse could not have been worse timed.
To win the title, the Vikings would have to win their remaining five games and bank on Alness slipping up against Bonar.
It looks a tall order but they can at least keep their interest alive and at least put themselves in pole position to finish second with victory in Golspie tomorrow.
Thurso: M. Gray, B. Gray, Baker, Moar, Warner (Bain 85), Bremner, Sutherland, Forbes (Steven 70), MacDougall (Boyd 85), MacKenzie, Murray.
Ref: W. Sinclair.
This victory takes United to within a whisker of being crowned this year's MSIS North Caley kingpins.
They took advantage of a late defensive gaffe to inflict on the home side their first league reverse of the season.
With defending champions Golspie's challenge spiked by a 3-2 defeat at Balintore, the way is now clear for Tommy Regan's men to land the title.
A win at home to lowly Bonar Bridge in their last match would put them outwith the reach of their two rivals.
Thurso meanwhile need to win in Golspie tomorrow to keep alive their outside chance.
Saturday's match at the Dammies failed to hit the high spots.
With so much riding on the outcome, both sides favoured a cautious approach and the respective defences were seldom seriously troubled.
Only after David Chapman's tap-in goal after 77 minutes did Thurso show their teeth and mount a sustained onslaught on the United goal.
While they enjoyed more than a slice of luck to survive that late pummelling, United over the piece showed enough resilience and organisation to earn their success.
A goal-less draw had looked very much on the cards, given the dearth of shots on (or off) target up until Chapman's late gift.
Neither midfield could claim supremacy and with no-one really menacing to penetrate in wide positions, the game was largely shoe-horned into the middle third of the park.
The Vikings were dealt a big blow before the game when 33-goal striker Mark Nichol was ruled out with work commitments.
Alness went into the game brimming with confidence, having racked up eight league wins on the spin since going down 2-0 at home to Thurso in mid-October.
The visitors also had the advantage of two outings this year, with Thurso idle since their pre-Christmas win versus Halkirk.
Ring-rustiness was apparent in the Vikings' early play with their opponents just that bit sharper and sparkier.
Within a minute, they had their first effort on target, a snap-shot from Brendan MacGarvey, which was pouched by Michael Gray.
After 12 minutes, smart work by Chapman on the right saw his low cross cause an awkward moment for Gavin Bremner on the edge of the six yard box before he scrambled the ball to safety.
Bremner helped create Thurso's first moment of note at the other end seven minutes later when a flowing move ended with him tee-ing up Brian Gray for a rasping 25 yarder which was deflected just wide.
The main goal threat in the first half came from Kevin Keith who crafted a series of hanging crosses from the left flank.
Keith Dingwall wasted the first after 20 minutes when he rose unchallenged, only to direct his header straight at Michael Gray.
Lee MacDougall was Thurso's best performer before the break.
Prominent in build-ups, he went close after 21 minutes with a clipped shot which was just off-target.
Two minutes later, the home side had a major let-off when a slide-rule pass from the lively Chapman left MacGarvey unmarked inside the penalty box.
He delayed fractionally, allowing Michael Gray to smother his shot.
The game had a lengthy hold--up midway through the half when Alness defender Malcolm Docherty had to be carried off after he fell awkwardly in the centre
circle.
After 32 minutes, Ross Jack headed over another teasing cross from Keith when the veteran would have expected to have done better.
Two minutes from the break, the home side almost profited when a MacDougall corner had United keeper Ally MacLeod in trouble but play was halted for a
foul on another defender.
The deadlock turned increasingly to a stalemate after the interval with the sides seemingly happy to take a point and viewing a win as a bonus, rather than a requirement.
Before the goal, there was little in the way of serious goalmouth action.
About the only near thing came after 58 minutes when an inswinging free-kick from MacDougall almost caught out MacLeod.
After 74 minutes Jamie MacKenzie looked to have put Gordie Steven in on goal but the sub was thwarted by a rogue break of the ball.
A minute later, Paul Houston was yellow-carded for a clumsy lunge on Bremner, who himself had been booked earlier.
Alness could easily have scored a minute before they did when a swift counter resulted in a three-on-one in their favour.
They did not exploit it thanks to the guile of Shan Moar who stood his ground before cutting out the would-be money pass to the unmarked Keith.
The winner was created by a slack pass-back from Brian Gray which put his brother Michael in no man's land.
Jack nipped in and played the ball past the keeper and forward to Chapman, who was unmarked six yards out.
To this eye, the latter looked offside as he netted but the officials saw nothing amiss.
The goal stung the Vikings into action and the visitors spent just about the rest of the match corralled in their own half.
Within a minute, a Bremner corner flashed across goal with Alan Murray's flick brushing the wrong side of the post.
Jamie Mackenzie's 83rd minute header from Steven's cross was well held by MacLeod as Thurso went on all-out attack mode.
In between, they were almost caught out when an Alness sortie resulted in Chapman's angled shot being clawed away at full-stretch by Michael Gray.
In injury time, a succession of three corners saw Moar, Brian Gray and MacKenzie all going desperately close.
In the final action, sub Hamish Boyd's stinging volley was fielded by MacLeod.
United manager Tommy Regan was understandably delighted with the display and the result.
He said: "There was nothing in the game and I thought it had 0-0 written all over it.
"We got the goal and Thurso were unlucky not to have got an equaliser at the end.
"I thought our defence was excellent and that for the first time this season, we matched Thurso.
"We have come on leaps and bounds since we lost to them on our own ground."
Thurso's first league reverse could not have been worse timed.
To win the title, the Vikings would have to win their remaining five games and bank on Alness slipping up against Bonar.
It looks a tall order but they can at least keep their interest alive and at least put themselves in pole position to finish second with victory in Golspie tomorrow.
Thurso: M. Gray, B. Gray, Baker, Moar, Warner (Bain 85), Bremner, Sutherland, Forbes (Steven 70), MacDougall (Boyd 85), MacKenzie, Murray.
Ref: W. Sinclair.