Post by Brian Mackay on Sept 19, 2004 14:43:49 GMT
Thurso stay top after Nichol's quick-fire hat-trick - by Iain Grant 
A SIX-minute hat-trick by Mark Nichol was the main talking point as Thurso kept top spot in the MSIS North Caledonian League following their third win of the season.
Nichol's rapid-fire threesome killed off the visitors whose late first-half rally had raised their hopes of taking something from their trip to Sir George's Park on Saturday.
A goal that stemmed from a defensive howler saw the visitors trail 2-1 at the interval after Thurso had forged in front through Alan Murray and Luke Cassidy.
But any prospect of a comeback was extinguished by Nichol, who laid claim to one of the fastest hat-tricks recorded at the Dammies in years.
With Invergordon's defence in tatters, it was a surprise that they leaked just one more near the end.
Thurso, minus injured pair Jamie MacKenzie and Martin Baker, ensured debutant announcer Malky Ness was quickly involved in proceedings.
Within two minutes, he was proclaiming Murray as the scorer of the first goal.
Lee MacDougall won space for himself by nutmegging an opponent, and his through ball to Murray was hammered into the top right-hand corner by the striker.
Within four minutes, Invergordon keeper Stephen Campbell had pulled off two excellent saves to keep out a 20-yarder from Cassidy and a Nichol header from Gavin Bremner's corner.
Campbell's opposite number, Michael Gray, was next to impress when he flung himself to reach Gary Wright's powerful effort from the edge of the box.
Invergordon's David Buchanan then shot wide from a good position before Cassidy and Murray went close at the other end.
A David Ogilvie volley for the visitors was too close for comfort before they found themselves two down. The goal was created by a dashing break by Murray from the halfway line with his lay-off producing a crisp, driven finish from Cassidy.
Murray almost added to the lead on the half-hour mark when he turned the ball just wide after a well-measured pass from Nichol.
Thurso then went through a decidedly dodgy spell as cracks opened up in their defence and they lost their way in midfield.
Shaun Moar was fortunate his slack pass after 32 minutes ended with Keith Dinwoodie's attempted finish from 30 yards brushing past the right-hand upright.
The visitors sustained the pressure but their 40th-minute breakthrough owed less to their endeavour than opposition gremlins. A long-range free kick resulted in a breakdown in communications between the Gray brothers, with Michael and Brian getting in a fankle and Wright nipping in to head into the empty net.
The last chance of the half saw Campbell again do well to first parry a snap-shot from Nichol and then beat Murray to the rebound.
The game was turned on its head by Nichol's strikes on 48, 50 and 54 minutes.
The 23-year-old's first was the pick of the bunch.
It stemmed from Cassidy's break down the right and an early, whipped cross which eluded two defenders before finding Nichol just outside the line of the far post. He cracked the ball high and wide of Campbell into the roof of the net.
His second came after the Invergordon defence was badly exposed to allow him a run in. He took the ball wide of Campbell but the angle was too acute for a shot so he squared to Murray. The latter's shot was hacked off the line but Nichol was handily placed to lash home.
Invergordon were in freefall, with Campbell making a dramatic save to deny Gavin Bremner and Murray just missing out before Nichol notched his third.
Campbell was again called upon to make a brave block from Cassidy but was powerless to prevent that man Nichol netting the rebound.
Nichol promptly withdrew with a muscle strain. His replacement, Martyn Cook, was quickly involved in setting up Cassidy for a shot on goal before himself being denied by Buchanan's marvellous saving tackle.
The shine was to some extent taken off Thurso's lead by the 70th-minute dismissal of Brian Gray after he got involved in a spat with Liam Hutchinson.
Enraged after Hutchinson tugged his shirt, the defender lashed out with an arm in frustration and gave the referee Graham Fraser little option but to show him the red card.
The extra man did little for the cause of the visitors, whose deficiencies at the back continued to dog them.
After 75 minutes, Bremner set up MacDougall for a stinging shot which produced a smother save.
A minute later, Campbell was left with Murray bearing down on him after Bremner produced the killer pass. Murray skilfully rounded the keeper before passing the ball into the net.
Murray was denied his hat-trick goal in injury time when his shot on the turn was kept out by Campbell.
Thurso travel to Alness tomorrow for a first-round tie in the Port Services Cup.
Brian Gray is suspended and injury is likely to continue to rule out Jamie MacKenzie and Martin Baker. Phil Makhouli is back training and along with Shaun Forbes should be part of the travelling squad.
Thurso: M. Gray, B. Gray, Green (Steven 80), Moar, Sutherland, Bremner, Adamson, Cassidy (Bain 80), Murray, Nichol (Cook 55), MacDougall.
Referee: G. Fraser.
A SIX-minute hat-trick by Mark Nichol was the main talking point as Thurso kept top spot in the MSIS North Caledonian League following their third win of the season.
Nichol's rapid-fire threesome killed off the visitors whose late first-half rally had raised their hopes of taking something from their trip to Sir George's Park on Saturday.
A goal that stemmed from a defensive howler saw the visitors trail 2-1 at the interval after Thurso had forged in front through Alan Murray and Luke Cassidy.
But any prospect of a comeback was extinguished by Nichol, who laid claim to one of the fastest hat-tricks recorded at the Dammies in years.
With Invergordon's defence in tatters, it was a surprise that they leaked just one more near the end.
Thurso, minus injured pair Jamie MacKenzie and Martin Baker, ensured debutant announcer Malky Ness was quickly involved in proceedings.
Within two minutes, he was proclaiming Murray as the scorer of the first goal.
Lee MacDougall won space for himself by nutmegging an opponent, and his through ball to Murray was hammered into the top right-hand corner by the striker.
Within four minutes, Invergordon keeper Stephen Campbell had pulled off two excellent saves to keep out a 20-yarder from Cassidy and a Nichol header from Gavin Bremner's corner.
Campbell's opposite number, Michael Gray, was next to impress when he flung himself to reach Gary Wright's powerful effort from the edge of the box.
Invergordon's David Buchanan then shot wide from a good position before Cassidy and Murray went close at the other end.
A David Ogilvie volley for the visitors was too close for comfort before they found themselves two down. The goal was created by a dashing break by Murray from the halfway line with his lay-off producing a crisp, driven finish from Cassidy.
Murray almost added to the lead on the half-hour mark when he turned the ball just wide after a well-measured pass from Nichol.
Thurso then went through a decidedly dodgy spell as cracks opened up in their defence and they lost their way in midfield.
Shaun Moar was fortunate his slack pass after 32 minutes ended with Keith Dinwoodie's attempted finish from 30 yards brushing past the right-hand upright.
The visitors sustained the pressure but their 40th-minute breakthrough owed less to their endeavour than opposition gremlins. A long-range free kick resulted in a breakdown in communications between the Gray brothers, with Michael and Brian getting in a fankle and Wright nipping in to head into the empty net.
The last chance of the half saw Campbell again do well to first parry a snap-shot from Nichol and then beat Murray to the rebound.
The game was turned on its head by Nichol's strikes on 48, 50 and 54 minutes.
The 23-year-old's first was the pick of the bunch.
It stemmed from Cassidy's break down the right and an early, whipped cross which eluded two defenders before finding Nichol just outside the line of the far post. He cracked the ball high and wide of Campbell into the roof of the net.
His second came after the Invergordon defence was badly exposed to allow him a run in. He took the ball wide of Campbell but the angle was too acute for a shot so he squared to Murray. The latter's shot was hacked off the line but Nichol was handily placed to lash home.
Invergordon were in freefall, with Campbell making a dramatic save to deny Gavin Bremner and Murray just missing out before Nichol notched his third.
Campbell was again called upon to make a brave block from Cassidy but was powerless to prevent that man Nichol netting the rebound.
Nichol promptly withdrew with a muscle strain. His replacement, Martyn Cook, was quickly involved in setting up Cassidy for a shot on goal before himself being denied by Buchanan's marvellous saving tackle.
The shine was to some extent taken off Thurso's lead by the 70th-minute dismissal of Brian Gray after he got involved in a spat with Liam Hutchinson.
Enraged after Hutchinson tugged his shirt, the defender lashed out with an arm in frustration and gave the referee Graham Fraser little option but to show him the red card.
The extra man did little for the cause of the visitors, whose deficiencies at the back continued to dog them.
After 75 minutes, Bremner set up MacDougall for a stinging shot which produced a smother save.
A minute later, Campbell was left with Murray bearing down on him after Bremner produced the killer pass. Murray skilfully rounded the keeper before passing the ball into the net.
Murray was denied his hat-trick goal in injury time when his shot on the turn was kept out by Campbell.
Thurso travel to Alness tomorrow for a first-round tie in the Port Services Cup.
Brian Gray is suspended and injury is likely to continue to rule out Jamie MacKenzie and Martin Baker. Phil Makhouli is back training and along with Shaun Forbes should be part of the travelling squad.
Thurso: M. Gray, B. Gray, Green (Steven 80), Moar, Sutherland, Bremner, Adamson, Cassidy (Bain 80), Murray, Nichol (Cook 55), MacDougall.
Referee: G. Fraser.