Post by Brian Mackay on Oct 28, 2005 14:27:59 GMT -5
Golspie 2 Thurso 2 - Report by Iain Grant
The spoils were shared in a match of fluctuating fortunes whose outcome does little good to either side's MSIS North Caley title aspirations.
The Vikings looked on course to notch up their third straight league win when they went two up but the home side were level by the hour-mark and both sides
came close late on to snatching all three points.
Ref Willie Sinclair and his two assistants were regularly in the spotlight in an afternoon which saw them chalk off three 'goals' and turn deaf ears to several penalty ppeals.
A largely uneventful opening was punctuated by a moment of joy for the visitors which quickly turned to dismay when they were denied a seventh minute opener.
A well-crafted cross from Lee MacDougall allowed Mark Makhouli to place a sharp shot into the roof of the net. The celebrations were stilled after Mr Sinclair acted on an offside flag flourished from the touchline.
Golspie's first threat came five minutes later when David Grant's close-in header from David Gray's centre flew just over. While there was little between the sides in terms of possession, the Vikings looked the more incisive.
They went close on on 15 minutes when Kevin Miller released MacDougall but the latter's strike was cleared just inside the six yard box. A minute later, Thurso were again thwarted by an offside ruling. Martin Bain's shot across goal from the right was parried by Golspie keeper Alan Bokas into the path of Phil Makhouli who fired home but to no avail. The home side almost cashed in on a lapse from Thurso keeper Asa Sinclair whose slack distribution afforded a decent opening for Martyn Cooper who however was unable to hit the target.
The feeling of injustice in the visiting camp was intensified on 20 minutes when Mr Sinclair waved away claims that Bain had been tripped in the penalty box.
The visitors went ahead two minutes later as a result of a horrible miscue from Colin MacLeod, Golspie’s new signing from Nairn County.
The defender's attempt to clear MacDougall's cross saw him slice the ball past Bokas into his own net.
Golspie rallied and sustained pressure resulted in two corners which caused problems for the visiting defence.
Phil Makhouli went close on 27 minutes when he broke clear but was unable to make his final touch count as his chip shot sailed over the bar.
Walter Mackay, a regular threat up front for Golspie, then cut out a clear opening only for Grant to squander the chance. Sinclair did well to keep out a Gray attempt on 36 minutes. A minute later, MacLeod came close to doubling his tally with a misplaced pass-back.
Thurso went 2-0 up on 41 minutes when a driven cross from MacDougall was brilliantly head-flicked hard and high into the net by Martyn Cook.
Golspie hit back a minute from the interval when a hopeful and harmless-looking cross from Darren Pullen eluded the grasp of keeper Sinclair to drop in the top right hand corner of the goal.
Five minutes after the turnaround, Mark Makhouli had a gilt-edged chance to restore the two-goal lead but he shot wide with just Bokas to beat.
The miss was magnified after 58 minutes when a mix-up in the Thurso defence allowed Neil Sinclair to stroke the ball home from 10 yards.
Lifted by the equaliser, Golspie were playing with more purpose and direction. mMacLeod's miserable day continued on 62 minutes when he was booked for arguing with Mr Sinclair for a clear foul on Mark Makhouli.
Bokas was having relatively little to do though he did well to keep out a well-struck free-kick from MacDougall a minute later. Philip Makhouli then shot over from 20 yards when a cross to better-placed team mates might have been a better option.
After 72 minutes, Sinclair showed excellent reactions to turn a Roddy Smith effort behind.
MacLeod was fortunate to see out the match after another show of dissent on 79 minutes.
Golspie thought they had gone ahead five minutes from time but Neil Sinclair's strike was ruled offside.
Thurso dominated the latter stages and were aggrieved not to get at least one penalty decision for either a clear push on sub Gavin Chessor in the box or a handling offence. Overall, a competitive game with not a lot of finesse but one played in good spirit by two teams with little to separate them at the end of the day.
Thurso manager Colin Chessor viewed the outcome as two points lost. Chessor was abroad at the weekend and left assistant Gus Mackay in charge.
He said: "We seem to have played well enough but when you're 2-0 up, you'd
obviously be looking to go on to win.
"With Invergordon winning, the gap between us and the top has grown and from That point of view, it's a bit disappointing. "We're relying on other teams to beat Invergordon and Balintore to close the gap."
MacDougall is supended and Allan Sutherland unavailable for tomorrow's trip to Helmsdale to take on bottom side Bunillidh Thistle. Alan Murray, Ian Adamson, Neil Fearns and Gordie Steve however are all back in the frame.
Golspie -- Bokas, MacRae, Pullen, Niven, Macleod, Gray, Grant, Sinclair, Cooper (Whyte 51) , Smith, W. Mackay (C. Mackay 75). Subs (unused) -- Urquhart and Bonner.
Thurso -- Sinclair, Warner, Sutherland, Miller, Forbes, Cook (Coghill 77), Bremner, Bain (Green 64), M. Makhouli (Chessor 83), P. Makhouli, MacDougall.
Ref -- Mr W. Sinclair.
The spoils were shared in a match of fluctuating fortunes whose outcome does little good to either side's MSIS North Caley title aspirations.
The Vikings looked on course to notch up their third straight league win when they went two up but the home side were level by the hour-mark and both sides
came close late on to snatching all three points.
Ref Willie Sinclair and his two assistants were regularly in the spotlight in an afternoon which saw them chalk off three 'goals' and turn deaf ears to several penalty ppeals.
A largely uneventful opening was punctuated by a moment of joy for the visitors which quickly turned to dismay when they were denied a seventh minute opener.
A well-crafted cross from Lee MacDougall allowed Mark Makhouli to place a sharp shot into the roof of the net. The celebrations were stilled after Mr Sinclair acted on an offside flag flourished from the touchline.
Golspie's first threat came five minutes later when David Grant's close-in header from David Gray's centre flew just over. While there was little between the sides in terms of possession, the Vikings looked the more incisive.
They went close on on 15 minutes when Kevin Miller released MacDougall but the latter's strike was cleared just inside the six yard box. A minute later, Thurso were again thwarted by an offside ruling. Martin Bain's shot across goal from the right was parried by Golspie keeper Alan Bokas into the path of Phil Makhouli who fired home but to no avail. The home side almost cashed in on a lapse from Thurso keeper Asa Sinclair whose slack distribution afforded a decent opening for Martyn Cooper who however was unable to hit the target.
The feeling of injustice in the visiting camp was intensified on 20 minutes when Mr Sinclair waved away claims that Bain had been tripped in the penalty box.
The visitors went ahead two minutes later as a result of a horrible miscue from Colin MacLeod, Golspie’s new signing from Nairn County.
The defender's attempt to clear MacDougall's cross saw him slice the ball past Bokas into his own net.
Golspie rallied and sustained pressure resulted in two corners which caused problems for the visiting defence.
Phil Makhouli went close on 27 minutes when he broke clear but was unable to make his final touch count as his chip shot sailed over the bar.
Walter Mackay, a regular threat up front for Golspie, then cut out a clear opening only for Grant to squander the chance. Sinclair did well to keep out a Gray attempt on 36 minutes. A minute later, MacLeod came close to doubling his tally with a misplaced pass-back.
Thurso went 2-0 up on 41 minutes when a driven cross from MacDougall was brilliantly head-flicked hard and high into the net by Martyn Cook.
Golspie hit back a minute from the interval when a hopeful and harmless-looking cross from Darren Pullen eluded the grasp of keeper Sinclair to drop in the top right hand corner of the goal.
Five minutes after the turnaround, Mark Makhouli had a gilt-edged chance to restore the two-goal lead but he shot wide with just Bokas to beat.
The miss was magnified after 58 minutes when a mix-up in the Thurso defence allowed Neil Sinclair to stroke the ball home from 10 yards.
Lifted by the equaliser, Golspie were playing with more purpose and direction. mMacLeod's miserable day continued on 62 minutes when he was booked for arguing with Mr Sinclair for a clear foul on Mark Makhouli.
Bokas was having relatively little to do though he did well to keep out a well-struck free-kick from MacDougall a minute later. Philip Makhouli then shot over from 20 yards when a cross to better-placed team mates might have been a better option.
After 72 minutes, Sinclair showed excellent reactions to turn a Roddy Smith effort behind.
MacLeod was fortunate to see out the match after another show of dissent on 79 minutes.
Golspie thought they had gone ahead five minutes from time but Neil Sinclair's strike was ruled offside.
Thurso dominated the latter stages and were aggrieved not to get at least one penalty decision for either a clear push on sub Gavin Chessor in the box or a handling offence. Overall, a competitive game with not a lot of finesse but one played in good spirit by two teams with little to separate them at the end of the day.
Thurso manager Colin Chessor viewed the outcome as two points lost. Chessor was abroad at the weekend and left assistant Gus Mackay in charge.
He said: "We seem to have played well enough but when you're 2-0 up, you'd
obviously be looking to go on to win.
"With Invergordon winning, the gap between us and the top has grown and from That point of view, it's a bit disappointing. "We're relying on other teams to beat Invergordon and Balintore to close the gap."
MacDougall is supended and Allan Sutherland unavailable for tomorrow's trip to Helmsdale to take on bottom side Bunillidh Thistle. Alan Murray, Ian Adamson, Neil Fearns and Gordie Steve however are all back in the frame.
Golspie -- Bokas, MacRae, Pullen, Niven, Macleod, Gray, Grant, Sinclair, Cooper (Whyte 51) , Smith, W. Mackay (C. Mackay 75). Subs (unused) -- Urquhart and Bonner.
Thurso -- Sinclair, Warner, Sutherland, Miller, Forbes, Cook (Coghill 77), Bremner, Bain (Green 64), M. Makhouli (Chessor 83), P. Makhouli, MacDougall.
Ref -- Mr W. Sinclair.