Post by Brian Mackay on Apr 28, 2007 11:23:33 GMT
Rovers take derby honours but 'Galacticos' lead the way
By Iain Grant
Published: 27 April, 2007
ROVERS took the honours in the first Wick derby of the County League first division campaign at the Harmsworth Park on Wednesday.
They were very much under the cosh for the opening 25 minutes against a Thistle outfit determined to avenge their 3-2 defeat to Halkirk on Monday.
Rovers got the rub of the green after 11 minutes when Terry Cannop hit a post with an angled effort. Sanders Harper's men had to wait until 27 minutes for their first effort on goal when Colin Sinclair's effort was well saved by Graeme Williamson.
Thistle were then hit by a double body-blow. On the half-hour mark, Bryan McKiddie's corner produced a header from John Harper which bulleted into the net. Three minutes later, Sinclair's free kick was converted by Stevie Reid's back-flick.
Thistle got back into the game after 57 minutes when Chris Gunn fired home Scott Mackenzie's free kick. Rovers had to wait until injury time to make sure of victory when Paul MacDonald scored from close range.
Swifts' close-season activity, which has seen them recruit a host of players with Highland League experience, has had them dubbed Thurso's Galacticos.
They have got their campaign off to a barnstorming start with runaway wins against town rivals Pentland and Acks.
Stevie Reid's men made it a nightmare return to the top flight for last year's second division champions Pentland, who went down 10-0.
Mark Nichol put Swifts in front and grabbed a second from the penalty spot after Des Mac-Leod had been floored in the box by Phil Mak-houli. A MacLeod strike in between Jamie MacKenzie's double made it five before the break.
Nichol went on to complete his hat-trick, with the other goals coming from MacLeod, John Holmes, Graeme Reid and Nigel MacKenzie.
Acks competed well in the first half against Swifts, who led by a headed goal from that man Nichol. However, Murray Coghill's men came a cropper with defensive lapses allowing Nichol to set up Willie Steven with a point-blank header and then grab his second from close range.
Veteran Steven notched a second with another header before Nigel MacKenzie weighed in with a fifth. Acks got one back right on time with a deflected header from youngster Steven Miller.
A controversial late winner allowed Halkirk to return with all three points from their trip to play Wick Thistle.
It had looked bleak for the Jags when they conceded goals either side of the break. Michael Bremner scored his first on his return to the village side with an 18-yard effort which deceived Graeme Williamson.
The second was created by Lee Elder, whose centre was converted by Graham Gunn.
Williamson made a decent stop from Stevie Elder before Thistle got one back when Cannop latched onto a long through ball before slotting home from the edge of the box.
John Farquhar levelled with a less-than-convincing strike which bobbled over the grasp of visiting keeper Stuart MacCulloch.
Thistle were aggrieved in the build-up to Halkirk's 86th-minute winner when Johnnie Mackay appeared to impede Williamson as the keeper rose for a cross. Russell Bain pounced to stab the loose ball into the back of the net.
Champions Pentland United made it two wins out of two with a comfortable 3-0 home victory over Acks on Wednesday. Two goals in the opening five minutes had them on easy street, with Grant Budge grabbing a second-half counter.
John O'Groats had a 3-1 win at home to Thurso Pentland on Wednesday.
The village outfit made a strong start and Sean Henstridge set up Martin Sinclair for a sixth-minute tap-in. After 25 minutes, Stuart Sinclair (the elder) did the donkey-work for another easy finish for Martin Sinclair.
In between the goals, Pentland's Despy Mackay rattled the woodwork with a cracker of a free kick.
The Thurso men conceded again 10 minutes after the turnaround when Henstridge fed Derek Munro, who netted from close in. Pentland staged a brave late fightback and got some reward when Iain Rosie put through his own goal in some style after miscuing an attempted clearance from a corner.
Wick Groats have established themselves as firm favourites to win the second division. Player/manager Stewart Ross is in charge of their bid to put behind them the heartache of their photo-finish relegation last year.
They romped to a 10-0 victory in their first outing of the season – away to Ashes. There was a hat-trick of hat-tricks by Sandy Sutherland, Derek Shearer and Kyle Ross, with Mark Shepherd getting the other.
Groats followed that up on Tuesday with a 4-0 victory in Keiss.
Martin Sutherland fired them ahead before the turnaround, with a Kevin Miller double killing off the contest midway through the second period. The youthful village side battled to the end, with Grant MacNab and Gordon Rosie seeing efforts come back off the crossbar before Shepherd netted Groats' fourth late on.
Ashes showed resilience in putting the drubbing by Groats behind them in recording a derby win over Top Joe's on Wednesday.
Willie Miller fired them in front from the penalty spot and Dougie Mackay doubled the advantage early in the second half.
Top Joe's got one back through Kevin Cowie but Ashes struck again to seal a 3-1 victory.
* Results – County League, Division One: Acks 1, Swifts 5; John O'Groats 3, Thurso Pentland 1; Pentland United 3, Acks 0; Wick Rovers 3, Wick Thistle 1; Swifts 10, Thurso Pentland 0; Wick Thistle 2, Halkirk 3.
Division Two: Ashes 0, Wick Groats 10; Keiss 0, Wick Groats 4; Top Joe's 1, Ashes 3.
* Fixtures: Tonight (7.00) – County League, Division One: Thurso Pentland v Pentland United.
Saturday (3.00) – MacLeod IFA Highland Amateur Cup, preliminary round replay: Keiss v Lairg Rovers.
Monday (7.00) – Division One: Acks v Thurso Pentland; Halkirk v John O'Groats; Wick Thistle v Swifts.
Wednesday (7.00) – Division One: Castletown v Pentland United. Division Two: FSC v Ashes; Lybster v Wick Groats.
Thursday (7.00) – Division One: Swifts v Rovers. Division Two: Keiss v Top Joe's.
* Home clubs are reminded that results and scorers should be phoned to Iain Grant (01847 892722) on the evening of the match.
By Iain Grant
Published: 27 April, 2007
ROVERS took the honours in the first Wick derby of the County League first division campaign at the Harmsworth Park on Wednesday.
They were very much under the cosh for the opening 25 minutes against a Thistle outfit determined to avenge their 3-2 defeat to Halkirk on Monday.
Rovers got the rub of the green after 11 minutes when Terry Cannop hit a post with an angled effort. Sanders Harper's men had to wait until 27 minutes for their first effort on goal when Colin Sinclair's effort was well saved by Graeme Williamson.
Thistle were then hit by a double body-blow. On the half-hour mark, Bryan McKiddie's corner produced a header from John Harper which bulleted into the net. Three minutes later, Sinclair's free kick was converted by Stevie Reid's back-flick.
Thistle got back into the game after 57 minutes when Chris Gunn fired home Scott Mackenzie's free kick. Rovers had to wait until injury time to make sure of victory when Paul MacDonald scored from close range.
Swifts' close-season activity, which has seen them recruit a host of players with Highland League experience, has had them dubbed Thurso's Galacticos.
They have got their campaign off to a barnstorming start with runaway wins against town rivals Pentland and Acks.
Stevie Reid's men made it a nightmare return to the top flight for last year's second division champions Pentland, who went down 10-0.
Mark Nichol put Swifts in front and grabbed a second from the penalty spot after Des Mac-Leod had been floored in the box by Phil Mak-houli. A MacLeod strike in between Jamie MacKenzie's double made it five before the break.
Nichol went on to complete his hat-trick, with the other goals coming from MacLeod, John Holmes, Graeme Reid and Nigel MacKenzie.
Acks competed well in the first half against Swifts, who led by a headed goal from that man Nichol. However, Murray Coghill's men came a cropper with defensive lapses allowing Nichol to set up Willie Steven with a point-blank header and then grab his second from close range.
Veteran Steven notched a second with another header before Nigel MacKenzie weighed in with a fifth. Acks got one back right on time with a deflected header from youngster Steven Miller.
A controversial late winner allowed Halkirk to return with all three points from their trip to play Wick Thistle.
It had looked bleak for the Jags when they conceded goals either side of the break. Michael Bremner scored his first on his return to the village side with an 18-yard effort which deceived Graeme Williamson.
The second was created by Lee Elder, whose centre was converted by Graham Gunn.
Williamson made a decent stop from Stevie Elder before Thistle got one back when Cannop latched onto a long through ball before slotting home from the edge of the box.
John Farquhar levelled with a less-than-convincing strike which bobbled over the grasp of visiting keeper Stuart MacCulloch.
Thistle were aggrieved in the build-up to Halkirk's 86th-minute winner when Johnnie Mackay appeared to impede Williamson as the keeper rose for a cross. Russell Bain pounced to stab the loose ball into the back of the net.
Champions Pentland United made it two wins out of two with a comfortable 3-0 home victory over Acks on Wednesday. Two goals in the opening five minutes had them on easy street, with Grant Budge grabbing a second-half counter.
John O'Groats had a 3-1 win at home to Thurso Pentland on Wednesday.
The village outfit made a strong start and Sean Henstridge set up Martin Sinclair for a sixth-minute tap-in. After 25 minutes, Stuart Sinclair (the elder) did the donkey-work for another easy finish for Martin Sinclair.
In between the goals, Pentland's Despy Mackay rattled the woodwork with a cracker of a free kick.
The Thurso men conceded again 10 minutes after the turnaround when Henstridge fed Derek Munro, who netted from close in. Pentland staged a brave late fightback and got some reward when Iain Rosie put through his own goal in some style after miscuing an attempted clearance from a corner.
Wick Groats have established themselves as firm favourites to win the second division. Player/manager Stewart Ross is in charge of their bid to put behind them the heartache of their photo-finish relegation last year.
They romped to a 10-0 victory in their first outing of the season – away to Ashes. There was a hat-trick of hat-tricks by Sandy Sutherland, Derek Shearer and Kyle Ross, with Mark Shepherd getting the other.
Groats followed that up on Tuesday with a 4-0 victory in Keiss.
Martin Sutherland fired them ahead before the turnaround, with a Kevin Miller double killing off the contest midway through the second period. The youthful village side battled to the end, with Grant MacNab and Gordon Rosie seeing efforts come back off the crossbar before Shepherd netted Groats' fourth late on.
Ashes showed resilience in putting the drubbing by Groats behind them in recording a derby win over Top Joe's on Wednesday.
Willie Miller fired them in front from the penalty spot and Dougie Mackay doubled the advantage early in the second half.
Top Joe's got one back through Kevin Cowie but Ashes struck again to seal a 3-1 victory.
* Results – County League, Division One: Acks 1, Swifts 5; John O'Groats 3, Thurso Pentland 1; Pentland United 3, Acks 0; Wick Rovers 3, Wick Thistle 1; Swifts 10, Thurso Pentland 0; Wick Thistle 2, Halkirk 3.
Division Two: Ashes 0, Wick Groats 10; Keiss 0, Wick Groats 4; Top Joe's 1, Ashes 3.
* Fixtures: Tonight (7.00) – County League, Division One: Thurso Pentland v Pentland United.
Saturday (3.00) – MacLeod IFA Highland Amateur Cup, preliminary round replay: Keiss v Lairg Rovers.
Monday (7.00) – Division One: Acks v Thurso Pentland; Halkirk v John O'Groats; Wick Thistle v Swifts.
Wednesday (7.00) – Division One: Castletown v Pentland United. Division Two: FSC v Ashes; Lybster v Wick Groats.
Thursday (7.00) – Division One: Swifts v Rovers. Division Two: Keiss v Top Joe's.
* Home clubs are reminded that results and scorers should be phoned to Iain Grant (01847 892722) on the evening of the match.