Post by Brian Mackay on Oct 28, 2009 12:23:26 GMT -5
Tain Thistle 0 Thurso 7 - report from Iain Grant
A potential perilous trip turned into a breeze for the Vikings who stretched their lead at the top of the PSG North Caley League to four points.
Mark Nichol hit a hat-trick as Tain suffered their second defeat in a row at home to Caithness opponents.
The victory for Stevie Reid’s men was clouded only by a second half red card shown to sub Martin Sutherland.
The manager was elated with the win and is hoping his side can carry their form into tomorrow’s crunch top-of-the-table battle with neighbours Halkirk United.
Thistle made a lively enough impact early on to suggest they were capable of a repeat of the early season cup-tie in Thurso where a last-minute own goal saw them edged out 3-2.
But once Thurso hit their straps at a rain-lashed Grant Park, it became plain this was going to be a one-sided affair.
Trialist keeper Ian Bartlett was soon eye-balling opponents as the visitors started to pick holes in the Jags’ rearguard.
Bartlett was left unprotected after 10 minutes when Thurso centre-half Andrew Bremner rose unopposed to net with a powerful header from Nigel MacKenzie’s corner.
A length-of-the-park move on the half-hour mark paved the way for the second goal when Nichol was worked into space in the penalty box, only to be barged to the ground by Andy Murray.
The ball broke to Michael Petrie who steered the ball past Bartlett.
Ref Graham Elder however had already blown for the penalty which Nichol buried to the keeper’s left.
Tain’s Daniel Christie came close to getting a goal back when his free-kick cracked back off the crossbar with 15 minutes of the first-half remaining.
It was to be the only time that visitors keeper Michael Gray was to be discomfited throughout the afternoon.
The game was effectively put beyond the hosts when they conceded a third 11 minutes before the turnaround.
Jamie Mackenzie chest-pass invited a stinging half-volley from Petrie which flew past the stationary Bartlett.
Thereafter, it was a case of Tain battling to keep the score down.
A neat inter-change between Nichol and Jamie MacKenzie opened the way for the latter to make it 4-0 on 48 minutes
On 66 minutes, Jags defender Arron Christie put through his own goal as he sought to clear while under strong pressure from sub Stuart MacKenzie.
Frayed tempers in the latter stages of the game saw a rash of bookings with Jamie and Nigel MacKenzie and Sutherland cautioned, along with Tain duo David Mackay and Murray.
Sutherland then got involved in a spat with Darran Goller, reacting after being shoved by the Tain men.
That led to the duo being sent for an early shower by ref Elder.
Nichol completed his hat-trick in the last three minutes with a tap-in and a second penalty after he himself had been balked in the box by Aaron Christie.
It proved an enjoyable day at the office for manager Reid who was full of praise for the way his side played.
He said: “We were excellent and in spells played better than in our recent win over Golspie.
“They hit the bar with a free-kick but Michael Gray didn’t have a save to make all day. “Overall, I was delighted with the way we played all over the pitch. “We never let them settle and we got our just deserts.”
Tain Thistle – Bartlett, Durrand, Murray, (Sutherland 75), Mackay, Morrison, K. Oliver, D. Christie, Mailley, Goller, Smith, A. Christie. Sub (unused) – D. Oliver.
Thurso – Gray, Stewart (Sutherland 62), Bremner, Forbes, MacDougall, Petrie (Munro 75), MacGregor, Monkman (S. MacKenzie 75), Nichol, N. MacKenzie, J. MacKenzie. Sub (unused) – Begg.
Ref – Mr G. Elder.
A potential perilous trip turned into a breeze for the Vikings who stretched their lead at the top of the PSG North Caley League to four points.
Mark Nichol hit a hat-trick as Tain suffered their second defeat in a row at home to Caithness opponents.
The victory for Stevie Reid’s men was clouded only by a second half red card shown to sub Martin Sutherland.
The manager was elated with the win and is hoping his side can carry their form into tomorrow’s crunch top-of-the-table battle with neighbours Halkirk United.
Thistle made a lively enough impact early on to suggest they were capable of a repeat of the early season cup-tie in Thurso where a last-minute own goal saw them edged out 3-2.
But once Thurso hit their straps at a rain-lashed Grant Park, it became plain this was going to be a one-sided affair.
Trialist keeper Ian Bartlett was soon eye-balling opponents as the visitors started to pick holes in the Jags’ rearguard.
Bartlett was left unprotected after 10 minutes when Thurso centre-half Andrew Bremner rose unopposed to net with a powerful header from Nigel MacKenzie’s corner.
A length-of-the-park move on the half-hour mark paved the way for the second goal when Nichol was worked into space in the penalty box, only to be barged to the ground by Andy Murray.
The ball broke to Michael Petrie who steered the ball past Bartlett.
Ref Graham Elder however had already blown for the penalty which Nichol buried to the keeper’s left.
Tain’s Daniel Christie came close to getting a goal back when his free-kick cracked back off the crossbar with 15 minutes of the first-half remaining.
It was to be the only time that visitors keeper Michael Gray was to be discomfited throughout the afternoon.
The game was effectively put beyond the hosts when they conceded a third 11 minutes before the turnaround.
Jamie Mackenzie chest-pass invited a stinging half-volley from Petrie which flew past the stationary Bartlett.
Thereafter, it was a case of Tain battling to keep the score down.
A neat inter-change between Nichol and Jamie MacKenzie opened the way for the latter to make it 4-0 on 48 minutes
On 66 minutes, Jags defender Arron Christie put through his own goal as he sought to clear while under strong pressure from sub Stuart MacKenzie.
Frayed tempers in the latter stages of the game saw a rash of bookings with Jamie and Nigel MacKenzie and Sutherland cautioned, along with Tain duo David Mackay and Murray.
Sutherland then got involved in a spat with Darran Goller, reacting after being shoved by the Tain men.
That led to the duo being sent for an early shower by ref Elder.
Nichol completed his hat-trick in the last three minutes with a tap-in and a second penalty after he himself had been balked in the box by Aaron Christie.
It proved an enjoyable day at the office for manager Reid who was full of praise for the way his side played.
He said: “We were excellent and in spells played better than in our recent win over Golspie.
“They hit the bar with a free-kick but Michael Gray didn’t have a save to make all day. “Overall, I was delighted with the way we played all over the pitch. “We never let them settle and we got our just deserts.”
Tain Thistle – Bartlett, Durrand, Murray, (Sutherland 75), Mackay, Morrison, K. Oliver, D. Christie, Mailley, Goller, Smith, A. Christie. Sub (unused) – D. Oliver.
Thurso – Gray, Stewart (Sutherland 62), Bremner, Forbes, MacDougall, Petrie (Munro 75), MacGregor, Monkman (S. MacKenzie 75), Nichol, N. MacKenzie, J. MacKenzie. Sub (unused) – Begg.
Ref – Mr G. Elder.