Post by Brian Mackay on Apr 19, 2011 16:36:41 GMT -5
JOCK MACKAY MEMORIAL CUP FINAL
########################
Muir of Ord Rovers 2 Thurso 3 (aet) - report by Iain Grant
After struggling to spark early on, Thurso’s season has caught fire since the turn of the year. Saturday’s nerve-jangling extra-time success landed them their third cup and extend their unbeaten sequence to 12 wins and a draw.
Saturday’s final in Invergordon was a classic encounter in which neither side deserved to lose.
It was settled by a sublime strike from Vikings teenage sub Ryan Begg, six minutes after he entered the fray in the death throes of normal time.
A headed finish by John Smith had quickly brought Thurso level after Scott Morrison fired Muir of Ord into an early lead.
A cracking first-time volley from Mark Nichol then looked to have proved decisive before Rovers restored parity when Scott Morrison converted a penalty deep into injury-time.
It was a tough game for referee John Nicolson not just because of its high tempo but for several key penalty box collisions he had to make calls on.
The Vikings were slowly out of the blocks and some sloppy passing and poor communication could only have encouraged their opponents.
Muir were further boosted when they established a 15th minute lead. A half-clearance from a free-kick lumped into the Thurso penalty box fell into the stride of Morrison.
The red-headed left winger wasted no time in steering a well-timed, low shot between the dive of Michael Gray and the keeper’s right-hand post.
The lead lasted barely three minutes before Smith rose to power Lee MacDougall’s free-kick past keeper Robert Rose and into the net. Shortly after, Smith’s setpiece provided Jamie MacKenzie with a half-chance but he lost his bearings and headed well wide.
Mr Nicolson’s first big decision came on 27 minutes when Paul Brindle’s well-time run put him clear and he bore down on Gray.
MacDougall raced back and appeared to make contact with the ball before Brindle on the edge of the six yard box.
The ref awarded a penalty and MacDougall and his team-mates were fearful the Thurso skipper would be red-carded.
He got off with a caution and the reprieve was complete when Gray threw himself to his right to send Brindle’s spot-kick on to the bar and behind.
Morrison was giving Martin Sutherland a torrid time as the Muir man created menace down the left flank.
Gray had to be alert to deny Morrison on 37 minutes and the keeper was then fully extended to field Richard Finnis’s attempted chip.
Thurso finished the half well with Nichol forcing a stop from Rose before the striker featured in another moment of high drama after he raced to meet a clever diagonal from Jamie Mackenzie on the edge of the penalty box.
He just beat Rose to the ball before going down heavily.
Ref Nicolson was deaf to the penalty appeals and proceeded to book the striker for simulation.
After an opening half-hour where they largely played second fiddle, Thurso enjoyed the 15 minutes either side of the break on top.
On 55 minutes, one of a series of pinpoint long-range passes from Stewart Ross released Nichol whose angled effort found the side-net.
Morrison was much less of a threat after the interval when he was booked for petulantly booting the ball away well after the whistle.
Muir also suffered a blow when their defensive kingpin Davie Brennan took a knock and was unable to appear for the second half.
MacKenzie, who was to win the man-of-the-match award, was a growing influence and his clever prompt forced Rose to dash out to make a smother save to deny Nichol.
Kyle Ross then passed up a couple of half-chances from Nichol assists.
Thurso were looking the better to go in front and they duly did on 80 minutes when Sutherland’s crossfield centre was met by a peach of a left-foot volley from Nichol which blurred across Rose to nestle in the far corner of the net.
Sub Ross Allan’s pace provided fresh menace for the Vikings, especially with Muir committing more resources forward as they sought a leveller.
It almost arrived on 90 minutes when an almighty scramble in the Thurso six yard box ended with Gray making a brave block to thwart Martin Callum.
Four minutes into injury-time, Muir got a break when when Ewan Dance was balked just inside the penalty box by Smith.
The defender was booked before Morrison tucked the spot-kick away.
Muir sub Gary Calvert and Smith went close in extra-time before Allan passed up a glorious opportunity when he over-hit a pass when he and Nichol were presented with a two-on-one on keeper Rose What proved the winner was set up by Nichol and Allan but it required a special finish which sixteen-year-old Begg applied with a left-foot curve-shot which went in off the inside of Rose’s right post.
Rose then had two attempts to stop an effort from Allan while Muir rode their luck when the youngster was flagged off as he rasn on to MacKenzie’s feed.
Muir had the ball in the net on 109 minutes but the whistle had been sounded before James Skinner’s headed finish for a blatant push on Gray.
Thurso – Gray, Sutherland (Stewart 85), Wann, Smith, S. Ross, MacGregor (Begg 90), Petrie (Allan 80), MacKenzie, Nichol, K. Ross MacDougall. Subs (unused) – Harrold and Mackintosh.
Muir of Ord Rovers – Rose, J. Calvert, Houston, Brennan (Geegan h/t), Brindle, Skinner, Gair, Dance, Finnis (G. Calvert 77), Morrison. Subs (unused) – MacMillan and Fraser.
Ref – Mr J. Nicholson.
########################
Muir of Ord Rovers 2 Thurso 3 (aet) - report by Iain Grant
After struggling to spark early on, Thurso’s season has caught fire since the turn of the year. Saturday’s nerve-jangling extra-time success landed them their third cup and extend their unbeaten sequence to 12 wins and a draw.
Saturday’s final in Invergordon was a classic encounter in which neither side deserved to lose.
It was settled by a sublime strike from Vikings teenage sub Ryan Begg, six minutes after he entered the fray in the death throes of normal time.
A headed finish by John Smith had quickly brought Thurso level after Scott Morrison fired Muir of Ord into an early lead.
A cracking first-time volley from Mark Nichol then looked to have proved decisive before Rovers restored parity when Scott Morrison converted a penalty deep into injury-time.
It was a tough game for referee John Nicolson not just because of its high tempo but for several key penalty box collisions he had to make calls on.
The Vikings were slowly out of the blocks and some sloppy passing and poor communication could only have encouraged their opponents.
Muir were further boosted when they established a 15th minute lead. A half-clearance from a free-kick lumped into the Thurso penalty box fell into the stride of Morrison.
The red-headed left winger wasted no time in steering a well-timed, low shot between the dive of Michael Gray and the keeper’s right-hand post.
The lead lasted barely three minutes before Smith rose to power Lee MacDougall’s free-kick past keeper Robert Rose and into the net. Shortly after, Smith’s setpiece provided Jamie MacKenzie with a half-chance but he lost his bearings and headed well wide.
Mr Nicolson’s first big decision came on 27 minutes when Paul Brindle’s well-time run put him clear and he bore down on Gray.
MacDougall raced back and appeared to make contact with the ball before Brindle on the edge of the six yard box.
The ref awarded a penalty and MacDougall and his team-mates were fearful the Thurso skipper would be red-carded.
He got off with a caution and the reprieve was complete when Gray threw himself to his right to send Brindle’s spot-kick on to the bar and behind.
Morrison was giving Martin Sutherland a torrid time as the Muir man created menace down the left flank.
Gray had to be alert to deny Morrison on 37 minutes and the keeper was then fully extended to field Richard Finnis’s attempted chip.
Thurso finished the half well with Nichol forcing a stop from Rose before the striker featured in another moment of high drama after he raced to meet a clever diagonal from Jamie Mackenzie on the edge of the penalty box.
He just beat Rose to the ball before going down heavily.
Ref Nicolson was deaf to the penalty appeals and proceeded to book the striker for simulation.
After an opening half-hour where they largely played second fiddle, Thurso enjoyed the 15 minutes either side of the break on top.
On 55 minutes, one of a series of pinpoint long-range passes from Stewart Ross released Nichol whose angled effort found the side-net.
Morrison was much less of a threat after the interval when he was booked for petulantly booting the ball away well after the whistle.
Muir also suffered a blow when their defensive kingpin Davie Brennan took a knock and was unable to appear for the second half.
MacKenzie, who was to win the man-of-the-match award, was a growing influence and his clever prompt forced Rose to dash out to make a smother save to deny Nichol.
Kyle Ross then passed up a couple of half-chances from Nichol assists.
Thurso were looking the better to go in front and they duly did on 80 minutes when Sutherland’s crossfield centre was met by a peach of a left-foot volley from Nichol which blurred across Rose to nestle in the far corner of the net.
Sub Ross Allan’s pace provided fresh menace for the Vikings, especially with Muir committing more resources forward as they sought a leveller.
It almost arrived on 90 minutes when an almighty scramble in the Thurso six yard box ended with Gray making a brave block to thwart Martin Callum.
Four minutes into injury-time, Muir got a break when when Ewan Dance was balked just inside the penalty box by Smith.
The defender was booked before Morrison tucked the spot-kick away.
Muir sub Gary Calvert and Smith went close in extra-time before Allan passed up a glorious opportunity when he over-hit a pass when he and Nichol were presented with a two-on-one on keeper Rose What proved the winner was set up by Nichol and Allan but it required a special finish which sixteen-year-old Begg applied with a left-foot curve-shot which went in off the inside of Rose’s right post.
Rose then had two attempts to stop an effort from Allan while Muir rode their luck when the youngster was flagged off as he rasn on to MacKenzie’s feed.
Muir had the ball in the net on 109 minutes but the whistle had been sounded before James Skinner’s headed finish for a blatant push on Gray.
Thurso – Gray, Sutherland (Stewart 85), Wann, Smith, S. Ross, MacGregor (Begg 90), Petrie (Allan 80), MacKenzie, Nichol, K. Ross MacDougall. Subs (unused) – Harrold and Mackintosh.
Muir of Ord Rovers – Rose, J. Calvert, Houston, Brennan (Geegan h/t), Brindle, Skinner, Gair, Dance, Finnis (G. Calvert 77), Morrison. Subs (unused) – MacMillan and Fraser.
Ref – Mr J. Nicholson.