Post by Brian Mackay on Nov 28, 2007 14:01:29 GMT -5
Thurso 0 Golspie 2 - report by Iain Grant
Thurso’s SWL Cup defence proved short-lived after they conceded goals at the start and towards the end of Saturday’s match at Sir Georges Park.
The defeat ended the Vikings’ 14 game unbeaten home record which stretched back to November of last year.
Golspie successfully avenged last year’s SWL Cup final defeat as well as a chastening 5-0 defeat in Thurso in this season’s Port Services Cup.
Heavy rain had produced a greasy surface while a blustery wind blowing straight down the pitch made life especially difficult for the team defending the goal at the changing rooms’ end.
Thurso faced the elements first and their rearguard looked distinctly out-of-sorts in the opening exchanges.
Before falling behind on seven minutes, they already had a major scare when Donald Sutherland plied down the right flank and manufactured a glorious opening for Colin MacLean.
From the penalty spot, the midfielder’s first-time, low strike was heading just inside the right post when it was diverted by a full-length block from defender Graham Tait.
Donald Sutherland was the instigator of the breakthrough when his well-flighted through-ball was chested on by Andy Keveren to MacLean.
MacLean looked a yard offside when he seized on the opportunity to lash the ball hard and true past keeper Lee Allan.
Thurso were up against it for the rest of the half with their only clear opportunity to level coming three minutes after they fell behind.
Jamie MacKenzie’s swept pass had Michael Petrie racing down the right touchline and his centre gave Mark Nicol a clear view of goal.
His shot lacked the angle and the fizz to unduly untroubled visiting keeper Neil Mackay.
Golspie threatened again on 13 minutes when John Mackay’s assist would have put Keveren clear but for an alert piece of defending from Graeme Reid.
A couple of minutes later, Brian Gray was booked after a messy tangle of limbs when he and Keveren collided as they vied for a loose ball on the edge of the Thurso penalty box.
Donald Sutherland, looking the best player on the field, was almost rewarded when he complemented a bit of touchline trickery with a surprise long-range strike on goal.
Allan gathered at the second attempt with Keveren in close attendance.
The players were now being battered by showers of hail, which lasted through to the half-time interval.
Thurso’s attacks were few and far between though Neil Mackay was almost caught out by a looping Nichol cross after 28 minutes and the keeper later did well to hold on to a Nichol free-kick.
There was little of consequence then until a flurry from Golspie in the closing minutes of the half.
The home defence had tightened up after the early jitters and coped well with a series of corners and free-kicks around the box.
The game went decisively Thurso’s way in the third quarter when they looked a good bet to pull level, if not clinch the tie.
Within five minutes of the restart, Neil Mackay saved well from Nichol and was relieved to see Willie Steven’s shot flash wide of his left post following a corner.
After 55 minutes, the keeper looked all at sea as he rushed out into a crowded penalty box to meet a free-kick with a hashed half-clearance with his feet.
Golspie’s menace after the interval came from swift counters from deep in their own half.
One such raid ended with Tommy Campbell rounding Tait and seeing his chip-shot over Allan miss the target by a hairbreadth.
A poor-kick out from Neil Mackay on 64 minutes had his side in trouble but the keeper did well to scurry back to seize on MacKenzie’s effort from the edge of the box.
Golspie’s defence was then sorely stretched as first Nichol and then Petrie had goalbound efforts denied by last-ditch blocks.
Miller was getting forward regularly and he was not far away with a long-range attempt on 68 minutes.
Another Golspie counter two minutes later almost doubled their lead when Keveren teed up MacLean whose close-in shot produced a fine diving save from Allan.
Thurso were pressing forward with increased urgency but had no fortune in front of goal.
On 72 minutes, MacKenzie set up Steven who looked to have done everything right only to watch as his 12 yard snap-shot came back off the right post.
Gray volleyed wide from a corner as the pressure on Golspie was reflected by Adam Sutherland’s 73rd minute booking for dissent.
Two minutes later, Golspie grabbed a killer second goal when Keveren’s long, diagonal pass picked out Donald Sutherland’s lung-busting run.
Sutherland had just Allan in his sights and he neatly tucked the ball past the keeper from the edge of the six yard box.
Thurso missed a snip to reduce the leeway on 78 minutes when Gray and MacKenzie combined to set up Reid who blasted wide from prime position.
That drew the sting from the home side and the closing action could have seen them fall further behind.
Donald Sutherland went close with a looping header; sub Michael Turner had a ‘goal’ chalked off for offside; and Aaron Smith was denied by a smart save from Allan.
John Mackay’s injury-time booking for a rash tackle on Lee MacDougall hardly spoiled the visitors’ day out.
Thurso manager Duncan Gray was troubled by his side’s low-key opening.
“We made a poor start,” he admitted.
“It was hard going against the wind and the goal sort of flattened us.
“We improved after the break and we were well on top for a good spell. Had Willie’s shot gone in and not hit the post, I felt we could have gone to win.”
Steven is not available for Thurso’s trip tomorrow to play Invergordon in a North Caley MSIS League match.
Nigel MacKenzie is back after illness while Martin Bain, Wayne Monkman and Neil MacDonald should also feature.
Thurso – Allan, Tait (Foy 82), Reid, Gray, Miller, Sutherland (McIntosh 87), Petrie, Steven (MacLeod 79), Nicol, J. MacKenzie, MacDougall.
Golspie – N. Mackay, Gray, Duncan (Bain 90), A. Sutherland, MacBean, J. Mackay (Turner 82), Dunnett, MacLean, Keveren (Smith 82), D. Sutherland, Campbell.
Ref – Mr W. Sinclair.
Thurso’s SWL Cup defence proved short-lived after they conceded goals at the start and towards the end of Saturday’s match at Sir Georges Park.
The defeat ended the Vikings’ 14 game unbeaten home record which stretched back to November of last year.
Golspie successfully avenged last year’s SWL Cup final defeat as well as a chastening 5-0 defeat in Thurso in this season’s Port Services Cup.
Heavy rain had produced a greasy surface while a blustery wind blowing straight down the pitch made life especially difficult for the team defending the goal at the changing rooms’ end.
Thurso faced the elements first and their rearguard looked distinctly out-of-sorts in the opening exchanges.
Before falling behind on seven minutes, they already had a major scare when Donald Sutherland plied down the right flank and manufactured a glorious opening for Colin MacLean.
From the penalty spot, the midfielder’s first-time, low strike was heading just inside the right post when it was diverted by a full-length block from defender Graham Tait.
Donald Sutherland was the instigator of the breakthrough when his well-flighted through-ball was chested on by Andy Keveren to MacLean.
MacLean looked a yard offside when he seized on the opportunity to lash the ball hard and true past keeper Lee Allan.
Thurso were up against it for the rest of the half with their only clear opportunity to level coming three minutes after they fell behind.
Jamie MacKenzie’s swept pass had Michael Petrie racing down the right touchline and his centre gave Mark Nicol a clear view of goal.
His shot lacked the angle and the fizz to unduly untroubled visiting keeper Neil Mackay.
Golspie threatened again on 13 minutes when John Mackay’s assist would have put Keveren clear but for an alert piece of defending from Graeme Reid.
A couple of minutes later, Brian Gray was booked after a messy tangle of limbs when he and Keveren collided as they vied for a loose ball on the edge of the Thurso penalty box.
Donald Sutherland, looking the best player on the field, was almost rewarded when he complemented a bit of touchline trickery with a surprise long-range strike on goal.
Allan gathered at the second attempt with Keveren in close attendance.
The players were now being battered by showers of hail, which lasted through to the half-time interval.
Thurso’s attacks were few and far between though Neil Mackay was almost caught out by a looping Nichol cross after 28 minutes and the keeper later did well to hold on to a Nichol free-kick.
There was little of consequence then until a flurry from Golspie in the closing minutes of the half.
The home defence had tightened up after the early jitters and coped well with a series of corners and free-kicks around the box.
The game went decisively Thurso’s way in the third quarter when they looked a good bet to pull level, if not clinch the tie.
Within five minutes of the restart, Neil Mackay saved well from Nichol and was relieved to see Willie Steven’s shot flash wide of his left post following a corner.
After 55 minutes, the keeper looked all at sea as he rushed out into a crowded penalty box to meet a free-kick with a hashed half-clearance with his feet.
Golspie’s menace after the interval came from swift counters from deep in their own half.
One such raid ended with Tommy Campbell rounding Tait and seeing his chip-shot over Allan miss the target by a hairbreadth.
A poor-kick out from Neil Mackay on 64 minutes had his side in trouble but the keeper did well to scurry back to seize on MacKenzie’s effort from the edge of the box.
Golspie’s defence was then sorely stretched as first Nichol and then Petrie had goalbound efforts denied by last-ditch blocks.
Miller was getting forward regularly and he was not far away with a long-range attempt on 68 minutes.
Another Golspie counter two minutes later almost doubled their lead when Keveren teed up MacLean whose close-in shot produced a fine diving save from Allan.
Thurso were pressing forward with increased urgency but had no fortune in front of goal.
On 72 minutes, MacKenzie set up Steven who looked to have done everything right only to watch as his 12 yard snap-shot came back off the right post.
Gray volleyed wide from a corner as the pressure on Golspie was reflected by Adam Sutherland’s 73rd minute booking for dissent.
Two minutes later, Golspie grabbed a killer second goal when Keveren’s long, diagonal pass picked out Donald Sutherland’s lung-busting run.
Sutherland had just Allan in his sights and he neatly tucked the ball past the keeper from the edge of the six yard box.
Thurso missed a snip to reduce the leeway on 78 minutes when Gray and MacKenzie combined to set up Reid who blasted wide from prime position.
That drew the sting from the home side and the closing action could have seen them fall further behind.
Donald Sutherland went close with a looping header; sub Michael Turner had a ‘goal’ chalked off for offside; and Aaron Smith was denied by a smart save from Allan.
John Mackay’s injury-time booking for a rash tackle on Lee MacDougall hardly spoiled the visitors’ day out.
Thurso manager Duncan Gray was troubled by his side’s low-key opening.
“We made a poor start,” he admitted.
“It was hard going against the wind and the goal sort of flattened us.
“We improved after the break and we were well on top for a good spell. Had Willie’s shot gone in and not hit the post, I felt we could have gone to win.”
Steven is not available for Thurso’s trip tomorrow to play Invergordon in a North Caley MSIS League match.
Nigel MacKenzie is back after illness while Martin Bain, Wayne Monkman and Neil MacDonald should also feature.
Thurso – Allan, Tait (Foy 82), Reid, Gray, Miller, Sutherland (McIntosh 87), Petrie, Steven (MacLeod 79), Nicol, J. MacKenzie, MacDougall.
Golspie – N. Mackay, Gray, Duncan (Bain 90), A. Sutherland, MacBean, J. Mackay (Turner 82), Dunnett, MacLean, Keveren (Smith 82), D. Sutherland, Campbell.
Ref – Mr W. Sinclair.