Post by Brian Mackay on Mar 22, 2011 17:45:11 GMT -5
Thurso 5 V Alness United 2 - report by Iain Grant
A third cup final beckons for the Vikings as they chalked up their 11th straight win on Saturday.
The Jock MacKay Memorial Cup semi, which also counted for PSG North Caley League points, was memorable chiefly for the continuation of the extraordinary goal-scoring run of Mark Nichol.
His foursome takes his tally to 23 for the past eight matches – an eye-watering return in any senior football environment.
The 30-year-old joiner’s hot streak has included one five, two fours and two hat-tricks. His lethal finishing helped disguise an uninspiring performance by Thurso who were fortunate their opponents did not put away more of the regular opportunities that came their way.
Alness rightly felt hard-done by going in at the interval 3-0 down and after Mark Lamont got them off the mark, there was an unmistakeable sense of foreboding as the visiting pressed for a second.
Nichol’s hat-trick goal relived the tension and the Vikings comfortably saw out the remainder of the contest.
Lamont had as many opportunities as Nichol and one wonders how the game would have turned out had the Alness man tucked away a glorious opportunity with two minutes gone.
Scott MacAngus set Lamont free down the inside-right channel and he bore in on keeper Michael Gray.
Lamont lost his nerve and rushed his shot which Gray was able to block with his legs.
Thurso proceeded to grab the opener on six minutes when Michael Petrie’s inswinging corner picked out John Smith.
The defender’s left-foot strike flew into the top of the net off Alan Kerr’s outstretched leg.
The visitors had a busy air about them and should have drawn level on nine minutes when the unmarked MacAngus headed over when unmarked on the edge of the six yard box.
Michael Sanderson’s 20 yarder just cleared Gray’s crossbar and Thurso were obliged to Smith for his sliding tackle on Shaun Robertson as the latter shaped to shoot when put in the clear.
In between these close shaves, a clever feed from the returning Kyle Ross released home striker Murray Mackintosh who forced a smother save from Malcolm Docherty.
On 25 yards, Ross was mobbed by his colleagues when his raging snap-shot from 25 yards lodged in the top right-hand corner of the net. But the celebrations were stilled by assistant Stevie Tait’s offside flag which was belatedly acknowledged by ref Graham John.
Thurso had to wait just five minutes for a legal second goal when Mackintosh’s dink between the two central defenders put Nichol in for his first of the afternoon.
Alness continued to manufacture chances with David Manson firing just wide and Lamont wasting another good opening with a weak shot straight at Gray.
The half had a horror end for the visitors when defender Colin Doull chose to step over an over-hit through-ball into the Alness goal area. Docherty saw the ball late and his fumble was pounced on by Nichol to make it 3-0.
Alness were pinned deep in their own half after the resumption, struggling to retain possession and corralled for long spells deep in their own half.
Docherty made a meal of turning wide Michael Petrie’s glancing header from Nichol’s assist while Jamie MacKenzie almost converted
a Smith cross.
Against the grain, Alness contrived to get a goal back on 53 minutes when Manson’s corner was buried by Lamont.
The visitors should have got another nine minutes later when a free-kick found its way to Johnny Bremner who sclaffed high over when unmarked on the corner of the six yard box.
A vital saving challenge from MacKenzie stopped Robertson in his tracks as he surged into the penalty box before Thurso went 4-1 up on 64 minutes. Nichol’s round-the-corner flick released Petrie and the striker took the return pass to net with a wide-angled finish.
Three minutes later, Nichol punished a defensive mix-up when he steered a shot from near the left bye-line between the keeper and the near post.
Sub Ross Allan hit the outside of a post before Alness got a second eight minutes from time when Lamont netted Manson’s cutback.
Thurso – Gray, Harrold (Sutherland 64), Steven, Smith, Mackintosh (Allan h/t), MacKenzie, Petrie, MacGregor, Nichol, Ross, MacDougall.
Sub (unused) – Begg.
Alness – Dochertry, Campbell (Jamieson 64), Bremner, Doull (Morgan 62), Kerr (Ross 76), MacAngus, Lamont, Sanderson, Robertson, Muir, Manson. Sub (unused) – Tremlett.
Ref – Mr G. John.
A third cup final beckons for the Vikings as they chalked up their 11th straight win on Saturday.
The Jock MacKay Memorial Cup semi, which also counted for PSG North Caley League points, was memorable chiefly for the continuation of the extraordinary goal-scoring run of Mark Nichol.
His foursome takes his tally to 23 for the past eight matches – an eye-watering return in any senior football environment.
The 30-year-old joiner’s hot streak has included one five, two fours and two hat-tricks. His lethal finishing helped disguise an uninspiring performance by Thurso who were fortunate their opponents did not put away more of the regular opportunities that came their way.
Alness rightly felt hard-done by going in at the interval 3-0 down and after Mark Lamont got them off the mark, there was an unmistakeable sense of foreboding as the visiting pressed for a second.
Nichol’s hat-trick goal relived the tension and the Vikings comfortably saw out the remainder of the contest.
Lamont had as many opportunities as Nichol and one wonders how the game would have turned out had the Alness man tucked away a glorious opportunity with two minutes gone.
Scott MacAngus set Lamont free down the inside-right channel and he bore in on keeper Michael Gray.
Lamont lost his nerve and rushed his shot which Gray was able to block with his legs.
Thurso proceeded to grab the opener on six minutes when Michael Petrie’s inswinging corner picked out John Smith.
The defender’s left-foot strike flew into the top of the net off Alan Kerr’s outstretched leg.
The visitors had a busy air about them and should have drawn level on nine minutes when the unmarked MacAngus headed over when unmarked on the edge of the six yard box.
Michael Sanderson’s 20 yarder just cleared Gray’s crossbar and Thurso were obliged to Smith for his sliding tackle on Shaun Robertson as the latter shaped to shoot when put in the clear.
In between these close shaves, a clever feed from the returning Kyle Ross released home striker Murray Mackintosh who forced a smother save from Malcolm Docherty.
On 25 yards, Ross was mobbed by his colleagues when his raging snap-shot from 25 yards lodged in the top right-hand corner of the net. But the celebrations were stilled by assistant Stevie Tait’s offside flag which was belatedly acknowledged by ref Graham John.
Thurso had to wait just five minutes for a legal second goal when Mackintosh’s dink between the two central defenders put Nichol in for his first of the afternoon.
Alness continued to manufacture chances with David Manson firing just wide and Lamont wasting another good opening with a weak shot straight at Gray.
The half had a horror end for the visitors when defender Colin Doull chose to step over an over-hit through-ball into the Alness goal area. Docherty saw the ball late and his fumble was pounced on by Nichol to make it 3-0.
Alness were pinned deep in their own half after the resumption, struggling to retain possession and corralled for long spells deep in their own half.
Docherty made a meal of turning wide Michael Petrie’s glancing header from Nichol’s assist while Jamie MacKenzie almost converted
a Smith cross.
Against the grain, Alness contrived to get a goal back on 53 minutes when Manson’s corner was buried by Lamont.
The visitors should have got another nine minutes later when a free-kick found its way to Johnny Bremner who sclaffed high over when unmarked on the corner of the six yard box.
A vital saving challenge from MacKenzie stopped Robertson in his tracks as he surged into the penalty box before Thurso went 4-1 up on 64 minutes. Nichol’s round-the-corner flick released Petrie and the striker took the return pass to net with a wide-angled finish.
Three minutes later, Nichol punished a defensive mix-up when he steered a shot from near the left bye-line between the keeper and the near post.
Sub Ross Allan hit the outside of a post before Alness got a second eight minutes from time when Lamont netted Manson’s cutback.
Thurso – Gray, Harrold (Sutherland 64), Steven, Smith, Mackintosh (Allan h/t), MacKenzie, Petrie, MacGregor, Nichol, Ross, MacDougall.
Sub (unused) – Begg.
Alness – Dochertry, Campbell (Jamieson 64), Bremner, Doull (Morgan 62), Kerr (Ross 76), MacAngus, Lamont, Sanderson, Robertson, Muir, Manson. Sub (unused) – Tremlett.
Ref – Mr G. John.