Post by Brian Mackay on Apr 4, 2005 18:39:51 GMT
Football Times Cup Semi-Final
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Balintore 2 V Alness United 1
2.30 p.m kick-off
MSIS North Caledonian League
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Golspie Sutherland 3 V Halkirk United 2
report from John O'Groat Journal website
Bremner leads revival but United miss out on top four
GOLSPIE completed a hat-trick of single-goal victories at home to Halkirk on Saturday when they survived a valiant second half fightback by the visitors.
A late brace from Michael Bremner ensured an uncomfortable final few minutes for the Sutherland side who were well and truly shaken after racing into a three-goal lead.
United again returned over the Ord with nothing tangible to show for their efforts.
The defeat leaves them in fifth place in the MSIS North Caledonian League, two spots and eight points better off than last season's campaign. Apart from achieving three more wins, they more than doubled their goals tally and their goal difference was comfortably in the black, as opposed to being minus 17 last time.
Manager Ian MacDonald is happy with the progress, though he accepts the team will have to make a further step up if they are seriously to challenge for the title.
He said: "We had to win on Saturday to finish fourth and it was disappointing that we missed out on that.
"There isn't really much between the top five or six teams in the league and hopefully we'll be a bit stronger next year to make more of a challenge."
Halkirk only found out they were in action on Saturday two days before, after Bunillidh Thistle pulled out of their scheduled cup tie with Golspie.
The manager was further inconvenienced by a couple of eleventh-hour call-offs and found himself pressed into providing emergency cover on the bench.
The game on Saturday had Golspie firmly in the driving seat only to lose their way completely after the interval when their goal came under sustained attack.
Gavin Nicolson was a lively presence for Golspie early on and it was fitting that he grabbed the opener on 25 minutes.
Nicolson had by then flashed a header just past, while keeper Sean Henderson did well to reach his net-bound strike.
The visitors threatened only fitfully, the best effort being an 18-yarder from Bremner which was just too high.
Golspie threatened again on 11 minutes with Derek Shearer distinguishing himself with a goal-saving intervention.
The home side had the decided edge in their quicker speed of thought and movement, qualities which paved the way for the opening goal.
The visitors were caught cold by a sharplytaken free kick from the halfway line. The unmatched run of Nicolson across the 18-yard box allowed him the freedom to turn and deliver a cracking left-foot shot past Henderson.
Halkirk were seen only fleetingly in attack in the first period, with Willie Inrig featuring in one of their few raids after 27 minutes when he took a return pass from John Farquhar and drilled a rising shot which missed the target by a foot.
Normal service was restored three minutes later when Golspie went two up following a defensive mix-up. Walter Mackay found himself in acres of space to set up Tommy Campbell for an easy conversion.
Henderson's goal could easily have been breached again four minutes from the break but for an astute bit of defending by Stuart Florence.
The defender was culpable a minute from the interval when he allowed Martyn Cooper to escape when he appeared boxed in on the Halkirk by-line.
Cooper skipped clear and centred to allow Gary Reid an unopposed run into the six-yard box to head his side into a three-goal lead.
The interval introduction of Keith Blair injected more fizz into the visiting midfield and helped bring about a remarkable turnaround in the side's fortunes.
Within seven minutes, Halkirk had the first of what was to be a succession of desperately close things as they battled to find a way back into the game.
Alan Farquhar's through ball found Blair, who ran on and clipped a shot which veered just the wrong side of the left upright.
Golspie keeper Ian Young, who had little to do before the interval, was now regularly in the thick of the action. He did exceptionally well to tip a John Farquhar effort past and then denied Alan Farquhar.
Young was again to the fore after 61 minutes when he got to David MacGill's fierce shot after he connected with Shearer's free kick.
Two minutes later, Young was beaten only to watch an Inrig shot hit the woodwork.
The one-way flow continued with Florence and Bremner both going close and John Farquhar being thwarted by Young.
Halkirk then endured the agony of having two goal attempts in a minute cleared off the line. Bremner was the first to suffer after 77 minutes before Alan Farquhar looked certain to score after he had robbed Chris Stone and shot past Young.
Halkirk had to wait impatiently until they finally got one back after 82 minutes.
Bremner gathered from a throw-in before cutting in from the right and netting with a well-placed left-foot strike.
Five minutes from time, Bremner repeated the trick when his second ensured that he ended as the club's top scorer with 11. He finished off an incisive move with a powerful strike from 12 yards low into the net.
Golspie managed to see out the game without any further scares.
Manager MacDonald, who did not join the fray, was impressed by how his players had picked up their game in the second half.
He said: "I would have to say Golspie were worth their half-time lead. We just weren't at the races in the first half - we weren't making our tackles and were allowing them to run the game.
"We had a chat at half-time and we went on to play them off the park, and Sean didn't have a save to make.
"I thought we played some really good football rather than the long-ball game which most teams in this league seem to favour."
Halkirk's season is now over, though the club has organised a social outing in Orkney later this month.
Halkirk United: Henderson, MacGill, Shearer, Florence, Munro, Inrig, A. Farquhar, G. MacDonald, J. Farquhar, Mackay (Blair h/t), Bremner. Sub not used: I. MacDonald.
15/04/2005
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Balintore 2 V Alness United 1
2.30 p.m kick-off
MSIS North Caledonian League
#####################
Golspie Sutherland 3 V Halkirk United 2
report from John O'Groat Journal website
Bremner leads revival but United miss out on top four
GOLSPIE completed a hat-trick of single-goal victories at home to Halkirk on Saturday when they survived a valiant second half fightback by the visitors.
A late brace from Michael Bremner ensured an uncomfortable final few minutes for the Sutherland side who were well and truly shaken after racing into a three-goal lead.
United again returned over the Ord with nothing tangible to show for their efforts.
The defeat leaves them in fifth place in the MSIS North Caledonian League, two spots and eight points better off than last season's campaign. Apart from achieving three more wins, they more than doubled their goals tally and their goal difference was comfortably in the black, as opposed to being minus 17 last time.
Manager Ian MacDonald is happy with the progress, though he accepts the team will have to make a further step up if they are seriously to challenge for the title.
He said: "We had to win on Saturday to finish fourth and it was disappointing that we missed out on that.
"There isn't really much between the top five or six teams in the league and hopefully we'll be a bit stronger next year to make more of a challenge."
Halkirk only found out they were in action on Saturday two days before, after Bunillidh Thistle pulled out of their scheduled cup tie with Golspie.
The manager was further inconvenienced by a couple of eleventh-hour call-offs and found himself pressed into providing emergency cover on the bench.
The game on Saturday had Golspie firmly in the driving seat only to lose their way completely after the interval when their goal came under sustained attack.
Gavin Nicolson was a lively presence for Golspie early on and it was fitting that he grabbed the opener on 25 minutes.
Nicolson had by then flashed a header just past, while keeper Sean Henderson did well to reach his net-bound strike.
The visitors threatened only fitfully, the best effort being an 18-yarder from Bremner which was just too high.
Golspie threatened again on 11 minutes with Derek Shearer distinguishing himself with a goal-saving intervention.
The home side had the decided edge in their quicker speed of thought and movement, qualities which paved the way for the opening goal.
The visitors were caught cold by a sharplytaken free kick from the halfway line. The unmatched run of Nicolson across the 18-yard box allowed him the freedom to turn and deliver a cracking left-foot shot past Henderson.
Halkirk were seen only fleetingly in attack in the first period, with Willie Inrig featuring in one of their few raids after 27 minutes when he took a return pass from John Farquhar and drilled a rising shot which missed the target by a foot.
Normal service was restored three minutes later when Golspie went two up following a defensive mix-up. Walter Mackay found himself in acres of space to set up Tommy Campbell for an easy conversion.
Henderson's goal could easily have been breached again four minutes from the break but for an astute bit of defending by Stuart Florence.
The defender was culpable a minute from the interval when he allowed Martyn Cooper to escape when he appeared boxed in on the Halkirk by-line.
Cooper skipped clear and centred to allow Gary Reid an unopposed run into the six-yard box to head his side into a three-goal lead.
The interval introduction of Keith Blair injected more fizz into the visiting midfield and helped bring about a remarkable turnaround in the side's fortunes.
Within seven minutes, Halkirk had the first of what was to be a succession of desperately close things as they battled to find a way back into the game.
Alan Farquhar's through ball found Blair, who ran on and clipped a shot which veered just the wrong side of the left upright.
Golspie keeper Ian Young, who had little to do before the interval, was now regularly in the thick of the action. He did exceptionally well to tip a John Farquhar effort past and then denied Alan Farquhar.
Young was again to the fore after 61 minutes when he got to David MacGill's fierce shot after he connected with Shearer's free kick.
Two minutes later, Young was beaten only to watch an Inrig shot hit the woodwork.
The one-way flow continued with Florence and Bremner both going close and John Farquhar being thwarted by Young.
Halkirk then endured the agony of having two goal attempts in a minute cleared off the line. Bremner was the first to suffer after 77 minutes before Alan Farquhar looked certain to score after he had robbed Chris Stone and shot past Young.
Halkirk had to wait impatiently until they finally got one back after 82 minutes.
Bremner gathered from a throw-in before cutting in from the right and netting with a well-placed left-foot strike.
Five minutes from time, Bremner repeated the trick when his second ensured that he ended as the club's top scorer with 11. He finished off an incisive move with a powerful strike from 12 yards low into the net.
Golspie managed to see out the game without any further scares.
Manager MacDonald, who did not join the fray, was impressed by how his players had picked up their game in the second half.
He said: "I would have to say Golspie were worth their half-time lead. We just weren't at the races in the first half - we weren't making our tackles and were allowing them to run the game.
"We had a chat at half-time and we went on to play them off the park, and Sean didn't have a save to make.
"I thought we played some really good football rather than the long-ball game which most teams in this league seem to favour."
Halkirk's season is now over, though the club has organised a social outing in Orkney later this month.
Halkirk United: Henderson, MacGill, Shearer, Florence, Munro, Inrig, A. Farquhar, G. MacDonald, J. Farquhar, Mackay (Blair h/t), Bremner. Sub not used: I. MacDonald.
15/04/2005