Post by Brian Mackay on Nov 16, 2004 17:44:04 GMT
Thurso 9 Bonar Bridge 0 - report by Iain Grant 
The top three in the MSIS North Caley League have broken clear in recent weeks with the championship now looking to be a straight three-horse race
involving Alness, Golspie and Thurso.
The Vikings maintained their challenge on Saturday with another thumping win versus one of the league's lesser lights.
A four goal spree in 17 minutes rendered the contest null and void by the interval with thereafter the visitors' main interest being to keep the score in single figures.
Bonar Bridge enjoyed a promising start to their campaign, which included a prized cup victory versus Golspie.
That win was, ironically, to trigger a slump from which they have not emerged.
The recall of two players to Golspie and the less than regular availability of another recruit, ex-Highland league star Billy Ferries, have not helped their cause.
Ferries again had to miss out on Saturday as Bonar set out to try and stem a recent run of defeats.
They certainly bothered the home side early on when they twice came close to taking a shock lead.
Within the first minute, Jamie Morrison capitalised on defensive slackness to play the ball invitingly across goal to Stuart Allan who was just unable to make contact.
After six minutes, home keeper Michael Gray was required to perform a tremendous one-handed save to deny Chris Stone's header from Ian Innes's assist.
In between those efforts, Thurso's Alan Murray gave a hint of what was to come when his angled cross-cum-shot following a corner landed on the roof of the net.
Three minutes later, Murray opened his side's account with a header from an Alan Sutherland cross which looped over keeper Scott Lannon to find the net
at the far post.
After their promising start, Bonar retreated into something of a defensive shell and it was no surprise when Thurso's second took arrived on 12 minutes.
Good foraging work by midfielder Phil Makhouli made the killer pass to allow Mark Nichol the chance to stroke the ball beyond Lannon from 12 yards.
Makhouli was again the architect of the third after 20 minutes when he found Murray who beat the advancing keeper with a venomous strike from 16 yards.
That seemed to drain the resistance from the visitors who were struggling to live with the pace and movement of their opponents.
Nichol sent a free header over the bar and Lannon saved well from Makhouli before the keeper was beaten again on the half-hour mark.
Murray's 25 yard shot came back off the base of the post, with Makhouli reacting first to prod home.
Two minutes later, Lannon got in a fankle with a cross and Nichol was able to home in and bag his second of the afternoon.
Shane Sutherland briefly relieved the pressure as he found space through the middle to deliver a 30 yard effort which Michael Gray watched carefully as it flew a foot or two over his bar.
Normal service was resumed with Lee MacDougall setting up Murray in the box, only for Chris Smith to save the day for Bonar with a well-timed block.
Murray's hat-trick was only slightly delayed after he took full advantage of his next chance on 37 minutes to make it 6-0.
A telling through-pass from defender Martin Baker saw the striker elude a despairing tackle before setting his sights on Lannon, whom he beat on his near-side post.
Bonar were to survive the next 38 minutes without incurring further damage.
The game went decidedly into the doldrums with Lannon enjoying a welcome respite and Thurso going into cruise-control mode.
Bonar were unlucky not to get on the score-board a couple of minutes after the restart when Michael Gray showed sharp reflexes in getting a hand to a snap-shot from Morrison.
Tempers became a little frayed after the break and Allan and team-mate Robert MacLeod picked up bookings for a rash tackle and a volley of verbal
abuse respectively.
A fine sweeping move broke Thurso's second half scoring duck with Nichol scorching down the left before sweeping the ball into the box where Murray's first-time lay-off was driven into the net from near the penalty spot by Makhouli.
Lannon was by now back on full alert and he did extremely well to touch a wicked, dipping shot from Nichol over the bar on 77 minutes.
A crisp finish from Murray on 81 minutes made it 8-0 and the scoring was rounded off by a close-range counter from Nichol.
The latter makes it 24 goals from 12 North Caley outings for Nichol -- a return which would make even the fabled German striker Gerd Muller green
with envy.
Thurso's own 'der Bomber' is well on course to land the league's Golden Boot award.
The Vikings head for Helmsdale tomorrow for a league match versus Bunillidh
Thistle.
Jamie MacKenzie is available again after suspension but Shaun Moar remains sidelined with a back injury.
Thurso v Bonar: M. Gray, B. Gray, Warner, Baker (Forbes 67), Makhouli, R.Sutherland, Bremner, A. Sutherland (Bain 63), MacDougall (Adamson 63),
Murray, Nichol.
Ref -- Mr D. Anderson, Melvich.
The top three in the MSIS North Caley League have broken clear in recent weeks with the championship now looking to be a straight three-horse race
involving Alness, Golspie and Thurso.
The Vikings maintained their challenge on Saturday with another thumping win versus one of the league's lesser lights.
A four goal spree in 17 minutes rendered the contest null and void by the interval with thereafter the visitors' main interest being to keep the score in single figures.
Bonar Bridge enjoyed a promising start to their campaign, which included a prized cup victory versus Golspie.
That win was, ironically, to trigger a slump from which they have not emerged.
The recall of two players to Golspie and the less than regular availability of another recruit, ex-Highland league star Billy Ferries, have not helped their cause.
Ferries again had to miss out on Saturday as Bonar set out to try and stem a recent run of defeats.
They certainly bothered the home side early on when they twice came close to taking a shock lead.
Within the first minute, Jamie Morrison capitalised on defensive slackness to play the ball invitingly across goal to Stuart Allan who was just unable to make contact.
After six minutes, home keeper Michael Gray was required to perform a tremendous one-handed save to deny Chris Stone's header from Ian Innes's assist.
In between those efforts, Thurso's Alan Murray gave a hint of what was to come when his angled cross-cum-shot following a corner landed on the roof of the net.
Three minutes later, Murray opened his side's account with a header from an Alan Sutherland cross which looped over keeper Scott Lannon to find the net
at the far post.
After their promising start, Bonar retreated into something of a defensive shell and it was no surprise when Thurso's second took arrived on 12 minutes.
Good foraging work by midfielder Phil Makhouli made the killer pass to allow Mark Nichol the chance to stroke the ball beyond Lannon from 12 yards.
Makhouli was again the architect of the third after 20 minutes when he found Murray who beat the advancing keeper with a venomous strike from 16 yards.
That seemed to drain the resistance from the visitors who were struggling to live with the pace and movement of their opponents.
Nichol sent a free header over the bar and Lannon saved well from Makhouli before the keeper was beaten again on the half-hour mark.
Murray's 25 yard shot came back off the base of the post, with Makhouli reacting first to prod home.
Two minutes later, Lannon got in a fankle with a cross and Nichol was able to home in and bag his second of the afternoon.
Shane Sutherland briefly relieved the pressure as he found space through the middle to deliver a 30 yard effort which Michael Gray watched carefully as it flew a foot or two over his bar.
Normal service was resumed with Lee MacDougall setting up Murray in the box, only for Chris Smith to save the day for Bonar with a well-timed block.
Murray's hat-trick was only slightly delayed after he took full advantage of his next chance on 37 minutes to make it 6-0.
A telling through-pass from defender Martin Baker saw the striker elude a despairing tackle before setting his sights on Lannon, whom he beat on his near-side post.
Bonar were to survive the next 38 minutes without incurring further damage.
The game went decidedly into the doldrums with Lannon enjoying a welcome respite and Thurso going into cruise-control mode.
Bonar were unlucky not to get on the score-board a couple of minutes after the restart when Michael Gray showed sharp reflexes in getting a hand to a snap-shot from Morrison.
Tempers became a little frayed after the break and Allan and team-mate Robert MacLeod picked up bookings for a rash tackle and a volley of verbal
abuse respectively.
A fine sweeping move broke Thurso's second half scoring duck with Nichol scorching down the left before sweeping the ball into the box where Murray's first-time lay-off was driven into the net from near the penalty spot by Makhouli.
Lannon was by now back on full alert and he did extremely well to touch a wicked, dipping shot from Nichol over the bar on 77 minutes.
A crisp finish from Murray on 81 minutes made it 8-0 and the scoring was rounded off by a close-range counter from Nichol.
The latter makes it 24 goals from 12 North Caley outings for Nichol -- a return which would make even the fabled German striker Gerd Muller green
with envy.
Thurso's own 'der Bomber' is well on course to land the league's Golden Boot award.
The Vikings head for Helmsdale tomorrow for a league match versus Bunillidh
Thistle.
Jamie MacKenzie is available again after suspension but Shaun Moar remains sidelined with a back injury.
Thurso v Bonar: M. Gray, B. Gray, Warner, Baker (Forbes 67), Makhouli, R.Sutherland, Bremner, A. Sutherland (Bain 63), MacDougall (Adamson 63),
Murray, Nichol.
Ref -- Mr D. Anderson, Melvich.