Post by Brian Mackay on Sept 22, 2005 15:33:07 GMT -5
Dornoch 2 Thurso 0 - report by Iain Grant
Thurso went down tamely to a resurgent Dornoch side on Saturday in what is turning into one of the most open North Caledonian League campaigns for many years.
This was the second reverse in four outings for the Vikings as many as they had in the entire championship last year when they were pipped by Alness.
But manager Colin Chessor believes his side can get back in the title race.
"We're far from out it and we're looking for a decent run to get back on the rails," he said. "The way the games have been going, everybody seems capable of beating everybody else.
"Balintore seem to have a wee bit of an edge but there's no reason we can't get back into contention and still be in with a shout in the shake-up."
Thurso's campaign so far has been blighted by a lack of continuity with major reshuffles enforced by injuries and unavailabilities.
The back three has already featured six players, with Allan Sutherland the only constant in the opening four matches.
On Saturday, they played second fiddle to a pumped-up Dornoch side who deserved to win because of their greater workrate and incisiveness.
They favoured a route-one approach which worked well on a narrow pitch.
Thurso seldom sparked and though they had their fair share of the ball, they failed to ask enough questions of a well-disciplined defence.
Dornoch went ahead on 28 minutes when Scott MacKain appeared to use a hand to control a through-ball though there was no argument with his powerful finish past James More.
The visiting defence also had a gripe about the second goal on the stroke of half-time, claiming vainly that the ball had strayed over the bye-line before the cross which was turned in by Allan Geegan.
Thurso's first half potential threat was limited to a run of corners which they forced but which all came to naught.
The visitors did create a couple of openings after the interval when keeper Ian Young foiled an effort from Mark Nichol and Sutherland hit the side-net when put through on goal.
Manager Chessor, who missed the game, was unhappy his side did not give a decent account.
He said: "There was another different back three and Phil Makhouli apparently did well at sweeper.
"Together with the keeper, they came out with plus marks but the rest just didn't seem to be at the races.
"We just didn't do enough in the final third though if we had taken the two chances we had in the second half, we could have got scrambled a draw."
The Vikings tomorrow begin their defence of the Port Services Cup with a second round match at home to Bunillidh Thistle.
Mark Makhouli comes back into the squad, which has lost keeper James More to Wick Academy.
Asa Sinclair, who keeps goal for Caithness summer league side Workshops, will start tomorrow's match, which kicks off at 2.30 p.m.
Thurso v Dornoch - More, Sutherland, Makhouli, Coghill, Bain, Bremner, Adamson (Chessor 70), Steven (Fearns h/t), MacDougall, Murray, Nichol. Sub (unused) - R. Sutherland.
After Golspie's 4-1 reverse at Halkirk, leaders Balintore are the only unbeaten side. They defeated Bonar Bridge 3-1 on Saturday. The Bunillidh / Alness game was postponed.
NORTH CALEDONIAN LEAGUE
Pl W D L F A Pts
BALINTORE 4 3 1 0 10 2 10
DORNOCH 4 3 0 1 13 3 9
INVERGORDON 4 3 0 1 12 4 9
GOLSPIE 4 2 1 1 8 8 7
HALKIRK 4 2 0 2 8 8 6
THURSO 4 1 1 2 7 10 4
ALNESS 4 1 1 2 5 9 4
BONAR BRIDGE 3 0 0 3 3 8 0
BUNILLIDH T 3 0 0 3 2 16 0
Thurso went down tamely to a resurgent Dornoch side on Saturday in what is turning into one of the most open North Caledonian League campaigns for many years.
This was the second reverse in four outings for the Vikings as many as they had in the entire championship last year when they were pipped by Alness.
But manager Colin Chessor believes his side can get back in the title race.
"We're far from out it and we're looking for a decent run to get back on the rails," he said. "The way the games have been going, everybody seems capable of beating everybody else.
"Balintore seem to have a wee bit of an edge but there's no reason we can't get back into contention and still be in with a shout in the shake-up."
Thurso's campaign so far has been blighted by a lack of continuity with major reshuffles enforced by injuries and unavailabilities.
The back three has already featured six players, with Allan Sutherland the only constant in the opening four matches.
On Saturday, they played second fiddle to a pumped-up Dornoch side who deserved to win because of their greater workrate and incisiveness.
They favoured a route-one approach which worked well on a narrow pitch.
Thurso seldom sparked and though they had their fair share of the ball, they failed to ask enough questions of a well-disciplined defence.
Dornoch went ahead on 28 minutes when Scott MacKain appeared to use a hand to control a through-ball though there was no argument with his powerful finish past James More.
The visiting defence also had a gripe about the second goal on the stroke of half-time, claiming vainly that the ball had strayed over the bye-line before the cross which was turned in by Allan Geegan.
Thurso's first half potential threat was limited to a run of corners which they forced but which all came to naught.
The visitors did create a couple of openings after the interval when keeper Ian Young foiled an effort from Mark Nichol and Sutherland hit the side-net when put through on goal.
Manager Chessor, who missed the game, was unhappy his side did not give a decent account.
He said: "There was another different back three and Phil Makhouli apparently did well at sweeper.
"Together with the keeper, they came out with plus marks but the rest just didn't seem to be at the races.
"We just didn't do enough in the final third though if we had taken the two chances we had in the second half, we could have got scrambled a draw."
The Vikings tomorrow begin their defence of the Port Services Cup with a second round match at home to Bunillidh Thistle.
Mark Makhouli comes back into the squad, which has lost keeper James More to Wick Academy.
Asa Sinclair, who keeps goal for Caithness summer league side Workshops, will start tomorrow's match, which kicks off at 2.30 p.m.
Thurso v Dornoch - More, Sutherland, Makhouli, Coghill, Bain, Bremner, Adamson (Chessor 70), Steven (Fearns h/t), MacDougall, Murray, Nichol. Sub (unused) - R. Sutherland.
After Golspie's 4-1 reverse at Halkirk, leaders Balintore are the only unbeaten side. They defeated Bonar Bridge 3-1 on Saturday. The Bunillidh / Alness game was postponed.
NORTH CALEDONIAN LEAGUE
Pl W D L F A Pts
BALINTORE 4 3 1 0 10 2 10
DORNOCH 4 3 0 1 13 3 9
INVERGORDON 4 3 0 1 12 4 9
GOLSPIE 4 2 1 1 8 8 7
HALKIRK 4 2 0 2 8 8 6
THURSO 4 1 1 2 7 10 4
ALNESS 4 1 1 2 5 9 4
BONAR BRIDGE 3 0 0 3 3 8 0
BUNILLIDH T 3 0 0 3 2 16 0