Post by Brian Mackay on Apr 12, 2010 16:46:42 GMT -5
Golspie Sutherland 4 V Thurso 4 - report from Iain Grant
A gutsy comeback on Saturday earned Stevie Reid’s men what could prove a vital point in their quest to land the PSG North Caley championship.
After shipping three goals in the opening 30 minutes, they looked anything like title contenders.
But goals either side of the interval by Jamie MacKenzie and Mark Nichol revived their hopes.
An Alex Bone penalty which completed his hat-trick re-established Golspie’s two goal lead.
But by then, control of the contest had tilted decisively the way of the visitors and after Michael Sandison put through is own goal, Nichol’s second with six minutes left made it 4-4.
Ref Graham John controversially denied the Vikings the chance to win the game at the death when he rejected as strong penalty claim when sub Marc Begg appeared to be floored in the box,
Thurso took the indifferent form they had displayed in their two previous outings into Saturday’s match as the hosts threatened to over-run them early on.
The Thurso camp will point to defensive shortcomings that led to Bone’s first two goals but the veteran striker still had plenty to do.
A well-timed volley from outside the box put his side in front on 14 minutes and he then shot high past Michael Gray to make it 3-0 on the half-hour mark.
In between, Shane Sutherland surged past Michael Petrie and rounded Gray before netting.
It was hard to see the Vikings coming back to win anything but pride.
Mackenzie’s goal three minutes from break gave them some much-needed hope.
It stemmed from a move worked down the right flank with Martin Sutherland’s diagonal being swept home from 10 yards by MacKenzie.
The goal sparked a revival and Thurso capitalised on a lively resumption after the interval by grabbing a second though Mark Nichol.
Within 10 minutes, Golspie went 4-2 up after Bone converted from the spot after he himself had been upended by central defender Stuart Sinclair.
That could have taken the wind out the Vikings’ sails but they maintained their belief and came close several times before narrowing the deficit, albeit with a freak own goal on 75 minutes.
Michael Sanderson was under pressure when he overhit a back-pass which left keeper Steven Campbell rooted to the spot as he turned to watch the ball roll into the back of his net.
Pepped up by the introduction of subs Begg and James Murray, the force was now very much with the visitors as the Golspie effort ran out of steam. It was no real surprise when the Caithness men drew level. It owed much to the industry of Murray with the former Ross County youth player skipping clear for a run-in with Campbell.
His low shot beat Campbell but came back off a post to arch predator Nichol who wasted no time in tucking the ball into the empty net.
Just as Golspie had been dominant at the start, Thurso were well on top by the end and came desperately close to snatching what would have been a famous victory.
Golspie ended the game short-handed after the volatile Bone was dismissed for a mouthful he directed towards Mr John.
Begg was proving a handful with his ball control and pace down the left flank. The last action four minutes into injury time saw him burn off a couple of defenders in a run into the penalty area where he appeared to be balked after cutting the ball past Stuart Thomson.
The Wick ref was unimpressed and his next whistle was to blow for full time. The comeback impressed manager Reid who feared the worst early on.
He said: “We just weren’t at the races for the opening 30 minutes.
“We were poor defensively for two of their goals and we just couldn’t get into the game. “It was really crucial we got one back before half-time and from then on, we dominated the game.
“We really knuckled down well and did the business and I’m sure we would have won the game had we had another five minutes.”
Reid added: “They showed a lot of character -- I couldn’t fault anyone.
“It’s just a pity we didn’t start, the way we finished but to come back from 3-0 down at Golspie to get a point is a fair achievement.”
Thurso – Gray, Stewart (Begg 65), Sutherland, Steven, Sinclair, MacGregor, N. MacKenzie, Petrie (Murray 55), Nichol, J. MacKenzie, MacDougall.
Golspie – Campbell, J. Sutherland, Stone, Thomson, Sandison, Whyte, Mikula, D. Sutherland, Bone, Mackay, S. Sutherland. Subs (all used) – Kennedy, MacLeod and Stewart.
Ref – Mr G. John.
A gutsy comeback on Saturday earned Stevie Reid’s men what could prove a vital point in their quest to land the PSG North Caley championship.
After shipping three goals in the opening 30 minutes, they looked anything like title contenders.
But goals either side of the interval by Jamie MacKenzie and Mark Nichol revived their hopes.
An Alex Bone penalty which completed his hat-trick re-established Golspie’s two goal lead.
But by then, control of the contest had tilted decisively the way of the visitors and after Michael Sandison put through is own goal, Nichol’s second with six minutes left made it 4-4.
Ref Graham John controversially denied the Vikings the chance to win the game at the death when he rejected as strong penalty claim when sub Marc Begg appeared to be floored in the box,
Thurso took the indifferent form they had displayed in their two previous outings into Saturday’s match as the hosts threatened to over-run them early on.
The Thurso camp will point to defensive shortcomings that led to Bone’s first two goals but the veteran striker still had plenty to do.
A well-timed volley from outside the box put his side in front on 14 minutes and he then shot high past Michael Gray to make it 3-0 on the half-hour mark.
In between, Shane Sutherland surged past Michael Petrie and rounded Gray before netting.
It was hard to see the Vikings coming back to win anything but pride.
Mackenzie’s goal three minutes from break gave them some much-needed hope.
It stemmed from a move worked down the right flank with Martin Sutherland’s diagonal being swept home from 10 yards by MacKenzie.
The goal sparked a revival and Thurso capitalised on a lively resumption after the interval by grabbing a second though Mark Nichol.
Within 10 minutes, Golspie went 4-2 up after Bone converted from the spot after he himself had been upended by central defender Stuart Sinclair.
That could have taken the wind out the Vikings’ sails but they maintained their belief and came close several times before narrowing the deficit, albeit with a freak own goal on 75 minutes.
Michael Sanderson was under pressure when he overhit a back-pass which left keeper Steven Campbell rooted to the spot as he turned to watch the ball roll into the back of his net.
Pepped up by the introduction of subs Begg and James Murray, the force was now very much with the visitors as the Golspie effort ran out of steam. It was no real surprise when the Caithness men drew level. It owed much to the industry of Murray with the former Ross County youth player skipping clear for a run-in with Campbell.
His low shot beat Campbell but came back off a post to arch predator Nichol who wasted no time in tucking the ball into the empty net.
Just as Golspie had been dominant at the start, Thurso were well on top by the end and came desperately close to snatching what would have been a famous victory.
Golspie ended the game short-handed after the volatile Bone was dismissed for a mouthful he directed towards Mr John.
Begg was proving a handful with his ball control and pace down the left flank. The last action four minutes into injury time saw him burn off a couple of defenders in a run into the penalty area where he appeared to be balked after cutting the ball past Stuart Thomson.
The Wick ref was unimpressed and his next whistle was to blow for full time. The comeback impressed manager Reid who feared the worst early on.
He said: “We just weren’t at the races for the opening 30 minutes.
“We were poor defensively for two of their goals and we just couldn’t get into the game. “It was really crucial we got one back before half-time and from then on, we dominated the game.
“We really knuckled down well and did the business and I’m sure we would have won the game had we had another five minutes.”
Reid added: “They showed a lot of character -- I couldn’t fault anyone.
“It’s just a pity we didn’t start, the way we finished but to come back from 3-0 down at Golspie to get a point is a fair achievement.”
Thurso – Gray, Stewart (Begg 65), Sutherland, Steven, Sinclair, MacGregor, N. MacKenzie, Petrie (Murray 55), Nichol, J. MacKenzie, MacDougall.
Golspie – Campbell, J. Sutherland, Stone, Thomson, Sandison, Whyte, Mikula, D. Sutherland, Bone, Mackay, S. Sutherland. Subs (all used) – Kennedy, MacLeod and Stewart.
Ref – Mr G. John.