Range Rover Evoque

A sporty Range Rover Evoque taken at a local Caithness stone quarry using two off-camera flashes.

Caithness Strongman 2012

Ryan MacIntosh

Jason McKenna

Stuart Ramsay

Duncan Carruthers

Darren Wright

Doreen MacLeod, Thurso Town Improvements Association (organisers) and Liz Armitage, Caithness Free Range Eggs (Sponsors) with winner Ryan MacIntosh

The Caithness Strongman event was held as part of Thurso's Diamond Jubilee celebrations today at Thurso Harbour. Five competitors entered and battled it out over six gruelling events in two hours.

In between sunshine and showers a crowd of around 300 watched Ryan MacIntosh win the trophy. Duncan Carruthers was second, Darren Wright 3rd, Stuart Ramsay 4th and Jason McKenna 5th.

Castletown v Wick Groats

Castletown lost to Wick Groats 2-1 tonight in Castletown. I had to leave with 20 mins to go and it was still 0-0! Castletown scored first - the first goal that Groats have conceded in 13 games and only the second in 17 games (must be a record somewhere).

Castletown have lost 5 players to long term injury and top striker Chris Sutherland has left to play for Thurso Swifts. They have had to bring in 8 new players for the season, but it didn't show tonight. I was very impressed with the work rate and passing game - only their final pass let them down. It was a pretty even first half with the best effort on goal coming from Castletown with a freekick that Graeme Williamson had to tip over the bar.

Groats were very much in control in the second half and missed a hatful of chances. The strength of the squad was shown when the two subs that came on were Sandy Sutherland and Grant MacNab.

Other scores tonight;

Acks 0 - 1 Halkirk
Thistle 1 -7 Pentland Utd (Lukas Geruzel scored 4)
John O'Groats 5 - 0 Staxigoe Utd

Pentland Utd vs Kyleakin

Pentland Utd beat Kyleakin 5-0 in the Highland Amateur cup today in Dunnet. James Murray scored 3, Tony Miller 1 and Tony Farquhar 1. Top scorer Lukas Geruzel didn't score, but his thunderbolt from the edge of the box was the hardest strike anyone has seen in Caithness. The keeper saved it only because the  shot was straight at him - the force knocked the keeper back 10 feet and onto the ground. Tony Miller followed up and had the simple job of heading into the empty net as the keeper struggled to recover.

Tony Farquhar and Andy MacKay were trialists for Pentland Utd.

Scam e-mails from my account

If you have received an e-mail from me in the last 2 days entitled "HELLO" please delete it. It is a virus e-mail. If you did open it you will need to do a full security scan. The McAfee security programme does not find it and it has been recommended that the anti-virus programme malwarebytes is used. It found 6 dodgy files on my computer, so hopefully that is it sorted. It is available free to download from the internet.

Microsoft also have a free anti-virus programme: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows/products/security-essentials

Caithness Utd U15s v Orkney

The victorious Orkney U15s team and coaches

Former Louisburgh Utd players present the Louisburgh cup to the Orkney captain



Robert Carson of Babcock Pensions Office donates a new kit to Caithness Utd coach Alan Turner

Russell MacKenzie hands over a £300 cheque from the Scott MacKenzie Memorial Fund

Caithness Utd U15s lost 4-3 to Orkney after extra time in Castletown today.  Caithness went 2-0 up and Orkney snatched one back just before half-time. Orkney went 3-2 ahead and Caithness got a late equaliser to send the match into 20 mins of extra time. The 26 degree heat made it a tough match for the youngsters. The Louisburgh Utd cup (in memory of Robin and Billy Green) was presented by James Durrand and three other former players of the now defunct Wick team.

Acks vs Halkirk

Thurso Acks beat Halkirk 3-2 after extra time tonight at the Dammies - in the first round of the Eann MacKintosh cup.

Halkirk went 1-0 up after 10 mins (Mark Munro) and were in control for the first half, but there were no real chances.  Acks equalised a few minutes into the 2nd half when the Halkirk defence fell asleep at a quickly taken free kick. It was a pretty even 2nd half and Acks scored with a penalty in 85 mins. A defender pulled a shirt in the box to stop a clear scoring opportunity. David Blackwood was sent off for protesting too much. Halkirk went up the pitch and Paul MacKay equalised with a bullet of a shot from the edge of the box.

I had to leave during the first half of extra time, so missed the winning goal.