Post by Brian Mackay on Sept 22, 2009 17:19:33 GMT -5
Thurso 3 V Tain Thistle 2 - report by Iain Grant
The Vikings pulled off a dramatic North Caledonian Cup victory on Saturday after over-hauling a two goal deficit against gutsy opponents. Thistle weathered a first half onslaught in the quarter-final to shock their hosts with goals immediately before and after the interval.
Thurso went close to going three down before fighting back to level with six minutes left. The 90th minute clincher will haunt Tain’s central defender Robbie Ross for many a day. There appeared no obvious danger as he swept up an over-hit pass, under pressure from Mark Nichol. As Thistle’s keeper Ali Matheson advanced towards the edge of his box, Ross blasted the ball high over the startled keeper into the unguarded net.
It was a fate the visitors did not deserve given their display with a side, missing a handful of regulars and having to rely on their starting eleven as their only sub Darren Gollar was still suffering following the extraction of his wisdom teeth.
Matheson was a rock throughout for the Jags though, with sharper finishing, the home men could have settled the contest before the turnaround.
Tain did threaten first with home keeper Michael Gray tested by a decent effort from Arron Christie.
On 12 minutes, Nigel MacKenzie gave a taster of the attacking menace he was to pose throughout the afternoon. He left half-a-dozen defenders in his wake in a run from his own half which ended in a corner.
Matheson then made a one-handed clutch to almost certainly prevent Nigel MacKenzie’s deep, hanging cross going in.
Jamie MacKenzie put just too much power on a header while Wayne Monkman had an aerial effort acrobatically tipped over by Matheson.
Tain had earlier gone close with a powerful free-kick from Arron Christie but they were mainly focused on keeping their goal intact.
Monkman went close again and Mark Nichol had a left-foot strike saved before the home side were awarded a penalty two minutes from the break.
Arron Christie’s late tackle on Nichol gave the striker the chance to convert from the penalty spot. But after hitting the post with a spot-kick the previous week versus Invergordon, he sent his latest attempt wide. The miss was magnified two minutes alter when Arron Christie’s deep cross was bulleted into the net by ex-Invergordon player Ashley Mills.
Within a minute of the second half, Thurso were two behind when Gray’s gloved deflection of Chris Mailley’s free-kick could not prevent it going in. On 51 minutes, Tain came precious close to a third with Gray’s fingertips enough to deflect Russell Lawrie’s 20 yard thunderbolt just over the bar.
Thereafter, the visitors gave up territory and sought to absorb the waves of pressure which came their way.
Matheson did well to spread himself to use his feet to prevent Lee MacDougall converting Monkman’s through-ball on 55 minutes.
Tain’s defence was looking vulnerable as Thurso regularly created openings down both flanks. Nichol shot wildly over when released by Nigel MacKenzie shortly before Thurso reduced the deficit on 67 minutes. Monkman and MacDougall did the spadework with Nichol on hand to finally beat the over-worked Matheson.
The Vikings now had the scent of blood and it seemed only a matter of time that they would get a second. A quickly-taken free-kick on 71 minutes set Nichol free again but his rasping shot was well held by Matheson at the foot of his left upright.
Jamie MacKenzie miscued from close in before Tain’s back-tracking Lee Morrison did well not to net a looping cross he met inside his own six yard box.
The chances continued to be created and spurned until MacDougall’s free-kick broke kindly for Jamie Mackenzie to lash the ball into the net. From the restart, Thistle went desperately close to reclaiming the lead when Daniel Christie’s angled effort whizzed a couple of feet past the far post with Gray beaten.
With the rival camps preparing themselves for extra-time, Ross’s nightmare intervention ensured a ghastly end to his side’s first cup-tie. Manager Stevie Reid gave credit to Tain, singling out keeper Matheson for particular praise.
He said: “After we failed to cash in on a string of chances, they scored straight on the back of the penalty miss and then got a second right after the second half kicked off.
“It was the first time this season we’ve been behind and had to roll our sleeves and go for it.”
While the freak winner was hard on the visitors, Reid was confident his men would have prevailed had the game gone into extra-time.
Tomorrow, Thurso travel to meet Dingwall Thistle for the first time.
Striker Martin Sinclair remains sidelined by injury but his brother Stuart returns, as does fellow central defender Grant Steven.
Work commitments look set to rule out midfielder Jamie MacKenzie and Sean Stewart is doubtful with a sickness bug but frontman Stuart MacKenzie could return to the squad.
Thurso – Gray, Sutherland, Stewart , Bremner, MacGregor, Monkman, N. MacKenzie, Petrie, Nichol, J. MacKenzie, MacDougall. Subs (unused) – Munro, M. Begg. R. Begg.
Tain Thistle – Matheson, Oliver, Durrand, Ross, Morrison, Mills, Austin, Mailley, Lawrie, A. Christie, D. Christie. Sub (unused) – Gollar.
Ref – Mr B. Gunn.
The Vikings pulled off a dramatic North Caledonian Cup victory on Saturday after over-hauling a two goal deficit against gutsy opponents. Thistle weathered a first half onslaught in the quarter-final to shock their hosts with goals immediately before and after the interval.
Thurso went close to going three down before fighting back to level with six minutes left. The 90th minute clincher will haunt Tain’s central defender Robbie Ross for many a day. There appeared no obvious danger as he swept up an over-hit pass, under pressure from Mark Nichol. As Thistle’s keeper Ali Matheson advanced towards the edge of his box, Ross blasted the ball high over the startled keeper into the unguarded net.
It was a fate the visitors did not deserve given their display with a side, missing a handful of regulars and having to rely on their starting eleven as their only sub Darren Gollar was still suffering following the extraction of his wisdom teeth.
Matheson was a rock throughout for the Jags though, with sharper finishing, the home men could have settled the contest before the turnaround.
Tain did threaten first with home keeper Michael Gray tested by a decent effort from Arron Christie.
On 12 minutes, Nigel MacKenzie gave a taster of the attacking menace he was to pose throughout the afternoon. He left half-a-dozen defenders in his wake in a run from his own half which ended in a corner.
Matheson then made a one-handed clutch to almost certainly prevent Nigel MacKenzie’s deep, hanging cross going in.
Jamie MacKenzie put just too much power on a header while Wayne Monkman had an aerial effort acrobatically tipped over by Matheson.
Tain had earlier gone close with a powerful free-kick from Arron Christie but they were mainly focused on keeping their goal intact.
Monkman went close again and Mark Nichol had a left-foot strike saved before the home side were awarded a penalty two minutes from the break.
Arron Christie’s late tackle on Nichol gave the striker the chance to convert from the penalty spot. But after hitting the post with a spot-kick the previous week versus Invergordon, he sent his latest attempt wide. The miss was magnified two minutes alter when Arron Christie’s deep cross was bulleted into the net by ex-Invergordon player Ashley Mills.
Within a minute of the second half, Thurso were two behind when Gray’s gloved deflection of Chris Mailley’s free-kick could not prevent it going in. On 51 minutes, Tain came precious close to a third with Gray’s fingertips enough to deflect Russell Lawrie’s 20 yard thunderbolt just over the bar.
Thereafter, the visitors gave up territory and sought to absorb the waves of pressure which came their way.
Matheson did well to spread himself to use his feet to prevent Lee MacDougall converting Monkman’s through-ball on 55 minutes.
Tain’s defence was looking vulnerable as Thurso regularly created openings down both flanks. Nichol shot wildly over when released by Nigel MacKenzie shortly before Thurso reduced the deficit on 67 minutes. Monkman and MacDougall did the spadework with Nichol on hand to finally beat the over-worked Matheson.
The Vikings now had the scent of blood and it seemed only a matter of time that they would get a second. A quickly-taken free-kick on 71 minutes set Nichol free again but his rasping shot was well held by Matheson at the foot of his left upright.
Jamie MacKenzie miscued from close in before Tain’s back-tracking Lee Morrison did well not to net a looping cross he met inside his own six yard box.
The chances continued to be created and spurned until MacDougall’s free-kick broke kindly for Jamie Mackenzie to lash the ball into the net. From the restart, Thistle went desperately close to reclaiming the lead when Daniel Christie’s angled effort whizzed a couple of feet past the far post with Gray beaten.
With the rival camps preparing themselves for extra-time, Ross’s nightmare intervention ensured a ghastly end to his side’s first cup-tie. Manager Stevie Reid gave credit to Tain, singling out keeper Matheson for particular praise.
He said: “After we failed to cash in on a string of chances, they scored straight on the back of the penalty miss and then got a second right after the second half kicked off.
“It was the first time this season we’ve been behind and had to roll our sleeves and go for it.”
While the freak winner was hard on the visitors, Reid was confident his men would have prevailed had the game gone into extra-time.
Tomorrow, Thurso travel to meet Dingwall Thistle for the first time.
Striker Martin Sinclair remains sidelined by injury but his brother Stuart returns, as does fellow central defender Grant Steven.
Work commitments look set to rule out midfielder Jamie MacKenzie and Sean Stewart is doubtful with a sickness bug but frontman Stuart MacKenzie could return to the squad.
Thurso – Gray, Sutherland, Stewart , Bremner, MacGregor, Monkman, N. MacKenzie, Petrie, Nichol, J. MacKenzie, MacDougall. Subs (unused) – Munro, M. Begg. R. Begg.
Tain Thistle – Matheson, Oliver, Durrand, Ross, Morrison, Mills, Austin, Mailley, Lawrie, A. Christie, D. Christie. Sub (unused) – Gollar.
Ref – Mr B. Gunn.