Post by Brian Mackay on Sept 23, 2008 21:24:41 GMT -5
Thurso 1 Bonar Bridge 1 - report by Iain Grant
A serial failure at the business end of the game continues to blight Thurso’s bid to register a first MSIS North Caley League victory.
Strong starts to both halves on Saturday provided the Vikings with enough opportunities to have comfortably laid claim to all three points.
But a failure to add to Andrew Cumming’s counter left the door open for a hard-working Bonar and their resilience was rewarded with a late equaliser.
In support of the visitors’ case for deserving a share of the spoils, they did enjoy some decent spells and had on several occasions cut open the opposition rearguard with disarming ease.
Though missing a handful of regulars, Bonar impressed as a hard-working outfit with centre-back David Mackay a commanding presence throughout.
Thurso manager Stevie Reid was forced into a reshuffle minutes before the kick-off when Martin Bain was whisked off to hospital after wrenching an ankle in an innocuous-looking stumble as he left the dressing room.
That led to new signing Martin Sinclair promoted from the bench to start up front with Des MacLeod.
The manager continued with his tinkering of the rearguard with Shaun Forbes getting his first start of the season at the heart of the defence alongside Grant Steven.
Sinclair was soon involved, having his side’s first two cracks at goal.
After three minutes, he raced on to a cute flick from MacLeod before troubling keeper Steve Martin with a 25 yarder which had just too much elevation.
Sinclair then took advantage of a minuts clearance to steal in on goal though he found the angle too tight and fired into the side-net.
Thurso maintained the firm upper hand though were plagued by the lack of a killer touch in front of goal.
After 10 minutes, Forbes spliced the Bonar defence with a well-measured feed to Sinclair
The John O’Groats man delayed his pass fractionally too long to prevent the unmarked Lee MacDougall getting a free strike.
MacDougall was forced to adjust and his eventual shot was too straight to discomfit Martin.
A minute later, Sinclair’s deep cross from the right cleared Martin to present a clear opening for the inrushing Willie Inrig.
The midfielder slid in but could not direct his shot on target.
Bonar’s first threat came on 17 minutes when Sean Henstridge’s glancing header form a corner required secure handling from Michael Gray.
The Vikings faded after their encouraging start as the visitors started to probe for chinks in the opposition armour.
Mackay deserted his post on 25 minutes as he went on a rampaging run from the halfway line to the edge of the penalty box from where he sent a lusty drive a foot or two wide.
Two minutes later, Thurso had another inviting opening created by MacDougall which had Sinclair haring clear down the inside-left channel.
He was unable to lift the ball over Martin as the keeper spread himself to make the block.
MacLeod then had a decent effort blocked before his side went ahead on 33 minutes.
An astute feed from Shaun Stewart to Cumming saw the latter side-foot into the net after his first shot was beaten away.
The Vikings lived dangerously when Henstridge’s cushioned header provided Marc Munro with an inviting opportunity 25 yards out. Munro dallied before skewing his shot well wide.
Shortly afterwards, Henstridge went close with a flashing shot which Gray was happy to see exit a yard outside his unguarded far post.
Bonar had another chance on 39 minutes when Jimmy Sutherland somehow engineered a way past a clutch of defenders to find himself along with Gray in the box.
The defender’s nerve failed him as he struck a tame chip into the keeper’s hands. Thurso’s growing discomfort was reflected in Gavin Bremner’s 43rd minute booking for dissent.
The Vikings regained the initiative in some style as they came out after the break determined to build on their lead.
Some classic wingplay from Cumming set up Inrig whose firm strike cannoned back off the foot of the left post.
The rebound came back out Cumming whose cross resulted in MacLeod’s header creeping wide.
On 53 minutes, a long-range diagonal from Derrick Shearer eluded the Bonar outfield to pick out MacLeod charging in at the far post. The striker did not make the contact he wanted and Martin was able to keep the ball out with his feet.
MacLeod then benefited from some sloppy defending when he had a run-in on goal which he wasted with a weak effort wide of the target.
Bremner and Cumming both went close with snap-shots as the Vikings strived to put the game beyond their Sutherland rivals.
Mackay was at the heart of the resistance with one marvellous cover tackle on 72 minutes to deny Sinclair one of the game’s highlights.
His challenge was opportune as three minutes later, Bonar grabbed what proved the equaliser.
The home defence failed to deal with a free-kick with Gray required to pull off a last-ditch stop to deny Scott Millan before Munro lashed the loose ball into the net from inside the six yard box.
Thurso responded with Sinclair and MacDougall both having drives stopped by Martin, who had to be replaced for the closing nine minutes after dislocating a finger.
Millan became the second booking of the day late on for kicking the ball away after his side conceded a free-kick.
Thurso – Gray, Stewart, Shearer, Steven, Forbes, Inrig, Sinclair (Cook 83), G. Bremner, MacLeod (G. Coghill 62), Cumming, MacDougall. Subs (unused) – G. Coghill and A. Bremner.
Bonar Bridge – Martin (Crombie (81), MacLean, Sutherland, Mackay, Montgomery, MacLeod, Millan, Munro, MacKenzie, Cuthbertson, Henstridge. Sub (unused) – Robertson.
Ref – Mr G. Elder, Thurso.
It proved an intensely frustrating afternoon for home manager Reid.
He said: “We started both halves really brightly and created a lot of chances, which we failed to take.
“But we lost our discipline and our shape and too often our passing let us down.”
The manager added: “It’s the best organised I’ve seen Bonar but it was very disappointing not to take full points from them.”
Thurso tomorrow continue their quest for their first victory when they make the trip across the Ord to play Bunillidh Thistle.
With Michael Gray getting married and Lee Allan on holiday as well as injured, the manager has a problem to solve in who will play in goal.
He is hoping to fix up former Thurso and Halkirk keeper Asa Sinclair, who recently moved to Aberdeen.
There are further problems with Des MacLeod having decided to give winter football a miss while Bain is facing a spell on the sidelines.
Orkney-based Wayne Monkman is in line for a return as the Vikings strive to solve their worst ever scoring drought, which has seen them score just twice in open play in their first five outings
A serial failure at the business end of the game continues to blight Thurso’s bid to register a first MSIS North Caley League victory.
Strong starts to both halves on Saturday provided the Vikings with enough opportunities to have comfortably laid claim to all three points.
But a failure to add to Andrew Cumming’s counter left the door open for a hard-working Bonar and their resilience was rewarded with a late equaliser.
In support of the visitors’ case for deserving a share of the spoils, they did enjoy some decent spells and had on several occasions cut open the opposition rearguard with disarming ease.
Though missing a handful of regulars, Bonar impressed as a hard-working outfit with centre-back David Mackay a commanding presence throughout.
Thurso manager Stevie Reid was forced into a reshuffle minutes before the kick-off when Martin Bain was whisked off to hospital after wrenching an ankle in an innocuous-looking stumble as he left the dressing room.
That led to new signing Martin Sinclair promoted from the bench to start up front with Des MacLeod.
The manager continued with his tinkering of the rearguard with Shaun Forbes getting his first start of the season at the heart of the defence alongside Grant Steven.
Sinclair was soon involved, having his side’s first two cracks at goal.
After three minutes, he raced on to a cute flick from MacLeod before troubling keeper Steve Martin with a 25 yarder which had just too much elevation.
Sinclair then took advantage of a minuts clearance to steal in on goal though he found the angle too tight and fired into the side-net.
Thurso maintained the firm upper hand though were plagued by the lack of a killer touch in front of goal.
After 10 minutes, Forbes spliced the Bonar defence with a well-measured feed to Sinclair
The John O’Groats man delayed his pass fractionally too long to prevent the unmarked Lee MacDougall getting a free strike.
MacDougall was forced to adjust and his eventual shot was too straight to discomfit Martin.
A minute later, Sinclair’s deep cross from the right cleared Martin to present a clear opening for the inrushing Willie Inrig.
The midfielder slid in but could not direct his shot on target.
Bonar’s first threat came on 17 minutes when Sean Henstridge’s glancing header form a corner required secure handling from Michael Gray.
The Vikings faded after their encouraging start as the visitors started to probe for chinks in the opposition armour.
Mackay deserted his post on 25 minutes as he went on a rampaging run from the halfway line to the edge of the penalty box from where he sent a lusty drive a foot or two wide.
Two minutes later, Thurso had another inviting opening created by MacDougall which had Sinclair haring clear down the inside-left channel.
He was unable to lift the ball over Martin as the keeper spread himself to make the block.
MacLeod then had a decent effort blocked before his side went ahead on 33 minutes.
An astute feed from Shaun Stewart to Cumming saw the latter side-foot into the net after his first shot was beaten away.
The Vikings lived dangerously when Henstridge’s cushioned header provided Marc Munro with an inviting opportunity 25 yards out. Munro dallied before skewing his shot well wide.
Shortly afterwards, Henstridge went close with a flashing shot which Gray was happy to see exit a yard outside his unguarded far post.
Bonar had another chance on 39 minutes when Jimmy Sutherland somehow engineered a way past a clutch of defenders to find himself along with Gray in the box.
The defender’s nerve failed him as he struck a tame chip into the keeper’s hands. Thurso’s growing discomfort was reflected in Gavin Bremner’s 43rd minute booking for dissent.
The Vikings regained the initiative in some style as they came out after the break determined to build on their lead.
Some classic wingplay from Cumming set up Inrig whose firm strike cannoned back off the foot of the left post.
The rebound came back out Cumming whose cross resulted in MacLeod’s header creeping wide.
On 53 minutes, a long-range diagonal from Derrick Shearer eluded the Bonar outfield to pick out MacLeod charging in at the far post. The striker did not make the contact he wanted and Martin was able to keep the ball out with his feet.
MacLeod then benefited from some sloppy defending when he had a run-in on goal which he wasted with a weak effort wide of the target.
Bremner and Cumming both went close with snap-shots as the Vikings strived to put the game beyond their Sutherland rivals.
Mackay was at the heart of the resistance with one marvellous cover tackle on 72 minutes to deny Sinclair one of the game’s highlights.
His challenge was opportune as three minutes later, Bonar grabbed what proved the equaliser.
The home defence failed to deal with a free-kick with Gray required to pull off a last-ditch stop to deny Scott Millan before Munro lashed the loose ball into the net from inside the six yard box.
Thurso responded with Sinclair and MacDougall both having drives stopped by Martin, who had to be replaced for the closing nine minutes after dislocating a finger.
Millan became the second booking of the day late on for kicking the ball away after his side conceded a free-kick.
Thurso – Gray, Stewart, Shearer, Steven, Forbes, Inrig, Sinclair (Cook 83), G. Bremner, MacLeod (G. Coghill 62), Cumming, MacDougall. Subs (unused) – G. Coghill and A. Bremner.
Bonar Bridge – Martin (Crombie (81), MacLean, Sutherland, Mackay, Montgomery, MacLeod, Millan, Munro, MacKenzie, Cuthbertson, Henstridge. Sub (unused) – Robertson.
Ref – Mr G. Elder, Thurso.
It proved an intensely frustrating afternoon for home manager Reid.
He said: “We started both halves really brightly and created a lot of chances, which we failed to take.
“But we lost our discipline and our shape and too often our passing let us down.”
The manager added: “It’s the best organised I’ve seen Bonar but it was very disappointing not to take full points from them.”
Thurso tomorrow continue their quest for their first victory when they make the trip across the Ord to play Bunillidh Thistle.
With Michael Gray getting married and Lee Allan on holiday as well as injured, the manager has a problem to solve in who will play in goal.
He is hoping to fix up former Thurso and Halkirk keeper Asa Sinclair, who recently moved to Aberdeen.
There are further problems with Des MacLeod having decided to give winter football a miss while Bain is facing a spell on the sidelines.
Orkney-based Wayne Monkman is in line for a return as the Vikings strive to solve their worst ever scoring drought, which has seen them score just twice in open play in their first five outings