Post by Brian Mackay on Apr 13, 2011 5:20:46 GMT -5
Thurso 5 V Balintore 0 - report from Iain Grant
The Vikings’ last home game of the North Caley season threatened to turn into a real rout.
But after going 4-0 up with just over 30 minutes played and turning round five to the good, the match degenerated into a shapeless stalemate.
There were no further goals, leaving the home side level in third place with Muir of Ord Rovers in the PSG League but behind by virtue of a goal difference of three.
On the evidence of the first half, few would have bet against them
going on to make up the deficit but credit must go to the visitors for never giving up the fight. Balintore were hard-done by in not getting a couple of goals for their attacking efforts.
The Easter Ross combine should have been behind within the first minute when their defence was pierced by a fast-flowing move which ended with Ross Allan’s inviting cutback being struck wide by Mark Nichol.
Jamie MacKenzie and Lee MacDougall then combined for Kyle Ross to force keeper Scott MacGruer into his first save of the day.
The visiting rearguard got exposed once too often on 10 minutes when Gary MacGregor’s slide-rule pass to Nichol was unselfishly offloaded to MacDougall who side-footed into the unguarded goal.
Five minutes later, it was 2-0 when Kyle Ross’s diagonal feed from the left eluded a clutch of players at the edge of the six yard box to fall perfectly for Allan to net from outside the far post.
‘Tore were almost found out again when MacKenzie and Nichol created an opening for Ross whose shot was powerful enough but too straight to trouble keeper MacGruer.
Stewart Ross had a fairly easy return to the centre of the Vikings’ defence, seeing most of his work going forward.
On 31 minutes, Thurso added to their lead when Nichol’s foraging on the wide right set up MacDougall for a crack at goal.
His effort was blocked but there was no answer to Kyle Ross’s lusty follow-up. Within a minute, the Wick-based striker was again wheeling away in celebration as his sure-footed strike from Allan’s lay-off produced his fifth of the season.
The visitors almost had an immediate riposte when David MacGruer
raced clear and forced home keeper Michael Gray to make a reaction stop. The mini-purple patch for the visitors continued when James Metcalfe played in Paul Cowie whose angled drive brushed past the far post, with Gray beaten.
The pendulum then swung back the home side’s way with keeper MacGruer saving from Jamie MacKenzie before the Vikings won a 42nd minute penalty. MacKenzie’s inch-perfect pass and Michael Petrie’s sure first touch had the midfielder haring full-tilt into the box. Kyle Oliver’s late challenge sent Petrie tumbling and ref Graham John had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
After two minutes of a delay during which centre-back Martin Godwin was booked for dissent, Nichol side-footed into the right corner of the net as the keeper dived the other way.
Thurso started the second half brightly enough with Nichol twice going close and keeper MacGruer performing heroics to deny MacKenzie, Kyle Ross and John Smith in quick succession.
Thereafter, the Vikings lost all rhythm and shape with efforts on goal confined to aimless shots from distance.
‘Tore looked the likelier bet to end the scoring with David MacGruer firing just over and Gray worked hard to get to a snap shot from
Roy Gibson.
Near the end, Scott McGruer did well to get down smartly to deny Kyle Ross his hat-trick.
Thurso manager Stevie Reid was frustrated his side failed to sustain their sparky first half performance.
He said: “It was a really good first half.
“I thought we showed good movement and passing and scored some nice goals. “It was disappointing that we slackened off in the second half. “We got a bit of lazy and played like the game was dead. “I thought young Ryan (Begg) did well when he came on but
overall it went pretty flat.”
Thurso – Gray, Allan, Forbes, Smith, Ross, MacGregor (Sutherland h/t). Petrie, MacKenzie (Begg 63), Nichol, Ross, MacDougall (Wann 73).
Balintore – S. MacGruer, Davis, Metcalfe, Oliver, Cowie, Christie, Gibson, Farquhar, Godwin, Gollar (Mitchell 14), D. MacGruer.
Ref – Mr G. John.
The Vikings’ last home game of the North Caley season threatened to turn into a real rout.
But after going 4-0 up with just over 30 minutes played and turning round five to the good, the match degenerated into a shapeless stalemate.
There were no further goals, leaving the home side level in third place with Muir of Ord Rovers in the PSG League but behind by virtue of a goal difference of three.
On the evidence of the first half, few would have bet against them
going on to make up the deficit but credit must go to the visitors for never giving up the fight. Balintore were hard-done by in not getting a couple of goals for their attacking efforts.
The Easter Ross combine should have been behind within the first minute when their defence was pierced by a fast-flowing move which ended with Ross Allan’s inviting cutback being struck wide by Mark Nichol.
Jamie MacKenzie and Lee MacDougall then combined for Kyle Ross to force keeper Scott MacGruer into his first save of the day.
The visiting rearguard got exposed once too often on 10 minutes when Gary MacGregor’s slide-rule pass to Nichol was unselfishly offloaded to MacDougall who side-footed into the unguarded goal.
Five minutes later, it was 2-0 when Kyle Ross’s diagonal feed from the left eluded a clutch of players at the edge of the six yard box to fall perfectly for Allan to net from outside the far post.
‘Tore were almost found out again when MacKenzie and Nichol created an opening for Ross whose shot was powerful enough but too straight to trouble keeper MacGruer.
Stewart Ross had a fairly easy return to the centre of the Vikings’ defence, seeing most of his work going forward.
On 31 minutes, Thurso added to their lead when Nichol’s foraging on the wide right set up MacDougall for a crack at goal.
His effort was blocked but there was no answer to Kyle Ross’s lusty follow-up. Within a minute, the Wick-based striker was again wheeling away in celebration as his sure-footed strike from Allan’s lay-off produced his fifth of the season.
The visitors almost had an immediate riposte when David MacGruer
raced clear and forced home keeper Michael Gray to make a reaction stop. The mini-purple patch for the visitors continued when James Metcalfe played in Paul Cowie whose angled drive brushed past the far post, with Gray beaten.
The pendulum then swung back the home side’s way with keeper MacGruer saving from Jamie MacKenzie before the Vikings won a 42nd minute penalty. MacKenzie’s inch-perfect pass and Michael Petrie’s sure first touch had the midfielder haring full-tilt into the box. Kyle Oliver’s late challenge sent Petrie tumbling and ref Graham John had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
After two minutes of a delay during which centre-back Martin Godwin was booked for dissent, Nichol side-footed into the right corner of the net as the keeper dived the other way.
Thurso started the second half brightly enough with Nichol twice going close and keeper MacGruer performing heroics to deny MacKenzie, Kyle Ross and John Smith in quick succession.
Thereafter, the Vikings lost all rhythm and shape with efforts on goal confined to aimless shots from distance.
‘Tore looked the likelier bet to end the scoring with David MacGruer firing just over and Gray worked hard to get to a snap shot from
Roy Gibson.
Near the end, Scott McGruer did well to get down smartly to deny Kyle Ross his hat-trick.
Thurso manager Stevie Reid was frustrated his side failed to sustain their sparky first half performance.
He said: “It was a really good first half.
“I thought we showed good movement and passing and scored some nice goals. “It was disappointing that we slackened off in the second half. “We got a bit of lazy and played like the game was dead. “I thought young Ryan (Begg) did well when he came on but
overall it went pretty flat.”
Thurso – Gray, Allan, Forbes, Smith, Ross, MacGregor (Sutherland h/t). Petrie, MacKenzie (Begg 63), Nichol, Ross, MacDougall (Wann 73).
Balintore – S. MacGruer, Davis, Metcalfe, Oliver, Cowie, Christie, Gibson, Farquhar, Godwin, Gollar (Mitchell 14), D. MacGruer.
Ref – Mr G. John.