Post by Brian Mackay on Mar 9, 2011 6:13:44 GMT -5
Balintore 2 V Thurso 4 - report by Iain Grant
The Vikings collected their second cup of the season on Saturday after subduing a battling Balintore side on their home turf.
The industry and determination displayed by the home side ensured the destination of the SWL Cup was only settled by Mark Nichol’s hat-trick goal in the closing minutes.
Balintore may have also ridden their luck a bit but their performance belied their lowly North Caley League status.
Nichol’s first two goals within the opening half-hour had set Thurso on course for what threatened to become a stress-free win in a match which also counted for league points.
But two howlers by visiting keeper Michael Gray, each of which was seized upon by striker by Darren Gollar, had ‘Tore on terms by the break. The gaffes, notable for their rarity value from the usually reliable keeper, injected fresh life into the home cause.
Their belief survived Jamie MacKenzie’s strike to put Thurso 3-2 up midway through the second half and only vanished following Nichol’s third.
A still, warm spring afternoon was notable for what was one of the first NCL contests to be played to the backdrop of a side-drum, which was brought down by one of Thurso’s young supporters.
It certainly energised the atmosphere of the final at Seaboard Park.
Thurso edged the opening exchanges though the first clear opening fell to their opponents on 20 minutes, only for Gollar to be ruled offside as he sprinted through on Gray from Graeme Davis’s through-ball.
The Vikings were looking the more incisive and Lee MacDougall and Nichol combined well with the latter’s low, raking cross being cut out at full stretch by Kyle Oliver to deny Ross Allan a shoo-in.
Gary MacGregor’s 25th minute assist prompted a snap hook-shot from Nichol that tested keeper Ross Henderson.
Henderson was soon afterwards rising to touch over a Michael Petrie effort after good lead-up work by Allan.
Play was by now focused in the Balintore half with a run of three corners preceding the 27th minute opener.
MacDougall’s centre picked out Nichol’s run across goal and his power header flashed past Henderson.
Within a minute of the restart, the lead was doubled when Sean Stewart’s push up the right flank ending with his cross being taken early by Nichol whose low shot beat Henderson at his near post.
Thurso’s growing feel-good factor was first deflated and then punctured as they conceded twice in four minutes.
On 39 minutes, Gray raced out his penalty box and attempted to pass the ball along the ground.
It went straight to Gollar and the former Tain Thistle striker duly waltzed past the keeper and slotted home.
Gollar was celebrating again after another botched clearance by Gray let him in for another gift-wrapped goal.
Thurso started the second half in determined fashion and Henderson was forced into a vital parry to deny Nichol after he had been played in by Petrie.
Vikings defender John Smith then made a hash of a golden headed opportunity from a corner while Nichol’s 55th minute strike came back off the right upright.
Jamie MacKenzie went close from a MacDougall cross while Henderson dashed out to just prevent Nichol connecting with a monster kick-out by Gray.
Gollar snatched a decent chance wide immediately before MacKenzie put his side in front again on 65 minutes.
MacDougall’s free-kick found MacKenzie unmarked 10 yards out and sure control and a clean strike left Henderson helpless.
Thurso went for the jugular and Henderson performed heroics to keep out a Nichol shot, with Petrie turning the rebound just past.
In what was a well-tempered game, MacGregor and ‘Tore’s Marrtin Farquhar’s were the only bookings.
Thurso had to wait until four minutes from time for their insurance goal when man-of-the-match Lee MacDougall’s free-kick got the merest of contacts from Nichol on its way past Henderson.
Thurso sub Murray Mackintosh came desperately close to getting his first goal for the club when the faintest of touches from Henderson sent the striker’s injury-time strike inches past the keeper’s left-hand post.
Thurso manager Stevie Reid believed his side, while not firing on all cylinders, deserved the victory.
“Two lapses put them back into the mix,” he said.
“It could then have gone either way and to was only when we got the fourth, that we could really relax.
“It was great to get another trophy and we thoroughly enjoyed our day out.”
Balintore – Henderson, Godwin (Durrand 61), Oliver, Cowie, Davis, Metcalfe (Bell 81), Farquhar, Christie, MacDonald, Gollar (Rattaphutark 86), MacGruer. Sub (unused) -- Miller.
Thurso – Gray, Stewart (Sutherland 71), Steven, Smith, Forbes, MacGregor (Begg 87), Petrie, MacKenzie, Nichol, Allan (Mackintosh 71), MacDougall. Subs (unused) – Wann and Harrold.
Ref – Mr J. Hasson
The Vikings collected their second cup of the season on Saturday after subduing a battling Balintore side on their home turf.
The industry and determination displayed by the home side ensured the destination of the SWL Cup was only settled by Mark Nichol’s hat-trick goal in the closing minutes.
Balintore may have also ridden their luck a bit but their performance belied their lowly North Caley League status.
Nichol’s first two goals within the opening half-hour had set Thurso on course for what threatened to become a stress-free win in a match which also counted for league points.
But two howlers by visiting keeper Michael Gray, each of which was seized upon by striker by Darren Gollar, had ‘Tore on terms by the break. The gaffes, notable for their rarity value from the usually reliable keeper, injected fresh life into the home cause.
Their belief survived Jamie MacKenzie’s strike to put Thurso 3-2 up midway through the second half and only vanished following Nichol’s third.
A still, warm spring afternoon was notable for what was one of the first NCL contests to be played to the backdrop of a side-drum, which was brought down by one of Thurso’s young supporters.
It certainly energised the atmosphere of the final at Seaboard Park.
Thurso edged the opening exchanges though the first clear opening fell to their opponents on 20 minutes, only for Gollar to be ruled offside as he sprinted through on Gray from Graeme Davis’s through-ball.
The Vikings were looking the more incisive and Lee MacDougall and Nichol combined well with the latter’s low, raking cross being cut out at full stretch by Kyle Oliver to deny Ross Allan a shoo-in.
Gary MacGregor’s 25th minute assist prompted a snap hook-shot from Nichol that tested keeper Ross Henderson.
Henderson was soon afterwards rising to touch over a Michael Petrie effort after good lead-up work by Allan.
Play was by now focused in the Balintore half with a run of three corners preceding the 27th minute opener.
MacDougall’s centre picked out Nichol’s run across goal and his power header flashed past Henderson.
Within a minute of the restart, the lead was doubled when Sean Stewart’s push up the right flank ending with his cross being taken early by Nichol whose low shot beat Henderson at his near post.
Thurso’s growing feel-good factor was first deflated and then punctured as they conceded twice in four minutes.
On 39 minutes, Gray raced out his penalty box and attempted to pass the ball along the ground.
It went straight to Gollar and the former Tain Thistle striker duly waltzed past the keeper and slotted home.
Gollar was celebrating again after another botched clearance by Gray let him in for another gift-wrapped goal.
Thurso started the second half in determined fashion and Henderson was forced into a vital parry to deny Nichol after he had been played in by Petrie.
Vikings defender John Smith then made a hash of a golden headed opportunity from a corner while Nichol’s 55th minute strike came back off the right upright.
Jamie MacKenzie went close from a MacDougall cross while Henderson dashed out to just prevent Nichol connecting with a monster kick-out by Gray.
Gollar snatched a decent chance wide immediately before MacKenzie put his side in front again on 65 minutes.
MacDougall’s free-kick found MacKenzie unmarked 10 yards out and sure control and a clean strike left Henderson helpless.
Thurso went for the jugular and Henderson performed heroics to keep out a Nichol shot, with Petrie turning the rebound just past.
In what was a well-tempered game, MacGregor and ‘Tore’s Marrtin Farquhar’s were the only bookings.
Thurso had to wait until four minutes from time for their insurance goal when man-of-the-match Lee MacDougall’s free-kick got the merest of contacts from Nichol on its way past Henderson.
Thurso sub Murray Mackintosh came desperately close to getting his first goal for the club when the faintest of touches from Henderson sent the striker’s injury-time strike inches past the keeper’s left-hand post.
Thurso manager Stevie Reid believed his side, while not firing on all cylinders, deserved the victory.
“Two lapses put them back into the mix,” he said.
“It could then have gone either way and to was only when we got the fourth, that we could really relax.
“It was great to get another trophy and we thoroughly enjoyed our day out.”
Balintore – Henderson, Godwin (Durrand 61), Oliver, Cowie, Davis, Metcalfe (Bell 81), Farquhar, Christie, MacDonald, Gollar (Rattaphutark 86), MacGruer. Sub (unused) -- Miller.
Thurso – Gray, Stewart (Sutherland 71), Steven, Smith, Forbes, MacGregor (Begg 87), Petrie, MacKenzie, Nichol, Allan (Mackintosh 71), MacDougall. Subs (unused) – Wann and Harrold.
Ref – Mr J. Hasson