Post by Brian Mackay on Dec 16, 2005 5:59:57 GMT -5
Thurso 1 Golspie 2 - report from Iain Grant
The Vikings were summarily bundled out of the SWL Cup on Saturday as Golspie deservedly won through to face Halkirk at the semi-final stage.
Mercifully, the cloudburst conditions of the previous couple of days abated to produce a dry, fair day though the underfoot conditions were very heavy.
Despite being out of action for five weeks, Thurso started the livelier and looked the better bet to open the scoring.
But the breakthrough came at the other end when Ken Whyte’s lob caught out home keeper Asa Sinclair after 29 minutes.
A second just before the interval from Gordon MacRae put the visitors in charge and they could easily have added to their lead before Alan Murray got one back for Thurso late on.
In the first half, Golspie did not press forward in numbers but succeeded in exposing a fragile-looking home defence with some sharp counter-attacks.
On three minutes, a neat exchange between Whyte and Neil Sinclair left the latter with an unopposed run to the bye-line and defender Garry Coghill did well to get back to intercept the cross
Thurso’s latest signing, Scott Mackay Steven was prominent with some sharp breaks down the right.
The ex-Wick Academy man had an eighth minute effort on goal beaten away by keeper Alan Bokas shortly before a defender turned Lee MacDougall’s low corner past via the outside of the left upright.
A slick counter by Golspie worked Jamie Morrison into space down the right and he set up Neil Sinclair for a netbound shot which was blocked by a defender.
Asa Sinclair was at full stretch to keep out a lob from Morrison before a terrific bit of play from Mackay Steven was marred when he was fractionally late in setting up Makhouli for what would have been a tap-in.
After 26 minutes, Lee MacDougall swung in a high, looping cross which found Makhouli whose header lacked the power to beat Bokas.
Three minutes later, the visitors went in front when Whyte was allowed the space and time to execute a perfectly-judged lob.
They doubled their advantage on 37 minutes when Martyn Cooper was put clear on goal.
His shot was somehow stopped in front of the goal-line by the prone Shaun Forbes but the ball was still in the danger area and MacRae followed up to score.
Thurso sought to hit back right away with Mackay Steven and Makhouli going close and Murray sending a chip-shot just wide.
It was the visitors who almost had the last say of the half when Morrison was sent in on goal and Sinclair did well to anticipate his flick-shot.
The visitors were quickly out of the blocks after the interval with Cooper missing a gimme after the ball came back off the bar after the Thurso keeper was caught out by another lob.
It was a case of Thurso in full flight forward and Golspie content to absorb the pressure and threaten on the break.
Mackay Steven had a half-chance after 51 minutes but scuffed his shot wide.
Five minutes later, a Golspie breakaway won them an indirect free-kick in the box after Sinclair was pressurised into handling a pass-back.
With entire home team encamped on the line five yards from the award, MacRae blasted the ball directly into the net and so had the effort ruled out.
After the visitors survived an almightly scramble in their box, they broke away on the hour-mark with keeper Sinclair doing very well to keep out Morrison’s shot.
After 64 minutes, Murray’s header from a Gavin Bremner assist flashed the wrong side of the left post.
Thurso’s mounting frustration was reflected in defender Kevin Miller’s 65th minute booking for dissent.
Morrison had another good effort kept out by Sinclair before Murray saw an unlucky deflection off a defender take his attempt over the bar, with Bokas in no man’s land.
Thurso finally broke their duck five minuets from time when a centre from MacDougall was volleyed into the roof of the net by Murray.
There was to be no reprieve for the home men, with the final chance falling to Morrison who hit the post when it was easier to score.
Cooper added to the crime-count when he was booked for kicking the ball away after conceding a foul.
Thurso manager Colin Chessor believed the long enforced lay-off did his side no favours.
“I felt we did suffer from lack of match fitness and that there was a fair bit of ring-rustiness in the way we passed the ball.
”We played reasonably well until the final third but our final ball regularly wasn’t good enough.”
Chessor reckoned his side was short-changed in a first half in which he logged 11 attempts on goal by his side against four for Golspie.
“The final score could easily have ended up 5-5,” he claimed.
Thurso -- Sinclair, Warner (Chessor 79), Miller, Forbes, Coghill (Cook 63), Adamson (Bain 79), Bremner, Mackay Steven, Makhouli, Murray, MacDougall. Substitute (unused) – MacLeod.
Golspie – Bokas, MacRae (Duncan 82), Pullen, Smith, MacLennan, Grant, Cooper, Sinclair (C. Mackay 42), Morrison, Whyte, W. Mackay.
Ref -- Mr D. Anderson, Melvich
The Vikings were summarily bundled out of the SWL Cup on Saturday as Golspie deservedly won through to face Halkirk at the semi-final stage.
Mercifully, the cloudburst conditions of the previous couple of days abated to produce a dry, fair day though the underfoot conditions were very heavy.
Despite being out of action for five weeks, Thurso started the livelier and looked the better bet to open the scoring.
But the breakthrough came at the other end when Ken Whyte’s lob caught out home keeper Asa Sinclair after 29 minutes.
A second just before the interval from Gordon MacRae put the visitors in charge and they could easily have added to their lead before Alan Murray got one back for Thurso late on.
In the first half, Golspie did not press forward in numbers but succeeded in exposing a fragile-looking home defence with some sharp counter-attacks.
On three minutes, a neat exchange between Whyte and Neil Sinclair left the latter with an unopposed run to the bye-line and defender Garry Coghill did well to get back to intercept the cross
Thurso’s latest signing, Scott Mackay Steven was prominent with some sharp breaks down the right.
The ex-Wick Academy man had an eighth minute effort on goal beaten away by keeper Alan Bokas shortly before a defender turned Lee MacDougall’s low corner past via the outside of the left upright.
A slick counter by Golspie worked Jamie Morrison into space down the right and he set up Neil Sinclair for a netbound shot which was blocked by a defender.
Asa Sinclair was at full stretch to keep out a lob from Morrison before a terrific bit of play from Mackay Steven was marred when he was fractionally late in setting up Makhouli for what would have been a tap-in.
After 26 minutes, Lee MacDougall swung in a high, looping cross which found Makhouli whose header lacked the power to beat Bokas.
Three minutes later, the visitors went in front when Whyte was allowed the space and time to execute a perfectly-judged lob.
They doubled their advantage on 37 minutes when Martyn Cooper was put clear on goal.
His shot was somehow stopped in front of the goal-line by the prone Shaun Forbes but the ball was still in the danger area and MacRae followed up to score.
Thurso sought to hit back right away with Mackay Steven and Makhouli going close and Murray sending a chip-shot just wide.
It was the visitors who almost had the last say of the half when Morrison was sent in on goal and Sinclair did well to anticipate his flick-shot.
The visitors were quickly out of the blocks after the interval with Cooper missing a gimme after the ball came back off the bar after the Thurso keeper was caught out by another lob.
It was a case of Thurso in full flight forward and Golspie content to absorb the pressure and threaten on the break.
Mackay Steven had a half-chance after 51 minutes but scuffed his shot wide.
Five minutes later, a Golspie breakaway won them an indirect free-kick in the box after Sinclair was pressurised into handling a pass-back.
With entire home team encamped on the line five yards from the award, MacRae blasted the ball directly into the net and so had the effort ruled out.
After the visitors survived an almightly scramble in their box, they broke away on the hour-mark with keeper Sinclair doing very well to keep out Morrison’s shot.
After 64 minutes, Murray’s header from a Gavin Bremner assist flashed the wrong side of the left post.
Thurso’s mounting frustration was reflected in defender Kevin Miller’s 65th minute booking for dissent.
Morrison had another good effort kept out by Sinclair before Murray saw an unlucky deflection off a defender take his attempt over the bar, with Bokas in no man’s land.
Thurso finally broke their duck five minuets from time when a centre from MacDougall was volleyed into the roof of the net by Murray.
There was to be no reprieve for the home men, with the final chance falling to Morrison who hit the post when it was easier to score.
Cooper added to the crime-count when he was booked for kicking the ball away after conceding a foul.
Thurso manager Colin Chessor believed the long enforced lay-off did his side no favours.
“I felt we did suffer from lack of match fitness and that there was a fair bit of ring-rustiness in the way we passed the ball.
”We played reasonably well until the final third but our final ball regularly wasn’t good enough.”
Chessor reckoned his side was short-changed in a first half in which he logged 11 attempts on goal by his side against four for Golspie.
“The final score could easily have ended up 5-5,” he claimed.
Thurso -- Sinclair, Warner (Chessor 79), Miller, Forbes, Coghill (Cook 63), Adamson (Bain 79), Bremner, Mackay Steven, Makhouli, Murray, MacDougall. Substitute (unused) – MacLeod.
Golspie – Bokas, MacRae (Duncan 82), Pullen, Smith, MacLennan, Grant, Cooper, Sinclair (C. Mackay 42), Morrison, Whyte, W. Mackay.
Ref -- Mr D. Anderson, Melvich