Thurso Swifts vs Thurso Pentland (6-3)

The local derby between Thurso Swifts and Thurso Pentland ended in a 6-3 win for Swifts. I arrived
midway through the first half and it was 1-1. Pentland trialist Gareth Orr made it 2-1 with a cracking shot from a tight angle. Nigel MacKenzie equalised within 1 minute when a poor clearance gifted him an easy shot from 6 yards. Half-time 2-2.

Swifts scored at the restart from the penalty spot. James MacLean scored 2 mins later with a bullet of a header from a fast paced cross. Ciaran Duffy scored 1 min later with a simple tap in from a corner ball.

I had to leave after 20 mins of the 2nd half. Duffy scored 3, Nigel, Steven Morris and Willie Inrig all got 1. Michael Smith got Pentland's first goal.

Other scores:

Halkirk 2-5 Wick Groats
John O'Groats 1-5 Pentland Utd
Staxigoe Utd 1-2 Acks
Francis St Club 1-5 Lybster

Vintage vehicle rally at John O'Groats

The Caithness & Sutherland Vintage & Classic Vehicle Club held their annual rally at John O'Groats today. The weather was dull and cool, but it stayed dry for a change. There were over 120 entries and a large crowd filled the park. The entries ranged from a 1902 Panhard Levassor to a 2004 Ferrari.

Thurso Acks vs John O'Groats (3-2)

Jack Halliday battles his way through

Acks striker Murray Mackintosh tries to outpace James Harris

An unmarked Paul Wares heads his side into a 2-1 lead

Jimmy Budge fires a shot over the bar

Jimmy Budge with a spectacular volley

Stuart W Sinclair shields the ball from Scott Bell and Steven Sinclair

Marc MacGregor squeezes the ball into the net past two defenders

Acks goalie Neal Clark saves a shot from Marc MacGregor

Murray Mackintosh watches his freekick just go wide

Thurso Acks beat John O'Groats 3-2 at the Dammies last night in a cracking match. It was a good advert for Caithness summer football with sunny weather, good competitive action, great goals and no aggro.

JOG opened the scoring early in the first half, against the run of play, with a blistering shot by Jimmy Budge from 20 yards. Acks equalised with a short corner played to Steven Sinclair. Everyone was expecting a  cross, including me, but Steven blasted a low shot into the corner for a cracking goal.

Acks took the lead late in the first half. Some good play to the line resulted in a chip over the goalie and defenders to the head of Paul Wares at the back post. He had a simple job of nodding the ball in the unguarded net.

Half-time 2-1 to Acks. JOG equalised early in the 2nd half when the ball bounced around the six yard box and it hit Marc MacGregor last of all and somehow the ball squeezed past two defenders on the line.  Acks came roaring back and mid-way through the half, Paul Wares broke free to smash a cracking volley in off the bar.

The last 20 mins was end-to-end stuff, but no more goals. JOG remain league leaders, but if Wick Groats beat Thurso Pentland tonight, they will be in top spot by a point.

Other scores:

Pentland Utd 5-0 Halkirk
Staxigoe Utd 3-0 Swifts

The league table can be seen on the CAFA website:

http://www.caithnessafa.co.uk/

Pentland Utd vs Wick Thistle in Highland Amateur Cup (5-0)

Pentland Utd beat Wick Thistle 5-0 in the Highland Amateur cup today at Ham Park. I caught the 2nd half only and it was already 5-0. Utd had 8 players missing from the starting line up and it shows the depth of the squad they have.

The Stabbies eased off in the second half, but still hit the bar and the post, had a goal ruled out for offside, hit a few just wide and the Thistle Goalie had some good saves. Thistle's centre half, Alan McGee was sent off late in the game for two yellow cards.

The Cup scores were:

Avoch 3 v Carloway 2 at Culbokie
Lybster Pheonix 2 v Westside 3 at Invergordon
Kirkwall Rovers 1 v Thurso Academicals 2
Staxigoe United 4 v Lochs 2 at Muir of Ord
Iochdar Saints 0 v Kirkwall Thorfinn 2 at Alness
Golspie Stafford 5 v John O'Groats 1 (A.E.T)
Maryburgh 0 v Wick Groats 5
 
The quarter-final draw on 22nd June is:

A. Kirkwall Thorfinn v Westside
B. Golspie Stafford v Staxigoe United
C. Wick Groats v Avoch
D. Thurso Acks v Pentland United

Semi Finals - Dates and venues to be confirmed once teams known
Semi 1 - Winners D v Winners A
Semi 2 - Winners C v Winners B

 

Halkirk v Thurso Acks (3-2)

Gordon Clark was nearly caught out with a bouncing ball

Kuba Koziol and Gavin Bremner

Ian Miller saves from Kuba Koziol

Stevie Campbell with an overhead kick clearance

Kuba and Matthew MacKay

Matthew MacKay

Graham Bremner with a flying volley that was saved

Stevie Campbell (2nd left) is congratulated after his wonder goal to make it 2-1

Halkirk beat Thurso Acks 3-2 in a volatile match in Halkirk last night. The village side scored with the last kick of the ball to win.

Acks were 1-0 up and Halkirk scored two quick goals midway through the 2nd half. Stevie Campbell scored the second with a strong contender for goal of the season. He beat half of the Acks team before crashing a 25 yard rocket into the postage stamp corner.

Acks then threw everything at Ian Miller in Halkirk's goal, but the veteran was in inspired form with some great saves. Acks had a goal disallowed for offside with a few mins to go, but they kept plugging away and scored the equaliser with 2 mins left. With seconds to go, Stevie Campbell fired a speculative shot at Gordon Clark and the ball somehow slipped through his fingers and into the net.

Caithness Motocross Round 2

The Caithness Motocross Club staged the 2nd round of their race series at Ravenshill, Forss by Thurso on Sunday 26th May. The sunshine came out for a change and the blue sky made a nice backdrop for the mid-air shots. Not as many riders as in previous years.