Post by Brian Mackay on Nov 24, 2007 9:58:30 GMT -5
Bunillidh Thistle 2 Thurso 5 - report from Iain Grant
Short-handed Thurso on Saturday extended their long winning run against Bunillidh to sustain their MSIS North Caley title challenge.
Both sides had players on Tartan Army duty at Hampden though the Vikings’ resources were further stretched by injuries and unavailability.
Their personnel crisis was reflected in a bench, which comprised stand-in manager Stevie Reid and old warhorse Jocky Begg.
Reid was in charge in the absence of Duncan Gray, who was enjoying an overseas sunshine break.
The weather in Helmsdale was foul on Saturday with rain teeming down for just about the whole of the match, which had an early kick-off so players could watch the international on TV.
With Bunillidh – who have a tie-up with Wick Academy – showing promise in recent encounters, all the ingredients were in place for an upset.
But after a sticky start, Thurso notched up a victory which was never in doubt after they went three up in the first half-hour.
They missed as many clear openings as they converted, with veteran Willie Steven playing in a striking role a serial offender in front of goal.
Bunillidh had gained confidence in the first 20 minutes for much of which they gave as good as they got.
Thurso’s opener came after a sweeping move was stylishly finished off by Lee MacDougall.
His scissors-kick from the edge of the penalty box was his first strike of the saeason.
Nigel MacKenzie added to the lead on 28 minutes and two minutes later, it was 3-0. Home keeper David Williamson was foxed by a wickedly struck corner from Jamie MacKenzie which looked to have crossed the line before MacDougall made sure.
Bunillidh got one back three minutes from the break when Thurso defender Steven Sinclair balked an opponent in the box.
Thurso keeper Lee Allan flung himself to beat out Robert MacDonald’s penalty but got no help form his team-mates as MacDonald stole in unopposed to net the rebound.
Any hope that this would spark a fightback by George Groat’s men was effectively killed off within a minute of the turnaround.
There appeared no obvious danger when a Bunillidh defender turned a through-ball past Williamson.
With the rain lashing down and the surface becoming increasingly greasy, play deteriorated with passes misplaced and both sides struggling for any measure of fluency.
The long, shapeless period was broken when Bunillidh were awarded a second penalty on 70 minutes when Graeme Reid upended MacDonald in the box.
MacDonald this time made a clean job of the spot-kick.
The scoring ended 12 minutes from time when the third penalty of the day was converted by MacDougall.
Given the problems in mustering a squad, Reid was happy enough with the outing.
He said: “The main object was to come away with the three points and the team went about things in the right way.
“It wasn’t very pretty to watch, especially in the second half, but it always looked like we would come through.”
He singled out Jamie MacKenzie and Michael Petrie for bossing the midfield and central defender Sinclair, who impressed on his first start for the club.
Tomorrow, Thurso face a sterner test when they entertain Golspie on cup business.
The teams have had two false starts this season, the league game in Thurso abandoned at half-time because of a water-soaked park and the SWL first round cup clash scheduled for November 10 called off for the same reason.
Thurso beat Golspie 5-0 in the semi-final of the Port Services Cup – a freak result that offers no guide to the outcome of tomorrow’s tie.
The Vikings should be close to full strength for the match though Des MacLeod and Willie Inrig remain injury doubts.
The match has a 1 p.m. kick-off.
Thurso v Bunilidh – Allan, Reid, Tait, Sinclair, Bain (Begg 80), Petrie, Cook, J. MacKenzie, Steven, N. MacKenzie, MacDougall. Sub (unused) – Reid.
Ref – Mr G. John, Wick.
Golspie reeled off their sixth straight league win as they scored six without reply in Invergordon. John Mackay and Colin MacLean grabbed doubles with Aaron Smith and John Smith also scoring.
Muir of Ord Rovers meanwhile won 3-0 at Dornoch with strikes from Andrew Gow, Kenny Lyall and Ewan Dance.
MSIS NORTH CALEDONIAN LEAGUE
Pl W D L F A Pts
INVERNESS CITY 11 8 2 1 45 23 26
THURSO 9 7 1 1 41 15 22
HALKIRK UNITED 9 6 1 2 31 22 19
GOLSPIE 7 6 0 1 31 11 18
BALINTORE 10 4 3 3 20 17 15
MUIR OF ORD 8 4 2 2 23 15 14
ALNESS UNITED 9 3 1 5 14 22 10
BUNILLIDH THISTLE 10 2 2 6 19 37 8
INVERGORDON 11 2 2 7 12 37 8
DORNOCH 10 2 0 8 12 26 6
BONAR BRIDGE 8 0 0 8 4 27 0
Short-handed Thurso on Saturday extended their long winning run against Bunillidh to sustain their MSIS North Caley title challenge.
Both sides had players on Tartan Army duty at Hampden though the Vikings’ resources were further stretched by injuries and unavailability.
Their personnel crisis was reflected in a bench, which comprised stand-in manager Stevie Reid and old warhorse Jocky Begg.
Reid was in charge in the absence of Duncan Gray, who was enjoying an overseas sunshine break.
The weather in Helmsdale was foul on Saturday with rain teeming down for just about the whole of the match, which had an early kick-off so players could watch the international on TV.
With Bunillidh – who have a tie-up with Wick Academy – showing promise in recent encounters, all the ingredients were in place for an upset.
But after a sticky start, Thurso notched up a victory which was never in doubt after they went three up in the first half-hour.
They missed as many clear openings as they converted, with veteran Willie Steven playing in a striking role a serial offender in front of goal.
Bunillidh had gained confidence in the first 20 minutes for much of which they gave as good as they got.
Thurso’s opener came after a sweeping move was stylishly finished off by Lee MacDougall.
His scissors-kick from the edge of the penalty box was his first strike of the saeason.
Nigel MacKenzie added to the lead on 28 minutes and two minutes later, it was 3-0. Home keeper David Williamson was foxed by a wickedly struck corner from Jamie MacKenzie which looked to have crossed the line before MacDougall made sure.
Bunillidh got one back three minutes from the break when Thurso defender Steven Sinclair balked an opponent in the box.
Thurso keeper Lee Allan flung himself to beat out Robert MacDonald’s penalty but got no help form his team-mates as MacDonald stole in unopposed to net the rebound.
Any hope that this would spark a fightback by George Groat’s men was effectively killed off within a minute of the turnaround.
There appeared no obvious danger when a Bunillidh defender turned a through-ball past Williamson.
With the rain lashing down and the surface becoming increasingly greasy, play deteriorated with passes misplaced and both sides struggling for any measure of fluency.
The long, shapeless period was broken when Bunillidh were awarded a second penalty on 70 minutes when Graeme Reid upended MacDonald in the box.
MacDonald this time made a clean job of the spot-kick.
The scoring ended 12 minutes from time when the third penalty of the day was converted by MacDougall.
Given the problems in mustering a squad, Reid was happy enough with the outing.
He said: “The main object was to come away with the three points and the team went about things in the right way.
“It wasn’t very pretty to watch, especially in the second half, but it always looked like we would come through.”
He singled out Jamie MacKenzie and Michael Petrie for bossing the midfield and central defender Sinclair, who impressed on his first start for the club.
Tomorrow, Thurso face a sterner test when they entertain Golspie on cup business.
The teams have had two false starts this season, the league game in Thurso abandoned at half-time because of a water-soaked park and the SWL first round cup clash scheduled for November 10 called off for the same reason.
Thurso beat Golspie 5-0 in the semi-final of the Port Services Cup – a freak result that offers no guide to the outcome of tomorrow’s tie.
The Vikings should be close to full strength for the match though Des MacLeod and Willie Inrig remain injury doubts.
The match has a 1 p.m. kick-off.
Thurso v Bunilidh – Allan, Reid, Tait, Sinclair, Bain (Begg 80), Petrie, Cook, J. MacKenzie, Steven, N. MacKenzie, MacDougall. Sub (unused) – Reid.
Ref – Mr G. John, Wick.
Golspie reeled off their sixth straight league win as they scored six without reply in Invergordon. John Mackay and Colin MacLean grabbed doubles with Aaron Smith and John Smith also scoring.
Muir of Ord Rovers meanwhile won 3-0 at Dornoch with strikes from Andrew Gow, Kenny Lyall and Ewan Dance.
MSIS NORTH CALEDONIAN LEAGUE
Pl W D L F A Pts
INVERNESS CITY 11 8 2 1 45 23 26
THURSO 9 7 1 1 41 15 22
HALKIRK UNITED 9 6 1 2 31 22 19
GOLSPIE 7 6 0 1 31 11 18
BALINTORE 10 4 3 3 20 17 15
MUIR OF ORD 8 4 2 2 23 15 14
ALNESS UNITED 9 3 1 5 14 22 10
BUNILLIDH THISTLE 10 2 2 6 19 37 8
INVERGORDON 11 2 2 7 12 37 8
DORNOCH 10 2 0 8 12 26 6
BONAR BRIDGE 8 0 0 8 4 27 0