Thurso vs Clach [9-0]

Alan Sinclair celebrates scoring Thurso's 4th goal

Sandy Sutherland congratulates Graham MacNab on scoring a hat-trick

James Murray weaves his way through the Clach defence

Ref Graham John books Clach goalie Kyle Robertson for a tackle on James Murray

Clach's Kyle Robertson watches a shot slip past his post

Sandy Sutherland shoots

David Cowie celebrates scoring

Lee Elder fires in a cross

Sandy Sutherland fires a shot on goal

Lee Elder celebrates with the dugout after scoring

Thurso beat Clach 9-0 in a league match at the Dammies this afternoon. I arrived at 1.30pm only to find out that the kick-off was at 1pm. Quite a few others did the same.  The score was 3-0 when I arrived. Alan Sinclair scored the 4th just before half-time.

Thurso had 6 different scorers. Graham MacNab scored a hat-trick, Sandy Sutherland got two and Sean Stewart, Lee Elder, David Cowie and Alan Sinclair all got one each. In the 2nd half, it seemed that every shot hit the back of the net - it was one of those days when everything clicked in front of goal. Thurso hit the woodwork a few times and the score could have been in double figures.

Clach had some players from their first team as the Clach Highland League game was postponed, but despite a bright start the Inverness side fell apart.

Halkirk Utd had no game. Wick Academy beat Buckie Thistle 7-0 in Buckie and move back on top of the league as Cove Rangers drew 2-2 with Brora. It was Wick's biggest away win. Richard MacAdie scored 5 and it is the first time a Wick player has scored so many in a Highland League game. Stevie Cunningham and Luckasz Geruzel scored the other 2. Richard has now scored over 100 goals for Academy.

I think Caithness RFC's game away to Mackie Academy was postponed.

Caithness RFC vs Hillfoots

Grant Anderson on the attack

One of the smartest strips in Scotland?

The scrum lock horns

Roddy Gray celebrates before going over the line!

Roddy Gray touches down

Captain Stevie Campbell kicks another 2 points

Stevie Campbell squeezes past 3 defenders to score

Stevie Campbell scores

Stevie Campbell on his way to scoring another try

James Sinclair gets caught

The team show off their moustaches for Movember

Caithness RFC avenged their early season loss to Hillfoots by winning 58-10 at Millbank today.  It was 27-0 at half-time and I caught most of the 2nd half. It didn't snow or hail during the 2nd period, but it was very dark as the black clouds rolled over the town.

Captain Stevie Campbell was the Dounreay Communities Fund "man of the match".

The next league home match is on 12 January 2013. The annual match vs the Exiles is on Boxing Day.

Halkirk Utd vs Thurso

Halkirk keeper Gordon Clark saves a shot from James Murray

Halkirk's Sean Munro with a perfect sliding tackle, denies Graham MacNab

Halkirk striker Murray MacKintosh takes on Thurso's Alan Sinclair

Halkirk's Martin Sutherland chips over Graeme Williamson to score, but it was ruled out for offside

Martin Sutherland takes on Thurso's David Cowie

Sandy Sutherland scores the third goal

Stuart Florence sliding through the snow

James Murray scores the 4th with a penalty straight down the middle

Alan Hughes stops Thurso's Graham MacNab

Thurso beat Halkirk 5-0 today in the cup semi-final at the Recreation Park, Halkirk.  The pitch had a scattered and patchy layer of snow, but was just playable. There were lots of snow and hail showers throughout the match. I had 5 layers of clothing, 3 pairs of socks, waterproofs, hat, gloves and scarf!

Sean Stewart opened the scoring early on and then Thurso missed a penalty. Thurso had some good chances, but couldn't find a way past Gordon Clark and his resolute defence. It was 1-0 at half-time.

Halkirk had some good pressure early in the 2nd half and full back Martin Sutherland thought he had equalised after chipping over Graeme Williamson. However, it was ruled off-side and it seemed a harsh decision.

James Murray had an easy tap in after Gordon Clark parried a strong low shot and James was first to react in the slippy conditions. Sandy Sutherland scored the 3rd with a shot that Gordon Clark got a strong hand to, but it just fell under the bar. James Murray scord the 4th from the penalty spot, after being tripped in the box by Sean Munro. I left with 10 mins to go and Thurso just scored the 5th as I was leaving (to go to the Caithness rugby match in Thurso).

There was a lot of the Wick Academy players in the crowd - as their game was postponed.

Thurso FC B&W drawings

James Murray

Sandy Sutherland

Marc MacGregor

James Murray

I played around with Photoshop to create black and white drawings of the Thurso players in action against last week's opponents Alness Utd. I have previously done this for some of my car shoots, but it is the first time for action pics.

Thurso vs Alness Utd

Kyle Ross wins a header

David Cowie beats the left back

Sandy Sutherland scores the first

James Murray

Sandy Sutherland scores the second

Sandy celebrates his 2nd

Marc MacGregor shoots

Marc MacGregor battles for the ball

Graham MacNab

Sandy Sutherland

Marc MacGregor wins a header

James Murray scores the 4th

Evan Murray shoots

Thurso beat Alness Utd 4-0 to stay top of the league. Sandy Sutherland scored a quick double early on - he was unmarked in the box for both and shot low into the corner. Marc MacGregor scored the third when he was unmarked at the back post. James Murray scored the 4th just before half-time, by nipping in front of a defender to flick the ball into the net.

Halkirk Utd lost 6-1 away to Golspie, who stay just 3 points behind Thurso.

Wick Academy lost 3-1 away to Cove Rangers. Davie Allan scored the equaliser and it was 1-1 at half-time. Wick drop to 2nd in the league, one point behind Cove.

Caithness RFC did not have a game today.