Post by Brian Mackay on Sept 18, 2008 7:54:51 GMT -5
Thurso 0 Balintore 0 - report by Iain Grant
Neither side emerged with much satisfaction with the point they earned from this goal-less stalemate.
The result at least allowed the Vikings to break a sequence of three opening MSIS North Caley League defeats.
They will be hoping they can get their maiden win tomorrow at home to Bonar Bridge to push away from the foot of the table.
Saturday’s starting eleven featured a debut for Shaun Stewart after his move from Wick Academy and first appearances of the season for seasoned campaigners Lee MacDougall and Jamie MacKenzie.
MacDougall almost proclaimed his return with an audacious strike from 30 yards which had visiting keeper Ross Henderson furiously back-tracking to clutch the ball from right under his crossbar.
That second minute strike presaged a determined opening by Thurso which gave little respite to the Balintore rearguard.
MacKenzie was just off target with a long-ranger before Des MacLeod’s sharp turn and cross on seven minutes was bound for the unmarked MacKenzie had John Smith not managed to divert the ball behind with the faintest of head-flicks.
Gavin Bremner’s resultant corner presented MacDougall with a gimme but the wing-man contrived to pull off what amounted to a clearing header. Balintore went close either side of that chance when ex-Golspie stalwart Darren Pullen headed just over and Gus MacDonald pulled a shot wide after making space for himself 10 yards out.
MacDougall and Martin Bain, on the right flank, were well serviced as Thurso continued to enjoy the better quality and more sustained spells of possession. After 21 minutes, Henderson was made to scramble to reach MacDougall’s stinging shot-on-the-turn.
The visitors withstood the pressure before coming out of their shell to look the more likely to score in the second quarter. They were inches away from breaking the deadlock on 27 minutes when Scott McKain raced on to a through ball on the corner of the penalty box and saw his shot come back off the base of the right upright.
McKain latched on to the rebound to uncork a follow-up blast which was bravely blocked by central defender Andrew Bremner.
Ian Innes and MacDonald had decent efforts for the visitors though it was Thurso who went closest to scoring during this spell on 31 minutes.
MacKenzie and Bain were at the heart of a slick move which ended with Gavin Bremner’s attempted chip from near the right bye-line producing a full-stretch tip-over by Henderson.
Two minutes from the interval, Derrick Shearer was booked when a swift Balintore counter was nipped in the bud by the defender’s lunging challenge on Graham Davis.
A lacklustre opening to the second half was punctuated by a slack piece of defending by Balintore which almost gifted their hosts the lead.
Gavin Bremner’s steepling cross was missed by a fresh-air punch by the keeper, under pressure from MacKenzie and MacLeod.
The ball ricocheted wildly off a backtracking defender and could easily have ended in the net rather than rolling a yard past the right post.
Balintore were next to threaten with home keeper Lee Allan doing well to get to Darren Pullen’s shot after good lead-up work by MacKain. Shortly after, Allan was posted missing as MacKain’s cross was almost turned in by MacDonald. Innes had a powerful pop at goal on 73 minutes blocked as the visitors started to get the scent of victory. A minute later, MacLeod was cautioned for a late tackle on George Stewart.
A late push by the home side saw them being denied the win by Henderson when he got down to make a one-handed save to keep out MacDougall’s well-struck free-kick.
After shipping 13 goals in their first three outings, Vikings manager Stevie Reid took heart from Saturday’s clean sheet and from how his new side is starting to knit together. “I thought we played pretty well in fits and starts,” he said. “It’s another step forward against what was a reasonably strong Balintore side – we’re gradually getting there.”
Thurso had a midweek run-out versus Wick Academy at Harmsworth Park where they went down 3-2 to a late goal.
John O’Groats striker Martin Sinclair signed after playing for the Vikings, as did Stewart. MacLeod (hamstring) and Gary Coghill (cold) are struggling to make tomorrow’s home game against Bonar Bridge. Lee Allan is on holiday so Michael Gray will return in goals for the match
which has a 3 p.m. kick-off.
Thurso – Allan, Stewart, Shearer, Steven, A. Bremner (M. Coghill 64), Inrig (Cook 78), Bain, G. Bremner, J.MacKenzie, MacLeod, MacDougall. Subs (unused) – G. Coghill and Sinclair.
Balintore – Henderson, Davis, Pullen, J. Skinner, Smith, Stewart, MacCallum (S. Skinner 64), Innes, MacDonald, MacKain, McCourt. Sub (unused) – MacRitchie.
Ref – Mr G. John, Wick.
Neither side emerged with much satisfaction with the point they earned from this goal-less stalemate.
The result at least allowed the Vikings to break a sequence of three opening MSIS North Caley League defeats.
They will be hoping they can get their maiden win tomorrow at home to Bonar Bridge to push away from the foot of the table.
Saturday’s starting eleven featured a debut for Shaun Stewart after his move from Wick Academy and first appearances of the season for seasoned campaigners Lee MacDougall and Jamie MacKenzie.
MacDougall almost proclaimed his return with an audacious strike from 30 yards which had visiting keeper Ross Henderson furiously back-tracking to clutch the ball from right under his crossbar.
That second minute strike presaged a determined opening by Thurso which gave little respite to the Balintore rearguard.
MacKenzie was just off target with a long-ranger before Des MacLeod’s sharp turn and cross on seven minutes was bound for the unmarked MacKenzie had John Smith not managed to divert the ball behind with the faintest of head-flicks.
Gavin Bremner’s resultant corner presented MacDougall with a gimme but the wing-man contrived to pull off what amounted to a clearing header. Balintore went close either side of that chance when ex-Golspie stalwart Darren Pullen headed just over and Gus MacDonald pulled a shot wide after making space for himself 10 yards out.
MacDougall and Martin Bain, on the right flank, were well serviced as Thurso continued to enjoy the better quality and more sustained spells of possession. After 21 minutes, Henderson was made to scramble to reach MacDougall’s stinging shot-on-the-turn.
The visitors withstood the pressure before coming out of their shell to look the more likely to score in the second quarter. They were inches away from breaking the deadlock on 27 minutes when Scott McKain raced on to a through ball on the corner of the penalty box and saw his shot come back off the base of the right upright.
McKain latched on to the rebound to uncork a follow-up blast which was bravely blocked by central defender Andrew Bremner.
Ian Innes and MacDonald had decent efforts for the visitors though it was Thurso who went closest to scoring during this spell on 31 minutes.
MacKenzie and Bain were at the heart of a slick move which ended with Gavin Bremner’s attempted chip from near the right bye-line producing a full-stretch tip-over by Henderson.
Two minutes from the interval, Derrick Shearer was booked when a swift Balintore counter was nipped in the bud by the defender’s lunging challenge on Graham Davis.
A lacklustre opening to the second half was punctuated by a slack piece of defending by Balintore which almost gifted their hosts the lead.
Gavin Bremner’s steepling cross was missed by a fresh-air punch by the keeper, under pressure from MacKenzie and MacLeod.
The ball ricocheted wildly off a backtracking defender and could easily have ended in the net rather than rolling a yard past the right post.
Balintore were next to threaten with home keeper Lee Allan doing well to get to Darren Pullen’s shot after good lead-up work by MacKain. Shortly after, Allan was posted missing as MacKain’s cross was almost turned in by MacDonald. Innes had a powerful pop at goal on 73 minutes blocked as the visitors started to get the scent of victory. A minute later, MacLeod was cautioned for a late tackle on George Stewart.
A late push by the home side saw them being denied the win by Henderson when he got down to make a one-handed save to keep out MacDougall’s well-struck free-kick.
After shipping 13 goals in their first three outings, Vikings manager Stevie Reid took heart from Saturday’s clean sheet and from how his new side is starting to knit together. “I thought we played pretty well in fits and starts,” he said. “It’s another step forward against what was a reasonably strong Balintore side – we’re gradually getting there.”
Thurso had a midweek run-out versus Wick Academy at Harmsworth Park where they went down 3-2 to a late goal.
John O’Groats striker Martin Sinclair signed after playing for the Vikings, as did Stewart. MacLeod (hamstring) and Gary Coghill (cold) are struggling to make tomorrow’s home game against Bonar Bridge. Lee Allan is on holiday so Michael Gray will return in goals for the match
which has a 3 p.m. kick-off.
Thurso – Allan, Stewart, Shearer, Steven, A. Bremner (M. Coghill 64), Inrig (Cook 78), Bain, G. Bremner, J.MacKenzie, MacLeod, MacDougall. Subs (unused) – G. Coghill and Sinclair.
Balintore – Henderson, Davis, Pullen, J. Skinner, Smith, Stewart, MacCallum (S. Skinner 64), Innes, MacDonald, MacKain, McCourt. Sub (unused) – MacRitchie.
Ref – Mr G. John, Wick.