Post by Brian Mackay on Apr 14, 2010 18:20:51 GMT -5
Halkirk United 1 V Thurso 1 - report from Iain Grant
Honours were shared in Wednesday evening’s PSG North Caley Caithness derby at Recreation Park.
The sides traded goals before the interval in a charged encounter which leaves Thurso needing four points from their remaining two matches to make sure of the title.
Halkirk are almost certain to finish fourth, with their focus now firmly on cup finals versus Muir of Ord Rovers and Dingwall Thsitle.
A point apiece was a fair outcome on a fiery, bumpy pitch which did not help either side.
The visitors had a nervy opening with Luke Sawyer almost putting Pher Nicolson in the clear with the first attack.
A Colin Sinclair free-kick then afforded Sawyer a clear view of goal only for the winger to snatch his shot wide from eight yards.
Home keeper Graeme Williamson needed to sprint from his box on 12 minutes and hack clear to prevent Mark Nichol getting on the end of Lee MacDougall’s long-range feed.
At the other end, Jimmy Budge lived to regret not having a pop at goal when he got the break of the ball in the box.
United almost took the lead in sensational fashion on 19 minutes when a Gavin Henderson missile cannoned back off the junction of the bar and left upright, with keeper Michael Gray rooted to the spot.
A minute later, in a typical twist of fate, Thurso were celebrating a scrappy opener.
Jamie MacKenzie fought for possession before picking out Nichol down the inside right channel.
The striker checked before firing across the goalmouth for Jamie MacKenzie to stretch out and turn the ball past Williamson from eight yards.
Budge and MacDougall saw decent efforts skid wide before United deservedly equalised on 36 minutes.
Sawyer scurried into the box in pursuit of a through-ball when he was floored by Martin Sutherland. Ref Graham Elder immediately pointed to the spot.
Colin Sinclair made a hash of the penalty, firing straight at Gray but the ball came straight back to him and he buried the rebound.
Shortly afterwards, Thurso had a decent chance to reclaim the lead when Nichol had possession wide out with Williamson in no-man’s land. Nichol failed to capitalise by playing the ball behind his support runners.
While Halkirk won the first half on points, the reverse was true after the break.
The Vikings showed early menace on both wings with Michael Petrie somehow failing to connect with glorious, deep crosses from Nigel Mackenzie and MacDougall in quick succession.
The first yellow card came on 63 minutes when Alan Sinclair could easily have been sent off for his scything challenge near United’s right corner-flag on the industrious James Murray.
From Nigel Mackenzie’s resultant free-kick, Stuart Sinclair added to the evening’s clutch of missed aerial opportunities.
Scott MacKay Steven was proving a productive outlet on the break with the right winger several times skipping clear down the right flank.
With 15 minutes left, one of his breaks almost proved vital when he centred for Budge who dragged his shot wide under strong pressure from Sutherland.
Shortly afterwards, Henderson headed tamely wide with an unchallenged connection from one in a series of United corners.
It was in many ways an odd game with plenty of serious action in the respective final thirds but the keepers having to hardly make a save between them all evening.
Colin Sinclair joined his brother in the book three minutes from time for a foul on MacDougall.
The final chance fell in injury time to Murray but his touch let him down at the edge of the box after MacDougall’s diagonal had put him in under the enemy radar.
Halkirk United – Williamson, Cormack, A. Sinclair, Davidson, Florence, Henderson, C. Sinclair, Sawyer, Budge, Nicolson (Shearer 60), Mackay Steven. Subs (unused) – Murray and Munro.
Thurso – Gray, Sutherland, Steven, Sinclair, MacGregor, N. MacKenzie (Bremner 90), Petrie (Begg 75), Murray, Nichol, J. MacKenzie, MacDougall. Subs (unused) – Stewart, Forbes and Munro.
Referee – Mr G. Elder.
Honours were shared in Wednesday evening’s PSG North Caley Caithness derby at Recreation Park.
The sides traded goals before the interval in a charged encounter which leaves Thurso needing four points from their remaining two matches to make sure of the title.
Halkirk are almost certain to finish fourth, with their focus now firmly on cup finals versus Muir of Ord Rovers and Dingwall Thsitle.
A point apiece was a fair outcome on a fiery, bumpy pitch which did not help either side.
The visitors had a nervy opening with Luke Sawyer almost putting Pher Nicolson in the clear with the first attack.
A Colin Sinclair free-kick then afforded Sawyer a clear view of goal only for the winger to snatch his shot wide from eight yards.
Home keeper Graeme Williamson needed to sprint from his box on 12 minutes and hack clear to prevent Mark Nichol getting on the end of Lee MacDougall’s long-range feed.
At the other end, Jimmy Budge lived to regret not having a pop at goal when he got the break of the ball in the box.
United almost took the lead in sensational fashion on 19 minutes when a Gavin Henderson missile cannoned back off the junction of the bar and left upright, with keeper Michael Gray rooted to the spot.
A minute later, in a typical twist of fate, Thurso were celebrating a scrappy opener.
Jamie MacKenzie fought for possession before picking out Nichol down the inside right channel.
The striker checked before firing across the goalmouth for Jamie MacKenzie to stretch out and turn the ball past Williamson from eight yards.
Budge and MacDougall saw decent efforts skid wide before United deservedly equalised on 36 minutes.
Sawyer scurried into the box in pursuit of a through-ball when he was floored by Martin Sutherland. Ref Graham Elder immediately pointed to the spot.
Colin Sinclair made a hash of the penalty, firing straight at Gray but the ball came straight back to him and he buried the rebound.
Shortly afterwards, Thurso had a decent chance to reclaim the lead when Nichol had possession wide out with Williamson in no-man’s land. Nichol failed to capitalise by playing the ball behind his support runners.
While Halkirk won the first half on points, the reverse was true after the break.
The Vikings showed early menace on both wings with Michael Petrie somehow failing to connect with glorious, deep crosses from Nigel Mackenzie and MacDougall in quick succession.
The first yellow card came on 63 minutes when Alan Sinclair could easily have been sent off for his scything challenge near United’s right corner-flag on the industrious James Murray.
From Nigel Mackenzie’s resultant free-kick, Stuart Sinclair added to the evening’s clutch of missed aerial opportunities.
Scott MacKay Steven was proving a productive outlet on the break with the right winger several times skipping clear down the right flank.
With 15 minutes left, one of his breaks almost proved vital when he centred for Budge who dragged his shot wide under strong pressure from Sutherland.
Shortly afterwards, Henderson headed tamely wide with an unchallenged connection from one in a series of United corners.
It was in many ways an odd game with plenty of serious action in the respective final thirds but the keepers having to hardly make a save between them all evening.
Colin Sinclair joined his brother in the book three minutes from time for a foul on MacDougall.
The final chance fell in injury time to Murray but his touch let him down at the edge of the box after MacDougall’s diagonal had put him in under the enemy radar.
Halkirk United – Williamson, Cormack, A. Sinclair, Davidson, Florence, Henderson, C. Sinclair, Sawyer, Budge, Nicolson (Shearer 60), Mackay Steven. Subs (unused) – Murray and Munro.
Thurso – Gray, Sutherland, Steven, Sinclair, MacGregor, N. MacKenzie (Bremner 90), Petrie (Begg 75), Murray, Nichol, J. MacKenzie, MacDougall. Subs (unused) – Stewart, Forbes and Munro.
Referee – Mr G. Elder.