Post by Brian Mackay on Apr 11, 2009 8:31:50 GMT -5
Thurso 9 Muir of Ord Rovers 1 - report by Iain Grant
This cup-tie produced an outcome only marginally less shocking that the Grand National which followed it.
Both camps beforehand were prepared for a close-run contest, given the form-book of the two seasons since Rovers joined the North Caley League.
Thurso’s three wins and two losses were both by fine margins and there was nothing to suggest Saturday’s Jock MacKay Memorial Cup semi would break the sequence.
As it turned out -- using the Aintree analogy -- Rovers would have been pulled up long before they traipsed off, sodden and deflated, from the nadir of their short career.
Michael Petrie helped himself to his first hat-trick as the Vikings ran riot, helped in no small measure by their opponents being reduced to nine following a double sending-off shortly after the interval.
Thurso by then were three up and already looking forward to finishing their campaign with a cup final appearance.
Rovers were behind on five minutes when Wayne Monkman’s flick set Martin Sinclair racing clear and he steered the ball past visiting keeper Steven Hyslop.
Three minutes later, Sean Stewart surged up the left flank before cutting in and firing a shot from the edge of the box which struck the far post and then Hyslop before going in.
Rovers defender Andrew Gow then survived a penalty appeal after a tangle with Monkman.
Thurso almost added to their lead when Lee MacDougall and Monkman combined with Petrie unable to make up the yards to apPly the finish at the post-post.
Petrie was heavily involved with his 21st minute drive from the edge of the box being diverted wide by Hyslop.
Hyslop was rooted to the spot at the ensuing corner as Petrie’s powered a header into the roof of the net.
An out-of-sorts Muir struggled to find any rhythm with Ewen Dance’s
early long-range attempt the only test for home keeper Michael Gray before the break.
They opened their crime count when Paul Gair was booked for tripping MacDougall.
The roof then fell in on the visitors’ cause when they had two players sent off in two minutes of madness.
A stream of dissent following a foul awarded to the visitors on 48 minutes earned Gair a second yellow card and Norman Bain his first.
Bain’s subsequent late challenge on Petrie reduced Muir to nine.
Thurso were now on easy street and MacDougall almost scored with an audacious chip after Hyslop was stranded outside his box.
MacDougall scored in even more unlikely circumstances on 51 minutes when his long-distance free-kick near the right touchline eluded everyone before sneaking past Hyslop.
Seven minutes later, Hyslop failed to hold a raking shot from MacDougall and Willie Inrig was well placed to bag the follow-up.
Muir’s day got worse when former manager Alan Hercher snr was dismissed from the technical area by ref Graham John after a verbal volley.
The nine on the field fought valiantly and Martin Callum had Gray at full-stretch to keep out his curling shot on 62 minutes.
Three minutes later, it was 6-0 after Gavin Bremner set up MacDougall for a crisp finish.
Muir’s defence was shredded again on 70 minutes with Petrie put clearing the box before placing a firm shot wide of Hyslop.
Four minutes later, fumble from MacDougall’s free-kick allowed sub John Holmes to grab a debut goal.
Fellow sub Sean Sinclair had less to shout about as he followed a booking with an open goal trauma when he skied Andrew Cumming’s cutback over from six yards.
Dance went close with a flashing header before getting his side’s crumb of comfort after his side were awarded a penalty when Dance went down under a challenge from Derrick Shearer.
Gray flung himself to deny Dance from the spot but the striker was able to ram home the rebound.
Petrie completed his hat-trick six minutes from time when his controlled shot from the edge of the box flew high past Hyslop.
Thurso manager Stevie Reid was delighted with the ease with which his side clinched a place in the final versus Halkirk.
He said: “The start was very important and we got off to a flier.
“Our first three goals were really well-worked and I thought we were set to go on to win quite easily before they had the two guys sent off.
“We took our foot off the gas a wee bit but I’ll never complain about winning 9-1.”
Reid singled out central defender Kevin Warner for adding such much-needed experience to his back line.
Thurso prepare for the final with a friendly tomorrow at home to Kirkwall Thorfinn. The match at the Dammies kicks off at 2 p.m.
Thurso – Gray, Cumming, Stewart, Shearer, Warner, Inrig (S. Sinclair 62), Petrie, Bremner, M. Sinclair (Holmes 55), Monkman (Munro 67), MacDougall.
Muir of Ord – Hyslop, Gow, Bain, MacLennan, Cadden, Gair, Callum, Milligan, Dance, Hercher, Lyall. Ref – Mr G. John.
. The only league game played on Saturday saw Balintore draw 1-1 at
home to Alness United. Fraser Sinclair levelled for the visitors after the break following John Skinner’s penalty opener.
MSIS NORTH CALEDONIAN LEAGUE
Pl W D L F A Pts
GOLSPIE 14 13 0 1 68 12 39
HALKIRK UNITED 16 12 2 2 68 20 38
BALINTORE 17 10 2 5 47 32 32
MUIR OF ORD 18 9 2 7 35 38 29
THURSO 18 7 4 7 33 30 25
BONAR BRIDGE 16 7 1 8 33 40 22
BUNILLIDH THISTLE 16 6 2 8 26 40 20
ALNESS UNITED 17 5 3 9 27 40 18
INVERGORDON 18 5 1 12 20 56 16
TAIN THISTLE 18 1 1 16 23 72 4
This cup-tie produced an outcome only marginally less shocking that the Grand National which followed it.
Both camps beforehand were prepared for a close-run contest, given the form-book of the two seasons since Rovers joined the North Caley League.
Thurso’s three wins and two losses were both by fine margins and there was nothing to suggest Saturday’s Jock MacKay Memorial Cup semi would break the sequence.
As it turned out -- using the Aintree analogy -- Rovers would have been pulled up long before they traipsed off, sodden and deflated, from the nadir of their short career.
Michael Petrie helped himself to his first hat-trick as the Vikings ran riot, helped in no small measure by their opponents being reduced to nine following a double sending-off shortly after the interval.
Thurso by then were three up and already looking forward to finishing their campaign with a cup final appearance.
Rovers were behind on five minutes when Wayne Monkman’s flick set Martin Sinclair racing clear and he steered the ball past visiting keeper Steven Hyslop.
Three minutes later, Sean Stewart surged up the left flank before cutting in and firing a shot from the edge of the box which struck the far post and then Hyslop before going in.
Rovers defender Andrew Gow then survived a penalty appeal after a tangle with Monkman.
Thurso almost added to their lead when Lee MacDougall and Monkman combined with Petrie unable to make up the yards to apPly the finish at the post-post.
Petrie was heavily involved with his 21st minute drive from the edge of the box being diverted wide by Hyslop.
Hyslop was rooted to the spot at the ensuing corner as Petrie’s powered a header into the roof of the net.
An out-of-sorts Muir struggled to find any rhythm with Ewen Dance’s
early long-range attempt the only test for home keeper Michael Gray before the break.
They opened their crime count when Paul Gair was booked for tripping MacDougall.
The roof then fell in on the visitors’ cause when they had two players sent off in two minutes of madness.
A stream of dissent following a foul awarded to the visitors on 48 minutes earned Gair a second yellow card and Norman Bain his first.
Bain’s subsequent late challenge on Petrie reduced Muir to nine.
Thurso were now on easy street and MacDougall almost scored with an audacious chip after Hyslop was stranded outside his box.
MacDougall scored in even more unlikely circumstances on 51 minutes when his long-distance free-kick near the right touchline eluded everyone before sneaking past Hyslop.
Seven minutes later, Hyslop failed to hold a raking shot from MacDougall and Willie Inrig was well placed to bag the follow-up.
Muir’s day got worse when former manager Alan Hercher snr was dismissed from the technical area by ref Graham John after a verbal volley.
The nine on the field fought valiantly and Martin Callum had Gray at full-stretch to keep out his curling shot on 62 minutes.
Three minutes later, it was 6-0 after Gavin Bremner set up MacDougall for a crisp finish.
Muir’s defence was shredded again on 70 minutes with Petrie put clearing the box before placing a firm shot wide of Hyslop.
Four minutes later, fumble from MacDougall’s free-kick allowed sub John Holmes to grab a debut goal.
Fellow sub Sean Sinclair had less to shout about as he followed a booking with an open goal trauma when he skied Andrew Cumming’s cutback over from six yards.
Dance went close with a flashing header before getting his side’s crumb of comfort after his side were awarded a penalty when Dance went down under a challenge from Derrick Shearer.
Gray flung himself to deny Dance from the spot but the striker was able to ram home the rebound.
Petrie completed his hat-trick six minutes from time when his controlled shot from the edge of the box flew high past Hyslop.
Thurso manager Stevie Reid was delighted with the ease with which his side clinched a place in the final versus Halkirk.
He said: “The start was very important and we got off to a flier.
“Our first three goals were really well-worked and I thought we were set to go on to win quite easily before they had the two guys sent off.
“We took our foot off the gas a wee bit but I’ll never complain about winning 9-1.”
Reid singled out central defender Kevin Warner for adding such much-needed experience to his back line.
Thurso prepare for the final with a friendly tomorrow at home to Kirkwall Thorfinn. The match at the Dammies kicks off at 2 p.m.
Thurso – Gray, Cumming, Stewart, Shearer, Warner, Inrig (S. Sinclair 62), Petrie, Bremner, M. Sinclair (Holmes 55), Monkman (Munro 67), MacDougall.
Muir of Ord – Hyslop, Gow, Bain, MacLennan, Cadden, Gair, Callum, Milligan, Dance, Hercher, Lyall. Ref – Mr G. John.
. The only league game played on Saturday saw Balintore draw 1-1 at
home to Alness United. Fraser Sinclair levelled for the visitors after the break following John Skinner’s penalty opener.
MSIS NORTH CALEDONIAN LEAGUE
Pl W D L F A Pts
GOLSPIE 14 13 0 1 68 12 39
HALKIRK UNITED 16 12 2 2 68 20 38
BALINTORE 17 10 2 5 47 32 32
MUIR OF ORD 18 9 2 7 35 38 29
THURSO 18 7 4 7 33 30 25
BONAR BRIDGE 16 7 1 8 33 40 22
BUNILLIDH THISTLE 16 6 2 8 26 40 20
ALNESS UNITED 17 5 3 9 27 40 18
INVERGORDON 18 5 1 12 20 56 16
TAIN THISTLE 18 1 1 16 23 72 4