Post by Brian Mackay on Dec 21, 2006 5:43:34 GMT -5
Thurso 4 V Halkirk United 2 - report by Iain Grant
This proved something of an action replay to Thurso’s cup victory at Sir Georges Park the previous week. Then, as in Saturday’s North Caley League encounter, Halkirk started strongly and more than held their own in the first half.
But while they went in at the break a goal behind in the cup-tie, they enjoyed the fillip of having opened the scoring thanks to Colin Davidson’s first strike of the campaign.
The village outfit however once again suffered a second half fade-out, this time more pronounced. After Des Macleod’s fortuitous leveller three minutes after the turnaround, the Vikings established a vice-like grip on the contest.
It was surprising that they had to wait until the last quarter to have their superiority converted into smartly taken goals from Mark Nichol, MacLeod again, and Jamie Mackenzie.
Halkirk, to their credit, responded with a gutsy late rally which produced a goal for sub Michael Bremner.
Both sides both needed a victory to maintain an interest in the race for the title, which remains Golspie’s to lose.
Thurso went into Saturday’s tussle buoyed by four straight wins, in marked contrast to their county rivals, who were searching for their first win in five outings.
The hosts had an unchanged starting line-up from the previous week though they were forced to make an early reshuffle after striker Alan Murray’s withdrawal with what turned out to be a broken shoulder bone.
Wick duo Stevie Reid and Gordie MacDonald returned for Halkirk as manager Ian MacDonald sought to use their pace and guile to strengthen his defence and pep up his striking options.
Early on, he would have been happy with how his side performed.
They were cutting out the more promising openings and Thurso were indebted to Graeme Reid for two last-ditch tackles which denied first Sutherland and then Gordie MacDonald what would have been unopposed routes to goal.
Gavin Henderson caused the first flutters in the visiting camp after 10 minutes when a pass-back held up in the sticky surface and forced keeper Shaun Henderson into a rushed clearance.
Mackenzie was at the heart of most of Thurso’s attacks with a glorious, crossfield drive pass from him almost producing what would have been an equally sublime finish from Murray.
Shaun Henderson was relieved to see the striker’s 25 yard, first-time effort fly just over.
After 16 minutes, another astute pass from Mackenzie picked out Martin Bain whose powerful, angled shot cannoned off the outside of the near post.
Murray’s injury was sustained on 23 minutes when he fell awkwardly after an aerial challenge.
Five minutes later, Gavin Henderson was handily placed to hack clear in the six yard box after Mackenzie had worked an opening for himself.
Halkirk were enjoying plenty of possession and exploiting the wide areas better than their opponents, with Chris Sutherland making regular, threatening forays down the right flank.
The visitors would have gone ahead after 33 minutes but for a super stop from Vikings’ keeper Asa Sinclair. A dangerous move seemed to have fizzled out with Graham MacDonald’s half-hit shot, only for the ball to fall into the stride of Gordon MacDonald.
The former Wick Academy striker showed Halkirk what they have been missing during his lengthy injury-enforced absence but his instinctive, rising shot from 15 yards was brilliantly turned past the right post by the spring-heeled keeper.
It was to delay only briefly the opener which came after Davidson’s downward header from Alan Sinclair’s long-range free-kick sneaked in near the right-hand post.
Thurso almost replied in kind with the last action of the half but Shaun Henderson’s quick reflexes kept out Reid’s firm header from Lee MacDougall’s free-kick.
The keeper did rather well with his first involvement of the second period. MacLeod – who had come on for Murray – failed to get the cleanest of connections with a half-volley from MacDougall’s cross.
It should have been a meat-and-drink gather for the keeper but he somehow allowed the ball to squirm through his grasp.
A collective uncertainty seemed to beset the visitors which, ironically, persisted until late on when the game was as good as over.
The half-time arrival of Scott Mackay Steven posed a new danger for Halkirk. Mackay Steven capitalised on hesitant defending on a swashbuckling run which ended with his close-in shot being turned wide by Shaun Henderson.
The ensuing corner was headed against the bar by Mackenzie before the ball was scrambled to safety.
Halkirk continued to ride their luck with Bremner’s long-range pop grazing the top of the bar before Mackay Steven almost sent MacLeod in on goal.
Thurso forged ahead on 73 minutes after Nichol was released by a marvellous piece of play by Kevin Miller.
After he snuffed out a rare Halkirk sortie forward by dispossessing Bremner, the big defender manufactured a 40 yard ball down the right touchline. It enabled Nichol to get goalside of Gavin Henderson and the striker went on to skilfully place the ball wide of the advancing Shaun Henderson.
Two minutes later, good hold-up play by Nichol was the prelude to their third. Mackenzie raced on Nichol’s searching pass down the right side before linking with MacLeod who ran in to beat the keeper with a tidy finish.
Bremner forced Asa Sinclair to make a save before the Vikings went 4-1 up after 79 minutes. Mackenzie profited from MacDougall’s assist.
Thurso – Sinclair, Miller (Steven 80), Makhouli, Reid, Inrig, Bremner, Bain (Mackay Steven h/t), Mackenzie, Nichol , Murray (Macleod) (Steven), MacDougall.
Halkirk – S. Henderson, G. Henderson, Farquhar, A. Sinclair, Reid, Davidson, Graham MacDonald, Sutherland, Henstridge (C. Sinclair),
G. MacDonald (Bremner), Manson (Munro ). Sub (unused) – Blair.
Ref – Mr W. Sinclair, Canisbay
NORTH CALEDONIAN LEAGUE
P W D L F A Pts
GOLSPIE 10 9 0 1 30 12 27
BALINTORE 12 8 2 2 42 13 26
INVERNESS CITY 13 8 2 3 38 22 26
HALKIRK UNITED 13 8 1 4 45 23 25
THURSO 11 8 0 3 37 20 24
ALNESS UNITED 11 4 0 7 30 20 12
INVERGORDON 13 2 2 9 27 40 8
BUNILLIDH THISTLE 11 2 1 8 16 52 7
DORNOCH 12 0 0 12 18 81 0
This proved something of an action replay to Thurso’s cup victory at Sir Georges Park the previous week. Then, as in Saturday’s North Caley League encounter, Halkirk started strongly and more than held their own in the first half.
But while they went in at the break a goal behind in the cup-tie, they enjoyed the fillip of having opened the scoring thanks to Colin Davidson’s first strike of the campaign.
The village outfit however once again suffered a second half fade-out, this time more pronounced. After Des Macleod’s fortuitous leveller three minutes after the turnaround, the Vikings established a vice-like grip on the contest.
It was surprising that they had to wait until the last quarter to have their superiority converted into smartly taken goals from Mark Nichol, MacLeod again, and Jamie Mackenzie.
Halkirk, to their credit, responded with a gutsy late rally which produced a goal for sub Michael Bremner.
Both sides both needed a victory to maintain an interest in the race for the title, which remains Golspie’s to lose.
Thurso went into Saturday’s tussle buoyed by four straight wins, in marked contrast to their county rivals, who were searching for their first win in five outings.
The hosts had an unchanged starting line-up from the previous week though they were forced to make an early reshuffle after striker Alan Murray’s withdrawal with what turned out to be a broken shoulder bone.
Wick duo Stevie Reid and Gordie MacDonald returned for Halkirk as manager Ian MacDonald sought to use their pace and guile to strengthen his defence and pep up his striking options.
Early on, he would have been happy with how his side performed.
They were cutting out the more promising openings and Thurso were indebted to Graeme Reid for two last-ditch tackles which denied first Sutherland and then Gordie MacDonald what would have been unopposed routes to goal.
Gavin Henderson caused the first flutters in the visiting camp after 10 minutes when a pass-back held up in the sticky surface and forced keeper Shaun Henderson into a rushed clearance.
Mackenzie was at the heart of most of Thurso’s attacks with a glorious, crossfield drive pass from him almost producing what would have been an equally sublime finish from Murray.
Shaun Henderson was relieved to see the striker’s 25 yard, first-time effort fly just over.
After 16 minutes, another astute pass from Mackenzie picked out Martin Bain whose powerful, angled shot cannoned off the outside of the near post.
Murray’s injury was sustained on 23 minutes when he fell awkwardly after an aerial challenge.
Five minutes later, Gavin Henderson was handily placed to hack clear in the six yard box after Mackenzie had worked an opening for himself.
Halkirk were enjoying plenty of possession and exploiting the wide areas better than their opponents, with Chris Sutherland making regular, threatening forays down the right flank.
The visitors would have gone ahead after 33 minutes but for a super stop from Vikings’ keeper Asa Sinclair. A dangerous move seemed to have fizzled out with Graham MacDonald’s half-hit shot, only for the ball to fall into the stride of Gordon MacDonald.
The former Wick Academy striker showed Halkirk what they have been missing during his lengthy injury-enforced absence but his instinctive, rising shot from 15 yards was brilliantly turned past the right post by the spring-heeled keeper.
It was to delay only briefly the opener which came after Davidson’s downward header from Alan Sinclair’s long-range free-kick sneaked in near the right-hand post.
Thurso almost replied in kind with the last action of the half but Shaun Henderson’s quick reflexes kept out Reid’s firm header from Lee MacDougall’s free-kick.
The keeper did rather well with his first involvement of the second period. MacLeod – who had come on for Murray – failed to get the cleanest of connections with a half-volley from MacDougall’s cross.
It should have been a meat-and-drink gather for the keeper but he somehow allowed the ball to squirm through his grasp.
A collective uncertainty seemed to beset the visitors which, ironically, persisted until late on when the game was as good as over.
The half-time arrival of Scott Mackay Steven posed a new danger for Halkirk. Mackay Steven capitalised on hesitant defending on a swashbuckling run which ended with his close-in shot being turned wide by Shaun Henderson.
The ensuing corner was headed against the bar by Mackenzie before the ball was scrambled to safety.
Halkirk continued to ride their luck with Bremner’s long-range pop grazing the top of the bar before Mackay Steven almost sent MacLeod in on goal.
Thurso forged ahead on 73 minutes after Nichol was released by a marvellous piece of play by Kevin Miller.
After he snuffed out a rare Halkirk sortie forward by dispossessing Bremner, the big defender manufactured a 40 yard ball down the right touchline. It enabled Nichol to get goalside of Gavin Henderson and the striker went on to skilfully place the ball wide of the advancing Shaun Henderson.
Two minutes later, good hold-up play by Nichol was the prelude to their third. Mackenzie raced on Nichol’s searching pass down the right side before linking with MacLeod who ran in to beat the keeper with a tidy finish.
Bremner forced Asa Sinclair to make a save before the Vikings went 4-1 up after 79 minutes. Mackenzie profited from MacDougall’s assist.
Thurso – Sinclair, Miller (Steven 80), Makhouli, Reid, Inrig, Bremner, Bain (Mackay Steven h/t), Mackenzie, Nichol , Murray (Macleod) (Steven), MacDougall.
Halkirk – S. Henderson, G. Henderson, Farquhar, A. Sinclair, Reid, Davidson, Graham MacDonald, Sutherland, Henstridge (C. Sinclair),
G. MacDonald (Bremner), Manson (Munro ). Sub (unused) – Blair.
Ref – Mr W. Sinclair, Canisbay
NORTH CALEDONIAN LEAGUE
P W D L F A Pts
GOLSPIE 10 9 0 1 30 12 27
BALINTORE 12 8 2 2 42 13 26
INVERNESS CITY 13 8 2 3 38 22 26
HALKIRK UNITED 13 8 1 4 45 23 25
THURSO 11 8 0 3 37 20 24
ALNESS UNITED 11 4 0 7 30 20 12
INVERGORDON 13 2 2 9 27 40 8
BUNILLIDH THISTLE 11 2 1 8 16 52 7
DORNOCH 12 0 0 12 18 81 0