Post by Brian Mackay on Nov 22, 2006 10:34:35 GMT -5
Inverness City 1 Thurso 3 - by Iain Grant
Thurso leapfrogged their hosts after completing a home and away double over the North Caley League newcomers.
Saturday’s game in the rustic surroundings of North Kessock went ahead on a fine, dry day on a greasy playing surface which was to cut up as result of several days of torrential rain.
Buoyed by a goal which was reward for the persistence of Des MacLeod, Thurso went on to double their lead before the break with a superb, opportunist effort from Mark Nicol.
City’s cause was helped by MacLeod’s senseless dismissal for bad-mouthing assistant ref after 63 minutes.
Sub Martin Bain marked his return to his former side with a well-taken third after 80 minutes.
That should have ended any doubt about the result but Ross Sutherland’s men were forced to face a less-than-comfortable finale.
Veteran striker Ross Jack showed he has lost none of his predatory instincts in snatching a goal back within three minutes.
The short-handed visitors were by now having to withstand a fair bit of pressure with Bain’s goal assuming greater importance than in its immediate aftermath.
But even including this spell, the Inverness outfit did not display enough threat in front of goal to have a serious grievance about the outcome.
The match was to feature a number of flashpoints after ref Mark Dalton’s early indulgence of some rash tackles came back to haunt him.
In addition to the sending-off, there were six bookings and several home players could count themselves fortunate that the red mist that descended on them was not translated to the colour of card they were shown.
Thurso lined up with Kevin Miller returning to partner Phil Makhouli and Graeme Reid in a back three and Alan Murray playing in an unfamiliar right midfield role.
They enjoyed a busy start to the match with Lee MacDougall regularly involved.
Successive crosses proved marginally out of the reach of first Nichol and then Murray while Young had to dash out smartly to prevent MacDougall
getting on the end of a Willie Inrig assist.
A piece of slack defending at the other end after eight minutes led to the needless concession of a corner which resulted in Gavin Nicolson placing a left-foot shot marginally wide of the right post.
Another corner allowed Jack to demonstrate his aerial threat, with Thurso relieved to see his attempt clear the bar.
Nicol then manufactured two chances for Inrig and MacLeod who were both outmuscled by defenders before they could get shots on goal.
Young continued to have a close-up of most of the serious action with Jamie Mackenzie the next to almost find a way past Young.
The breakthrough after 26 minutes came when Nicol invited MacLeod to pursue a pass played into the inside right channel deep in the City half.
Young looked favourite to intercept but MacLeod’s sliding challenge ended with the striker getting a favourable deflection to allow him to run on and slide the ball into the unguarded net.
MacLeod could have struck again six minutes later when he unselfishly if unwisely opted to lay off to Jamie Mackenzie when he (McLeod) had the clearer opening.
Thurso extended their lead on 37 minutes when Inrig’s inch-perfect pass eluded David Beaton to find Nichol galloping down the inside right channel.
The striker surprised Young by unleashing a rising chip-shot from an acute angle which looped high over the keeper and into the far corner of the net.
The half ended with home defender Craig Munro’s foul on Inrig adding to the earlier bookings of team-mate Colin Mason and Thurso’s Murray.
Nicolson added to the crime count in the first action of the second half when he rose to net a cross with a flick of his left hand on the blind side of Mr Dalton.
The cheat was craftily executed but was spotted by the ref who marked it with a caution.
The fluid play of the first half was replaced by a shapeless pattern after the break.
As well as the pitch breaking up, the flow of the game was not helped by a tetchy feel to proceedings with some players more interested in pursuing feuds than contributing to the football.
After 51 minutes, Young had to look sharp to flee his line to prevent MacDougall latching on to an inviting through ball.
Three minutes later, the home side came desperately close to getting one back in the aftermath to a corner.
Keeper Asa Sinclair was beaten by a snap-shot but Murray was handily positioned to make a goal-line block.
Murray was then almost in at the other end while Nicolson was inches away from netting after rising to meet Munro’s corner.
A particularly unruly spell led to further bookings, for David Beaton and Mackenzie and a red-card shown to MacLeod for his verbal volley directed at assistant ref David Coutts.
Thurso almost forged further clear on 65 minutes when a neat turn by Nichol was followed by a raking shot which Young did well to divert wide.
City’s cause looked bleak though it was boosted by the introduction of sub Garry Miller who featured with a couple of incisive runs.
Bain also impressed with several surges down the right flank after he came on.
One of his runs proved decisive 10 minutes from time when he outflanked David Beaton and cut into the penalty box.
As Young came out, Bain clipped the ball over the top of him, with a desperate attempt to prevent the ball crossing the line being ruled unsuccessful by Mr Coutts.
Thurso were under constant pressure for the remainder of the game with City getting a lift after getting a goal back on 84 minutes.
Miller’s free-kick toon a wicked bounce in front of Sinclair whose parry fell to Jack who lashed the ball high into the net.
A minute later, Jack was almost in again but this time had his close-in strike from Stevie Clark’s shot pushed past the near post by Sinclair.
Inverness City – Young, MacLennan, D. Beaton, Graham (Clark 73), Munro, Fraser, Mason, P. Beaton, Nicolson (Stewart 69), Jack, Geegan (Miller 65). Sub (unused) – Mapplebeck.
Thurso – Sinclair, Miller, Makhouli, Reid, Inrig, Bremner, Murray (Bain 65), Mackenzie, Nichol, MacLeod, MacDougall (MacLeod 82). Subs (unused) – Sutherland and Forbes.
Ref – Mr M. Dalton, Nairn.
NORTH CALEDONIAN LEAGUE
P W D L F A Pts
HALKIRK UNITED 11 8 1 2 41 16 25
GOLSPIE 8 8 0 0 25 7 24
BALINTORE 10 6 2 2 35 9 20
THURSO 9 6 0 3 29 16 18
INVERNESS CITY 10 5 2 3 28 18 17
ALNESS UNITED 9 4 0 5 29 16 12
INVERGORDON 11 2 2 7 23 32 8
BUNILLIDH THISTLE 10 1 1 8 12 49 4
DORNOCH 10 0 0 10 13 72 0
Thurso leapfrogged their hosts after completing a home and away double over the North Caley League newcomers.
Saturday’s game in the rustic surroundings of North Kessock went ahead on a fine, dry day on a greasy playing surface which was to cut up as result of several days of torrential rain.
Buoyed by a goal which was reward for the persistence of Des MacLeod, Thurso went on to double their lead before the break with a superb, opportunist effort from Mark Nicol.
City’s cause was helped by MacLeod’s senseless dismissal for bad-mouthing assistant ref after 63 minutes.
Sub Martin Bain marked his return to his former side with a well-taken third after 80 minutes.
That should have ended any doubt about the result but Ross Sutherland’s men were forced to face a less-than-comfortable finale.
Veteran striker Ross Jack showed he has lost none of his predatory instincts in snatching a goal back within three minutes.
The short-handed visitors were by now having to withstand a fair bit of pressure with Bain’s goal assuming greater importance than in its immediate aftermath.
But even including this spell, the Inverness outfit did not display enough threat in front of goal to have a serious grievance about the outcome.
The match was to feature a number of flashpoints after ref Mark Dalton’s early indulgence of some rash tackles came back to haunt him.
In addition to the sending-off, there were six bookings and several home players could count themselves fortunate that the red mist that descended on them was not translated to the colour of card they were shown.
Thurso lined up with Kevin Miller returning to partner Phil Makhouli and Graeme Reid in a back three and Alan Murray playing in an unfamiliar right midfield role.
They enjoyed a busy start to the match with Lee MacDougall regularly involved.
Successive crosses proved marginally out of the reach of first Nichol and then Murray while Young had to dash out smartly to prevent MacDougall
getting on the end of a Willie Inrig assist.
A piece of slack defending at the other end after eight minutes led to the needless concession of a corner which resulted in Gavin Nicolson placing a left-foot shot marginally wide of the right post.
Another corner allowed Jack to demonstrate his aerial threat, with Thurso relieved to see his attempt clear the bar.
Nicol then manufactured two chances for Inrig and MacLeod who were both outmuscled by defenders before they could get shots on goal.
Young continued to have a close-up of most of the serious action with Jamie Mackenzie the next to almost find a way past Young.
The breakthrough after 26 minutes came when Nicol invited MacLeod to pursue a pass played into the inside right channel deep in the City half.
Young looked favourite to intercept but MacLeod’s sliding challenge ended with the striker getting a favourable deflection to allow him to run on and slide the ball into the unguarded net.
MacLeod could have struck again six minutes later when he unselfishly if unwisely opted to lay off to Jamie Mackenzie when he (McLeod) had the clearer opening.
Thurso extended their lead on 37 minutes when Inrig’s inch-perfect pass eluded David Beaton to find Nichol galloping down the inside right channel.
The striker surprised Young by unleashing a rising chip-shot from an acute angle which looped high over the keeper and into the far corner of the net.
The half ended with home defender Craig Munro’s foul on Inrig adding to the earlier bookings of team-mate Colin Mason and Thurso’s Murray.
Nicolson added to the crime count in the first action of the second half when he rose to net a cross with a flick of his left hand on the blind side of Mr Dalton.
The cheat was craftily executed but was spotted by the ref who marked it with a caution.
The fluid play of the first half was replaced by a shapeless pattern after the break.
As well as the pitch breaking up, the flow of the game was not helped by a tetchy feel to proceedings with some players more interested in pursuing feuds than contributing to the football.
After 51 minutes, Young had to look sharp to flee his line to prevent MacDougall latching on to an inviting through ball.
Three minutes later, the home side came desperately close to getting one back in the aftermath to a corner.
Keeper Asa Sinclair was beaten by a snap-shot but Murray was handily positioned to make a goal-line block.
Murray was then almost in at the other end while Nicolson was inches away from netting after rising to meet Munro’s corner.
A particularly unruly spell led to further bookings, for David Beaton and Mackenzie and a red-card shown to MacLeod for his verbal volley directed at assistant ref David Coutts.
Thurso almost forged further clear on 65 minutes when a neat turn by Nichol was followed by a raking shot which Young did well to divert wide.
City’s cause looked bleak though it was boosted by the introduction of sub Garry Miller who featured with a couple of incisive runs.
Bain also impressed with several surges down the right flank after he came on.
One of his runs proved decisive 10 minutes from time when he outflanked David Beaton and cut into the penalty box.
As Young came out, Bain clipped the ball over the top of him, with a desperate attempt to prevent the ball crossing the line being ruled unsuccessful by Mr Coutts.
Thurso were under constant pressure for the remainder of the game with City getting a lift after getting a goal back on 84 minutes.
Miller’s free-kick toon a wicked bounce in front of Sinclair whose parry fell to Jack who lashed the ball high into the net.
A minute later, Jack was almost in again but this time had his close-in strike from Stevie Clark’s shot pushed past the near post by Sinclair.
Inverness City – Young, MacLennan, D. Beaton, Graham (Clark 73), Munro, Fraser, Mason, P. Beaton, Nicolson (Stewart 69), Jack, Geegan (Miller 65). Sub (unused) – Mapplebeck.
Thurso – Sinclair, Miller, Makhouli, Reid, Inrig, Bremner, Murray (Bain 65), Mackenzie, Nichol, MacLeod, MacDougall (MacLeod 82). Subs (unused) – Sutherland and Forbes.
Ref – Mr M. Dalton, Nairn.
NORTH CALEDONIAN LEAGUE
P W D L F A Pts
HALKIRK UNITED 11 8 1 2 41 16 25
GOLSPIE 8 8 0 0 25 7 24
BALINTORE 10 6 2 2 35 9 20
THURSO 9 6 0 3 29 16 18
INVERNESS CITY 10 5 2 3 28 18 17
ALNESS UNITED 9 4 0 5 29 16 12
INVERGORDON 11 2 2 7 23 32 8
BUNILLIDH THISTLE 10 1 1 8 12 49 4
DORNOCH 10 0 0 10 13 72 0