Post by Brian Mackay on Apr 13, 2008 14:56:20 GMT -5
Golspie 4 Thurso 0 - report by Iain Grant
Golspie’s upper hand over the Vikings in this year’s North Caley season continued on Saturday as the Sutherland side powered into the final of the Jock Mackay Memorial Cup.
They now lead by three to one in the series with the latest result a mirror image of the recent league clash in Golspie
Thurso’s challenge was blunted before the start with a trio of late call-offs leaving them with a threadbare squad of 12.
They were particularly short-handed up front, where Mark Makhouli made a first appearance of the season along with Nigel MacKenzie.
Thurso competed well enough in a congested midfield, where Steven Sinclair, making his first start, impressed with his work-rate and hounding and harrying of opponents.
After a scrappy first half-hour in which neither side could claim mastery over the other, Golspie’s Andy Keveren notched the first of his hat-trick for the home side.
The breakthrough inspired the hosts to turn on the style and they went close several times before Keveren ghosted in to double their lead on the stroke of half-time.
Thurso could have disappeared without trace but they rallied well after the break and went close with several half-chances before Golspie struck twice in two minutes through Keveren and Aaron Smith to seal their passage.
The home side kept the ball well early on but the first opening came at their end after four minutes when Michael Petrie’s measured pass to MacKenzie ended with the latter’s curling cross being spilled by keeper Neil Mackay.
As was to be a recurrent theme, no Viking was on hand to profit.
After 12 minutes, Keveren raced unopposed to meet Colin MacLean’s long through-ball on the edge of the 18 yard box.
Thurso goalie Lee Allan dashed out to gather and deny the Gairloch-based striker a strike at goal.
The same two protagonists featured five minutes later when the lively Keveren again broke clear and has his under-hit attempt comfortably fielded by Allan.
Both sides were struggling to build momentum with passes regularly overhit on the bumpy pitch and going out of play.
Golspie last month acquired the services of veteran midfielder Gordon Connelly on loan from Clach.
The Maryburgh-based player was, as ever, immaculate on the ball but he did not appreciate the pressure he was regularly put under by both Sinclair and Petrie.
Connelly came close to firing Golspie ahead with a humdinger of a free-kick on the half-hour mark which blurred past the left upright, with Allan powerless to intervene.
Thurso’s closest call came on 33 minutes when Sinclair dispossessed Adam Sutherland just outside the right corner of the Golspie penalty box. Sinclair opted not to shoot though his attempt to find a colleague resulted in Alan MacBean’s full-stretch clearance slithering just past the right post.
The lead came out of the blue four minutes later when a quick-fire raid up the right ended with Keveren’s decisive headed finish from Michael Dunnett’s inswinging centre.
Golspie finished the half with some admirable spells of one-touch possession which had their opponents chasing shadows.
One sequence paved the way for Donald Sutherland’s pot-shot from a couple of yards outside the box which beat Allan only to rebound across goal from the base of the right post.
Connelly was then denied when Shaun Forbes’ brave swoop blocked the veteran’s close-in, netbound effort.
Just as the Vikings thought they would escape to the sanctuary of the dressing room without further damage, Golspie struck again.
Once again, the source was wide out on the right with this time Donald Sutherland’s deep cross finding Keveren who stooped to score from a tight angle.
It could have got worse for Thurso had Smith not sent an injury-time header straight at Allan from the centre of the six yard line.
After the resumption, the hosts continued where they left off and visiting skipper Kevin Miller did extremely well to nick the ball off Keveren as the striker eyed his hat-trick goal.
Thurso dug in and went on to enjoy a 20 minute spell before Golspie’s third when they could count themselves unlucky not to give themselves a lifeline.
On 52 minutes, Lee MacDougall shrugged of his earlier lethargy to thunder a snap-shot from wide out on the left which Neil Mackay got down well to touch past the far post.
Sinclair had a decent effort graze past before setting up MacDougall for a 30 yarder which met a similar fate.
In between those two efforts, MacLean provided Keveren with another opening which ended with his low drive being turned behind by Allan.
Thurso continued to seek a way back into the tie. On 62 minutes, Sinclair threaded a pass through to Makhouli which Neil Mackay did well to rush out to gather on the edge of his box.
The killer third goal on 75 minutes came in the aftermath to a corner which was given after Allan diverted a stinging shot from Dunnett.
Sinclair was caught in possession after the initial clearance from the setpiece and the ball was returned for Smith to stab home from just beside the right post.
Two minutes later, it was 4-0 when Keveren turned in Adam Sutherland’s bye-line cut-back.
Hesitancy from Allan almost cost his side another on 79 minutes but the keeper redeemed himself when he got his fingertips to turn sub Darren MacDonald’s lob behind.
Thurso manager Duncan Gray believed his short-handed side were not found wanting in terms of commitment.
He said: “I couldn’t fault the effort they put in. “A lot of clubs could have folded after going two down but they kept battling away.
“It’s just a pity that we went to sleep for five minutes in each half when they got their goals. “To be fair, we seldom looked like scoring.”
Tomorrow, the Vikings return to league business with a home match versus Bunillidh Thistle, with a 3 p.m. kick-off.
Ross Sutherland should return but Shaun Forbes is back offshore.
Golspie – N. Mackay, Gray, J. Mackay, MacLean, MacBean, Connelly, Smith (Duncan 77), Dunnett, Keveren, D. Sutherland (Maitland 77), A. Sutherland (MacDonald 84).
Thurso – Allan, Shearer, Miller, Sinclair, Forbes, Petrie, MacKenzie, Inrig, Makhouli (Munro 75), Bain, MacDougall.
Ref – Mr G. Dearie, Inverness.
Golspie’s opponents in the final of the cup a week tomorrow are Inverness City who defeated Invergordon 4-2 in Saturday’s other semi.
An early double from Keith Mason put City’s tails up in the match at North Kessock.
When Mason completed his hat-trick before the break, it looked curtains for the Easter Ross outfit.
But in a late flourish, penalties converted by Chris Stone and Alan Stone, either side of City David Beaton red card, put the wind up the home side.
The tie was settled two minutes from time when defender Kevin Fraser’s goal restored his side’s two goal cushion.
Golspie’s upper hand over the Vikings in this year’s North Caley season continued on Saturday as the Sutherland side powered into the final of the Jock Mackay Memorial Cup.
They now lead by three to one in the series with the latest result a mirror image of the recent league clash in Golspie
Thurso’s challenge was blunted before the start with a trio of late call-offs leaving them with a threadbare squad of 12.
They were particularly short-handed up front, where Mark Makhouli made a first appearance of the season along with Nigel MacKenzie.
Thurso competed well enough in a congested midfield, where Steven Sinclair, making his first start, impressed with his work-rate and hounding and harrying of opponents.
After a scrappy first half-hour in which neither side could claim mastery over the other, Golspie’s Andy Keveren notched the first of his hat-trick for the home side.
The breakthrough inspired the hosts to turn on the style and they went close several times before Keveren ghosted in to double their lead on the stroke of half-time.
Thurso could have disappeared without trace but they rallied well after the break and went close with several half-chances before Golspie struck twice in two minutes through Keveren and Aaron Smith to seal their passage.
The home side kept the ball well early on but the first opening came at their end after four minutes when Michael Petrie’s measured pass to MacKenzie ended with the latter’s curling cross being spilled by keeper Neil Mackay.
As was to be a recurrent theme, no Viking was on hand to profit.
After 12 minutes, Keveren raced unopposed to meet Colin MacLean’s long through-ball on the edge of the 18 yard box.
Thurso goalie Lee Allan dashed out to gather and deny the Gairloch-based striker a strike at goal.
The same two protagonists featured five minutes later when the lively Keveren again broke clear and has his under-hit attempt comfortably fielded by Allan.
Both sides were struggling to build momentum with passes regularly overhit on the bumpy pitch and going out of play.
Golspie last month acquired the services of veteran midfielder Gordon Connelly on loan from Clach.
The Maryburgh-based player was, as ever, immaculate on the ball but he did not appreciate the pressure he was regularly put under by both Sinclair and Petrie.
Connelly came close to firing Golspie ahead with a humdinger of a free-kick on the half-hour mark which blurred past the left upright, with Allan powerless to intervene.
Thurso’s closest call came on 33 minutes when Sinclair dispossessed Adam Sutherland just outside the right corner of the Golspie penalty box. Sinclair opted not to shoot though his attempt to find a colleague resulted in Alan MacBean’s full-stretch clearance slithering just past the right post.
The lead came out of the blue four minutes later when a quick-fire raid up the right ended with Keveren’s decisive headed finish from Michael Dunnett’s inswinging centre.
Golspie finished the half with some admirable spells of one-touch possession which had their opponents chasing shadows.
One sequence paved the way for Donald Sutherland’s pot-shot from a couple of yards outside the box which beat Allan only to rebound across goal from the base of the right post.
Connelly was then denied when Shaun Forbes’ brave swoop blocked the veteran’s close-in, netbound effort.
Just as the Vikings thought they would escape to the sanctuary of the dressing room without further damage, Golspie struck again.
Once again, the source was wide out on the right with this time Donald Sutherland’s deep cross finding Keveren who stooped to score from a tight angle.
It could have got worse for Thurso had Smith not sent an injury-time header straight at Allan from the centre of the six yard line.
After the resumption, the hosts continued where they left off and visiting skipper Kevin Miller did extremely well to nick the ball off Keveren as the striker eyed his hat-trick goal.
Thurso dug in and went on to enjoy a 20 minute spell before Golspie’s third when they could count themselves unlucky not to give themselves a lifeline.
On 52 minutes, Lee MacDougall shrugged of his earlier lethargy to thunder a snap-shot from wide out on the left which Neil Mackay got down well to touch past the far post.
Sinclair had a decent effort graze past before setting up MacDougall for a 30 yarder which met a similar fate.
In between those two efforts, MacLean provided Keveren with another opening which ended with his low drive being turned behind by Allan.
Thurso continued to seek a way back into the tie. On 62 minutes, Sinclair threaded a pass through to Makhouli which Neil Mackay did well to rush out to gather on the edge of his box.
The killer third goal on 75 minutes came in the aftermath to a corner which was given after Allan diverted a stinging shot from Dunnett.
Sinclair was caught in possession after the initial clearance from the setpiece and the ball was returned for Smith to stab home from just beside the right post.
Two minutes later, it was 4-0 when Keveren turned in Adam Sutherland’s bye-line cut-back.
Hesitancy from Allan almost cost his side another on 79 minutes but the keeper redeemed himself when he got his fingertips to turn sub Darren MacDonald’s lob behind.
Thurso manager Duncan Gray believed his short-handed side were not found wanting in terms of commitment.
He said: “I couldn’t fault the effort they put in. “A lot of clubs could have folded after going two down but they kept battling away.
“It’s just a pity that we went to sleep for five minutes in each half when they got their goals. “To be fair, we seldom looked like scoring.”
Tomorrow, the Vikings return to league business with a home match versus Bunillidh Thistle, with a 3 p.m. kick-off.
Ross Sutherland should return but Shaun Forbes is back offshore.
Golspie – N. Mackay, Gray, J. Mackay, MacLean, MacBean, Connelly, Smith (Duncan 77), Dunnett, Keveren, D. Sutherland (Maitland 77), A. Sutherland (MacDonald 84).
Thurso – Allan, Shearer, Miller, Sinclair, Forbes, Petrie, MacKenzie, Inrig, Makhouli (Munro 75), Bain, MacDougall.
Ref – Mr G. Dearie, Inverness.
Golspie’s opponents in the final of the cup a week tomorrow are Inverness City who defeated Invergordon 4-2 in Saturday’s other semi.
An early double from Keith Mason put City’s tails up in the match at North Kessock.
When Mason completed his hat-trick before the break, it looked curtains for the Easter Ross outfit.
But in a late flourish, penalties converted by Chris Stone and Alan Stone, either side of City David Beaton red card, put the wind up the home side.
The tie was settled two minutes from time when defender Kevin Fraser’s goal restored his side’s two goal cushion.