Post by Brian Mackay on Feb 1, 2007 16:21:21 GMT -5
Balintore 2 V Thurso 1 - Report from Iain Grant
Thurso’s six game winning run was derailed on Saturday as they crashed out of the quarter-final of the Jock Mackay Memorial Cup.
A troublesome wind swirling diagonally down the pitch ensured it was never going to be a classic in terms of flowing, measured football. It undoubtedly suited the more direct, unflashy style favoured by the hosts. Thurso certainly won on style points but their failings at the business end cost them dear.
Balintore built on a first minute lead by Lewis Ross when the same player potted a penalty on the hour-mark, a couple of minutes after Thurso had missed an open goal.
The visitors struck back through top scorer Mark Nichol on 73 minutes but could not force an equaliser despite incessant pressure.
Several of the respective back room staff were still in the changing room when Balintore took full advantage of the elements to forge ahead.
Visitor keeper Asa Sinclair had already done well to tip over a steepling corner from James Skinner.
An action replay saw the latter’s second effort being seized on at the near post by Ross.
He stole a march on his would-be marker to plant a firm header wide of Sinclair into the left side-net.
From the restart, Scott Mackay Steven gave a taste of the menace his pace was to cause the home defence.
On this occasion, he had strayed offside when he sought to race clear after taking a return pass from Nichol.
After six minutes, a clever flick from Ewan Dance gave Ross another opening with his raking shot covered by Sinclair as it flew a metre past his left post.
Two minutes later, Ross went much closer as he skipped across the edge of the penalty box before firing a low effort which the keeper could only watch fly past him before pinging back off the base of the right upright.
Balintore played to form, with their lively frontmen tending to be hit with long-range driven passes rather than getting on the end of intricate moves.
The bustling Michael MacKenzie was regularly involved early on with his 13th minute surge resulting in an effort on goal which Sinclair clawed on the top of his cross bar before it went behind.
Thurso hit back with a Lee MacDougall shot which Donnie Munro comfortably gathered before Willie Inrig almost got what could have been scoring touches to two attacks in quick succession.
After 27 minutes, Nichol and Nigel Mackenzie combined to give MacDougall who found the angle too tight in dragging his shot just wide.
Balintore felt aggrieved after 33 minutes when they did not get a penalty when MacKenzie went down after a tussle with Phil Makhouli.
Despite facing the wind, Thurso were seeing more of the ball though they continued to be exposed to dangerous counters.
A route one attack after 34 minutes aw a huge punt from Munro bounce once to find Dance homing in unopposed just outside the Thurso penalty box.
The striker arrived before the oncoming Sinclair to execute a lob which looked on target only to drift marginally wide.
The closing spell was fractious with tempers raised at least partly through ref John Nicolson’s over-indulgence with repeat perpetrators of late tackles.
Michael MacKenzie was eventually booked for a foul on MacDougall before a blow-out led to bookings for James Skinner and Nigel Mackenzie.
In the midst of this, Mackay Steven went agonisingly close to scoring after racing through the inside right channel.
The Vikings were to enjoy just about the freedom of the park in the second half.
Munro was quickly in action struggling to hold a cross-cum-shot from Nigel Mackenzie.
Martin Bain then set up Nichol for a fizzing shot which looked netbound before Stuart Skinner made a brave block.
This set the pattern for the rest of the tie with the visitors battling to pierce Balintore massed defensive ranks. The game turned on two incidents in two minutes.
After 58 minutes, Bain worked his way clear and had just Munro in his sights.
He dragged the ball wide of the keeper but lost control and his rushed shot went wide of the target.
The miss was magnified two minutes later when when Dance was fouled as he tried to round Graeme Reid. Mr Nicholson played the advantage to allow Ross to have a free shot at goal which he failed to convert. The ref then chose to award the spot-kick which Ross duly tucked away after sending Sinclair the wrong way.
This prompted a reshuffle by Thurso with Makhouli pushed into a forward role as manager Ross Sutherland went for broke.
Makhouli was inches away from connecting with a cross from Nichol after 65 minutes.
Then, a poor kick-out by Munro ended with successive close-in shots by Nichol and Nigel Mackenzie coming back off defenders.
The double escape for the home goal brought to mind Jock Stein’s remark that any side would find it hard to score against 11 dustbins lined up in the six yard box.
Thurso finally got some joy when Mackay Steven found Bain who in turn threaded a pass through to Nichol. Nichol kept his cool to send a precise shot past Munro.
It was thereafter a case of an all-out siege on Munro’s goal.
The keeper did well to keep out a Nigel Mackenzie attempt before clutching a fierce, dipping drive from Mackay Steven.
Nichol then saw a long-ranger go narrowly over before Mackay Steven was just off-target with another effort.
The closest to the equalise came six minutes from time when Mackay Steven broke along the right bye-line before cutting the ball back to Kevin Miller who failed to get strong enough contact to beat Munro from a yard out.
Balintore – Munro, Powell, Burry, John Skinner, S. Skinner, McBean (Ford h/t), James Skinner, Ross, Dance, Farquhar, MacKenzie (Davis 90).
Thurso – Sinclair, Makhouli (Moodie 90), Miller, Reid, Inrig, Bremner, Bain, N. Mackenzie , Nichol, Mackay Steven, MacDougall (Steven 64). Sub (unused) – Sutherland.
Ref – Mr J. Nicolson, Inverness.
Thurso’s six game winning run was derailed on Saturday as they crashed out of the quarter-final of the Jock Mackay Memorial Cup.
A troublesome wind swirling diagonally down the pitch ensured it was never going to be a classic in terms of flowing, measured football. It undoubtedly suited the more direct, unflashy style favoured by the hosts. Thurso certainly won on style points but their failings at the business end cost them dear.
Balintore built on a first minute lead by Lewis Ross when the same player potted a penalty on the hour-mark, a couple of minutes after Thurso had missed an open goal.
The visitors struck back through top scorer Mark Nichol on 73 minutes but could not force an equaliser despite incessant pressure.
Several of the respective back room staff were still in the changing room when Balintore took full advantage of the elements to forge ahead.
Visitor keeper Asa Sinclair had already done well to tip over a steepling corner from James Skinner.
An action replay saw the latter’s second effort being seized on at the near post by Ross.
He stole a march on his would-be marker to plant a firm header wide of Sinclair into the left side-net.
From the restart, Scott Mackay Steven gave a taste of the menace his pace was to cause the home defence.
On this occasion, he had strayed offside when he sought to race clear after taking a return pass from Nichol.
After six minutes, a clever flick from Ewan Dance gave Ross another opening with his raking shot covered by Sinclair as it flew a metre past his left post.
Two minutes later, Ross went much closer as he skipped across the edge of the penalty box before firing a low effort which the keeper could only watch fly past him before pinging back off the base of the right upright.
Balintore played to form, with their lively frontmen tending to be hit with long-range driven passes rather than getting on the end of intricate moves.
The bustling Michael MacKenzie was regularly involved early on with his 13th minute surge resulting in an effort on goal which Sinclair clawed on the top of his cross bar before it went behind.
Thurso hit back with a Lee MacDougall shot which Donnie Munro comfortably gathered before Willie Inrig almost got what could have been scoring touches to two attacks in quick succession.
After 27 minutes, Nichol and Nigel Mackenzie combined to give MacDougall who found the angle too tight in dragging his shot just wide.
Balintore felt aggrieved after 33 minutes when they did not get a penalty when MacKenzie went down after a tussle with Phil Makhouli.
Despite facing the wind, Thurso were seeing more of the ball though they continued to be exposed to dangerous counters.
A route one attack after 34 minutes aw a huge punt from Munro bounce once to find Dance homing in unopposed just outside the Thurso penalty box.
The striker arrived before the oncoming Sinclair to execute a lob which looked on target only to drift marginally wide.
The closing spell was fractious with tempers raised at least partly through ref John Nicolson’s over-indulgence with repeat perpetrators of late tackles.
Michael MacKenzie was eventually booked for a foul on MacDougall before a blow-out led to bookings for James Skinner and Nigel Mackenzie.
In the midst of this, Mackay Steven went agonisingly close to scoring after racing through the inside right channel.
The Vikings were to enjoy just about the freedom of the park in the second half.
Munro was quickly in action struggling to hold a cross-cum-shot from Nigel Mackenzie.
Martin Bain then set up Nichol for a fizzing shot which looked netbound before Stuart Skinner made a brave block.
This set the pattern for the rest of the tie with the visitors battling to pierce Balintore massed defensive ranks. The game turned on two incidents in two minutes.
After 58 minutes, Bain worked his way clear and had just Munro in his sights.
He dragged the ball wide of the keeper but lost control and his rushed shot went wide of the target.
The miss was magnified two minutes later when when Dance was fouled as he tried to round Graeme Reid. Mr Nicholson played the advantage to allow Ross to have a free shot at goal which he failed to convert. The ref then chose to award the spot-kick which Ross duly tucked away after sending Sinclair the wrong way.
This prompted a reshuffle by Thurso with Makhouli pushed into a forward role as manager Ross Sutherland went for broke.
Makhouli was inches away from connecting with a cross from Nichol after 65 minutes.
Then, a poor kick-out by Munro ended with successive close-in shots by Nichol and Nigel Mackenzie coming back off defenders.
The double escape for the home goal brought to mind Jock Stein’s remark that any side would find it hard to score against 11 dustbins lined up in the six yard box.
Thurso finally got some joy when Mackay Steven found Bain who in turn threaded a pass through to Nichol. Nichol kept his cool to send a precise shot past Munro.
It was thereafter a case of an all-out siege on Munro’s goal.
The keeper did well to keep out a Nigel Mackenzie attempt before clutching a fierce, dipping drive from Mackay Steven.
Nichol then saw a long-ranger go narrowly over before Mackay Steven was just off-target with another effort.
The closest to the equalise came six minutes from time when Mackay Steven broke along the right bye-line before cutting the ball back to Kevin Miller who failed to get strong enough contact to beat Munro from a yard out.
Balintore – Munro, Powell, Burry, John Skinner, S. Skinner, McBean (Ford h/t), James Skinner, Ross, Dance, Farquhar, MacKenzie (Davis 90).
Thurso – Sinclair, Makhouli (Moodie 90), Miller, Reid, Inrig, Bremner, Bain, N. Mackenzie , Nichol, Mackay Steven, MacDougall (Steven 64). Sub (unused) – Sutherland.
Ref – Mr J. Nicolson, Inverness.