Post by Brian Mackay on Jul 30, 2006 10:04:34 GMT
Shield shock for holders as Rovers march into semis
By Iain Grant
Published: 28 July, 2006
JUST five teams have won the David Allan Shield since it was inaugurated 20 years ago in memory of the popular Thurso hotelier. Three clubs are in the hunt to join that exclusive band as they prepare for next week’s conclusion to the second of the county’s two all-in knockout trophies.
The exception is Halkirk, though none of their current players were involved when they won the trophy in 1989. The semis take place on Monday, with the final staged at Castletown a week tomorrow.
The holders Pentland United sensationally crashed out 3-0 on their home turf to a less-than-full-strength Wick Rovers side.
United’s bid to extend their three-year tenure of the shield was not helped by the red-carding of keeper Michael Gray three minutes from the interval. But their hopes were dashed mainly due to coming up against hard-working, spirited opponents who have now won six games on the trot.
With regular strikers Stevie Reid, Lee Lyall and Dean Salim all out, Rovers manager Sanders Harper’s enforced fielding of Bryan McKiddie up front proved a masterstroke.
The youngster played out of his skin and was heavily involved in the first two goals.
Rovers stunned the home crowd when they drew in front after three minutes when McKiddie latched on to a long clearance from keeper Kevin McGee.
He raced clear down a wing and teed up Andrew Weir to net from just inside the six-yard box.
The same combination should have produced a second after 28 minutes when Chris MacLeod’s through ball found
young McKiddie in acres of space.
He ran on and rounded keeper Michael Gray before squaring to Weir, whose shot cracked off the outside of a post.
There was a flashpoint on 42 minutes when
Colin Sinclair raced through on goal and went down on the edge of the penalty box under a challenge from Michael Gray. The referee John Arrowsmith had no hesitation in pointing to the spot showing the red card to the keeper.
Sinclair took responsibility for the kick but saw his attempt brilliantly turned away by Brian Gray, who had donned the keeper’s gloves.
Rovers, however, still managed to double their lead before the turnaround when McKiddie set up Sinclair, who netted with a deflected shot in time added on.
United sent on Mark Nichol after the break to bolster their goal threat and the striker, who has been missing after an eye operation, was soon in the thick of the action.
United pressed hard to keep their hopes of a county treble alive, with Nichol and Willie Inrig both going very close.
McGee’s goal stayed intact and his side added a third three minutes from time when Sinclair played in Paul MacDonald to net with a delicate lob over Brian Gray.
Rovers now travel to Keiss, who booked their semi-final spot after a battle royal on their own patch versus Top Joe’s.
The topsy-turvy contest saw the village outfit battle back from 2-0 and 3-1 down to finish level before prevailing in a penalty shoot-out.
TJ’s had a barnstorming start, stealing possession from the kick-off with Nicky Cowie sent clear to bang in the opener. Within a couple of minutes, Ranald Mackay stunned Keiss when he fired in a second.
The villagers regrouped, with young striker Grant MacNab having three clear openings.
The first proved abortive when his claim for a penalty ended with him being booked for simulation. He spurned the second with a shot straight at the keeper but he made no mistake with the third on the hour mark.
Five minutes later, Cowie restored his side’s two-goal advantage with a crisp back-post finish from a corner.
Keiss stepped up a gear after the interval, with James Cormack having a goal disallowed for handball and seeing a penalty appeal turned down.
Grant MacNab then struck before Cormack equalised with 10 minutes remaining after he got the final touch to a sweeping move.
TJs were under the greater pressure in extra time but, with their defence well marshalled by the impressive Graham Lowe, they held out.
The Thurso side had progressed via a shoot-out in the last round but they misfired this time with Graham MacNab sinking the last spot-kick to see Keiss home 4-2.
Halkirk’s super-charged finish to the campaign continued on Monday when they hit five at the Dammies against Swifts.
Stevie Reid’s men could have no complaints as the village outfit capitalised on a whizz-bang start to power to victory.
Lee Elder seized on a first-minute error from Peter MacDonald to net the opener.
It was 2-0 after eight minutes when Elder and Shane Sutherland combined to set up Stevie Campbell for the second.
Swifts occasionally threatened on the break and got one back just before the interval with a header from central defender Blair McIntosh after visiting keeper
Stuart MacCulloch had missed a cross.
Halkirk deservedly restored their two-goal advantage just after the turnaround thanks to a pinpoint free kick from Paul Lockhart.
There were a couple of half-chances at each end before Halkirk sealed their passage through when Graham Gunn raced on to a Johnnie Mackay flick to shoot past the outrushing Ian Begg.
Campbell, a commanding presence in the centre of the park, completed the scoring late on when he ran clear and cracked a fierce, rising shot past Begg.
Halkirk’s next opponents are John O’Groats who got through by the odd goal in seven after a titanic tussle at the Upper Bignold versus Wick Thistle.
The Jags raced into a two-goal lead and they remained in charge until Stuart Sinclair (the elder) grabbed a last-minute equaliser to send the match into extra time.
The opener came early on when visiting keeper Shaun Henderson made a hash of an attempted clearance punch and Andy Richardson had the easy task of heading into the unattended net.
The second came when Sandy Sutherland raced down the left and saw his shot go in off a post.
John O’Groats’ best attempt came from a Martin Sinclair effort which produced a point-blank stop from Graham Williamson.
The villagers opened their account after 65 minutes when Derek Munro’s centre was met by a diving header from Sean Henstridge.
That was the way it stood until Stuart Sinclair outfoxed the would-be offside trap to run through and score from close range.
John O’Groats were first to draw blood in extra time, with Kevin Swanson netting with a shot from the edge of the box.
After the second turnaround, Thistle levelled through Andrew Falconer.
A torrid finale saw a free kick from Thistle’s Gordie Reid crack back off a post before Henstridge grabbed the winner after finishing off a quick-fire raid.
By Iain Grant
Published: 28 July, 2006
JUST five teams have won the David Allan Shield since it was inaugurated 20 years ago in memory of the popular Thurso hotelier. Three clubs are in the hunt to join that exclusive band as they prepare for next week’s conclusion to the second of the county’s two all-in knockout trophies.
The exception is Halkirk, though none of their current players were involved when they won the trophy in 1989. The semis take place on Monday, with the final staged at Castletown a week tomorrow.
The holders Pentland United sensationally crashed out 3-0 on their home turf to a less-than-full-strength Wick Rovers side.
United’s bid to extend their three-year tenure of the shield was not helped by the red-carding of keeper Michael Gray three minutes from the interval. But their hopes were dashed mainly due to coming up against hard-working, spirited opponents who have now won six games on the trot.
With regular strikers Stevie Reid, Lee Lyall and Dean Salim all out, Rovers manager Sanders Harper’s enforced fielding of Bryan McKiddie up front proved a masterstroke.
The youngster played out of his skin and was heavily involved in the first two goals.
Rovers stunned the home crowd when they drew in front after three minutes when McKiddie latched on to a long clearance from keeper Kevin McGee.
He raced clear down a wing and teed up Andrew Weir to net from just inside the six-yard box.
The same combination should have produced a second after 28 minutes when Chris MacLeod’s through ball found
young McKiddie in acres of space.
He ran on and rounded keeper Michael Gray before squaring to Weir, whose shot cracked off the outside of a post.
There was a flashpoint on 42 minutes when
Colin Sinclair raced through on goal and went down on the edge of the penalty box under a challenge from Michael Gray. The referee John Arrowsmith had no hesitation in pointing to the spot showing the red card to the keeper.
Sinclair took responsibility for the kick but saw his attempt brilliantly turned away by Brian Gray, who had donned the keeper’s gloves.
Rovers, however, still managed to double their lead before the turnaround when McKiddie set up Sinclair, who netted with a deflected shot in time added on.
United sent on Mark Nichol after the break to bolster their goal threat and the striker, who has been missing after an eye operation, was soon in the thick of the action.
United pressed hard to keep their hopes of a county treble alive, with Nichol and Willie Inrig both going very close.
McGee’s goal stayed intact and his side added a third three minutes from time when Sinclair played in Paul MacDonald to net with a delicate lob over Brian Gray.
Rovers now travel to Keiss, who booked their semi-final spot after a battle royal on their own patch versus Top Joe’s.
The topsy-turvy contest saw the village outfit battle back from 2-0 and 3-1 down to finish level before prevailing in a penalty shoot-out.
TJ’s had a barnstorming start, stealing possession from the kick-off with Nicky Cowie sent clear to bang in the opener. Within a couple of minutes, Ranald Mackay stunned Keiss when he fired in a second.
The villagers regrouped, with young striker Grant MacNab having three clear openings.
The first proved abortive when his claim for a penalty ended with him being booked for simulation. He spurned the second with a shot straight at the keeper but he made no mistake with the third on the hour mark.
Five minutes later, Cowie restored his side’s two-goal advantage with a crisp back-post finish from a corner.
Keiss stepped up a gear after the interval, with James Cormack having a goal disallowed for handball and seeing a penalty appeal turned down.
Grant MacNab then struck before Cormack equalised with 10 minutes remaining after he got the final touch to a sweeping move.
TJs were under the greater pressure in extra time but, with their defence well marshalled by the impressive Graham Lowe, they held out.
The Thurso side had progressed via a shoot-out in the last round but they misfired this time with Graham MacNab sinking the last spot-kick to see Keiss home 4-2.
Halkirk’s super-charged finish to the campaign continued on Monday when they hit five at the Dammies against Swifts.
Stevie Reid’s men could have no complaints as the village outfit capitalised on a whizz-bang start to power to victory.
Lee Elder seized on a first-minute error from Peter MacDonald to net the opener.
It was 2-0 after eight minutes when Elder and Shane Sutherland combined to set up Stevie Campbell for the second.
Swifts occasionally threatened on the break and got one back just before the interval with a header from central defender Blair McIntosh after visiting keeper
Stuart MacCulloch had missed a cross.
Halkirk deservedly restored their two-goal advantage just after the turnaround thanks to a pinpoint free kick from Paul Lockhart.
There were a couple of half-chances at each end before Halkirk sealed their passage through when Graham Gunn raced on to a Johnnie Mackay flick to shoot past the outrushing Ian Begg.
Campbell, a commanding presence in the centre of the park, completed the scoring late on when he ran clear and cracked a fierce, rising shot past Begg.
Halkirk’s next opponents are John O’Groats who got through by the odd goal in seven after a titanic tussle at the Upper Bignold versus Wick Thistle.
The Jags raced into a two-goal lead and they remained in charge until Stuart Sinclair (the elder) grabbed a last-minute equaliser to send the match into extra time.
The opener came early on when visiting keeper Shaun Henderson made a hash of an attempted clearance punch and Andy Richardson had the easy task of heading into the unattended net.
The second came when Sandy Sutherland raced down the left and saw his shot go in off a post.
John O’Groats’ best attempt came from a Martin Sinclair effort which produced a point-blank stop from Graham Williamson.
The villagers opened their account after 65 minutes when Derek Munro’s centre was met by a diving header from Sean Henstridge.
That was the way it stood until Stuart Sinclair outfoxed the would-be offside trap to run through and score from close range.
John O’Groats were first to draw blood in extra time, with Kevin Swanson netting with a shot from the edge of the box.
After the second turnaround, Thistle levelled through Andrew Falconer.
A torrid finale saw a free kick from Thistle’s Gordie Reid crack back off a post before Henstridge grabbed the winner after finishing off a quick-fire raid.