Post by Brian Mackay on Apr 22, 2009 13:40:25 GMT -5
Halkirk United 5 Thurso 2 (aet) - report by Iain Grant
United needed a spell of extra-time on Saturday before being able to see off the gutsy challenge of their county rivals and claim a second piece of North Caley silverware.
The Vikings were pegged back after twice taking the lead in the first half of a tiring tussle at Invergordon for the Jock Mackay Memorial Cup.
What will rub salt in their wounds is that that the killer blows were delivered by ‘old boys’ Ross Sutherland and Mark Nichol.
Sutherland, who previously managed Thurso to a cup triumph, grabbed the vital third goal while Nichol grabbed a late brace to complete a hat-trick.
The latter was the obvious choice for the man-of-the-match though United’s midfield orchestrator Alan Farquhar must have run Nichol close for the award.
The derby proved predictably combative and its physical nature, combined with the sun-drenched day, left many players drawing on emergency reserves of energy well before extra time.
Thurso, if anything, shaded the first half with the Anglers taking the honours in the second before a late flurry by Stevie Reid’s men.
Spectators were spoiled by a fast-and-furious start to the final which featured three fine goals in the opening 16 minutes.
The Vikings quickly sought to disown their status as underdogs by
underdogs by going in front from their first attack.
A half-cleared corner was seized on by Lee MacDougall whose rasping, rising 25 yarder left keeper Shaun Henderson clutching thin air.
A minute later, Thurso keeper Michael Gray made the first of a series of fine saves when he got to Farquhar’s cute flick from Chris Sutherland’s corner.
The equaliser arrived on eight minutes when Thurso central defender Kevin Warner failed to intercept Chris Sutherland’s feed.
The ball landed perfectly for Nichol who wasted no time in drilling it wide of Gray.
Nichol later shot straight at the keeper when set up by Sutherland again as the unrelenting action continued.
Thurso regained the lead on 16 minutes when Andrew Cumming sped down the right flank and fed Jamie MacKenzie.
MacKenzie picked out the late run of strike partner Wayne Monkman who swept the ball firmly past Henderson .
Gray had to be alert on 25 minutes to dash out to clear as Nichol sought to connect with a through-ball.
Monkman was almost in for a second two minutes later when he headed over after having to over-stretch to meet MacDougall’s centre.
It looked like that was to be the last opportunity of the first half until United levelled a minute before the break.
Farquhar and Chris Sutherland sent Nichol away and the striker’s cross was turned in at the far post by Lee Elder.
MacDougall and Nichol both passed up half-chances soon after the restart before Chris Sutherland’s perfectly struck volley on 59 minutes was somehow turned over by Gray’s acrobatics.
Graham MacDonald’s last action of the day on 70 minutes saw him tee up Nichol for a strike which was kept out by Gray.
After the tie remained deadlocked after 90 minutes, the next goal was almost certainly going to settle the stamina-sapping tie.
There was nothing of any consequence until United forged in front for the first time on 100 minutes after Colin Davidson’s cross induced panic stations in the Thurso six yard box.
The ball eluded a clutch of bodies to fall into the stride of the unmarked Ross Sutherland who netted from six yards.
With Thurso now on full offensive mode, United killed off the contest by exploiting the growing gaps which appeared in the opposition half.
Three minutes after the second turnaround, Colin Sinclair’s sortie down the right saw his cross swept in by Nichol.
United had several more clear openings and two minutes from time, Nichol grabbed his hat-trick goal after a multi-pass sequence ended with the striker finishing off an exchange with Farquhar.
Thurso manager Reid had no complaints with his side’s effort.
“I thought that we had by far the best of the first half while they had the majority of the second.
“Both sides were out on their feet in extra time and it was always going to be down to who scored the next goal.
“Perhaps we went to a 3-4-3 too soon after we conceded the third – maybe we should have left it a bit later before we went for it.”
Halkirk official Billy Manson said the final had been a good showcase for the far north,
He said: “The first half, in particular, was full of good football.
“The game perhaps died a wee bit in the second because of the conditions and quite few players on both sides were shattered going into extra time.”
He agreed that the first goal in extra-time was always going to be decisive.
“Whoever scored first was always going to lift the cup and once we went ahead, the space opened up and we could actually have scored a few more than we did.”
Halkirk – Henderson, C. Sinclair, Davidson, A. Sinclair, Miller,
MacDonald (Bremner 72), Farquhar, C. Sutherland, Ross (R. Sutherland 80), Nichol, Elder (S. Sutherland 68). Sub (unused) -- Nicolson.
Thurso – Gray, Cumming, Shearer, Inrig (Steven 78), Warner, Stewart (M. Sinclair 85), Monkman, Petrie (MacLeod 60), G. Bremner, MacKenzie, MacDougall. Subs (unused) – A. Bremner and S. Sinclair.
Ref – Mr G. Dearie.
United needed a spell of extra-time on Saturday before being able to see off the gutsy challenge of their county rivals and claim a second piece of North Caley silverware.
The Vikings were pegged back after twice taking the lead in the first half of a tiring tussle at Invergordon for the Jock Mackay Memorial Cup.
What will rub salt in their wounds is that that the killer blows were delivered by ‘old boys’ Ross Sutherland and Mark Nichol.
Sutherland, who previously managed Thurso to a cup triumph, grabbed the vital third goal while Nichol grabbed a late brace to complete a hat-trick.
The latter was the obvious choice for the man-of-the-match though United’s midfield orchestrator Alan Farquhar must have run Nichol close for the award.
The derby proved predictably combative and its physical nature, combined with the sun-drenched day, left many players drawing on emergency reserves of energy well before extra time.
Thurso, if anything, shaded the first half with the Anglers taking the honours in the second before a late flurry by Stevie Reid’s men.
Spectators were spoiled by a fast-and-furious start to the final which featured three fine goals in the opening 16 minutes.
The Vikings quickly sought to disown their status as underdogs by
underdogs by going in front from their first attack.
A half-cleared corner was seized on by Lee MacDougall whose rasping, rising 25 yarder left keeper Shaun Henderson clutching thin air.
A minute later, Thurso keeper Michael Gray made the first of a series of fine saves when he got to Farquhar’s cute flick from Chris Sutherland’s corner.
The equaliser arrived on eight minutes when Thurso central defender Kevin Warner failed to intercept Chris Sutherland’s feed.
The ball landed perfectly for Nichol who wasted no time in drilling it wide of Gray.
Nichol later shot straight at the keeper when set up by Sutherland again as the unrelenting action continued.
Thurso regained the lead on 16 minutes when Andrew Cumming sped down the right flank and fed Jamie MacKenzie.
MacKenzie picked out the late run of strike partner Wayne Monkman who swept the ball firmly past Henderson .
Gray had to be alert on 25 minutes to dash out to clear as Nichol sought to connect with a through-ball.
Monkman was almost in for a second two minutes later when he headed over after having to over-stretch to meet MacDougall’s centre.
It looked like that was to be the last opportunity of the first half until United levelled a minute before the break.
Farquhar and Chris Sutherland sent Nichol away and the striker’s cross was turned in at the far post by Lee Elder.
MacDougall and Nichol both passed up half-chances soon after the restart before Chris Sutherland’s perfectly struck volley on 59 minutes was somehow turned over by Gray’s acrobatics.
Graham MacDonald’s last action of the day on 70 minutes saw him tee up Nichol for a strike which was kept out by Gray.
After the tie remained deadlocked after 90 minutes, the next goal was almost certainly going to settle the stamina-sapping tie.
There was nothing of any consequence until United forged in front for the first time on 100 minutes after Colin Davidson’s cross induced panic stations in the Thurso six yard box.
The ball eluded a clutch of bodies to fall into the stride of the unmarked Ross Sutherland who netted from six yards.
With Thurso now on full offensive mode, United killed off the contest by exploiting the growing gaps which appeared in the opposition half.
Three minutes after the second turnaround, Colin Sinclair’s sortie down the right saw his cross swept in by Nichol.
United had several more clear openings and two minutes from time, Nichol grabbed his hat-trick goal after a multi-pass sequence ended with the striker finishing off an exchange with Farquhar.
Thurso manager Reid had no complaints with his side’s effort.
“I thought that we had by far the best of the first half while they had the majority of the second.
“Both sides were out on their feet in extra time and it was always going to be down to who scored the next goal.
“Perhaps we went to a 3-4-3 too soon after we conceded the third – maybe we should have left it a bit later before we went for it.”
Halkirk official Billy Manson said the final had been a good showcase for the far north,
He said: “The first half, in particular, was full of good football.
“The game perhaps died a wee bit in the second because of the conditions and quite few players on both sides were shattered going into extra time.”
He agreed that the first goal in extra-time was always going to be decisive.
“Whoever scored first was always going to lift the cup and once we went ahead, the space opened up and we could actually have scored a few more than we did.”
Halkirk – Henderson, C. Sinclair, Davidson, A. Sinclair, Miller,
MacDonald (Bremner 72), Farquhar, C. Sutherland, Ross (R. Sutherland 80), Nichol, Elder (S. Sutherland 68). Sub (unused) -- Nicolson.
Thurso – Gray, Cumming, Shearer, Inrig (Steven 78), Warner, Stewart (M. Sinclair 85), Monkman, Petrie (MacLeod 60), G. Bremner, MacKenzie, MacDougall. Subs (unused) – A. Bremner and S. Sinclair.
Ref – Mr G. Dearie.