Match report from Invergordon 0 V Thurso 8 – MSIS North Caledonian League - Saturday 7^th of February 2004

Invergordon –Campbell, M.Sinclair (Whitelaw 6)(Hutchison 69), Cooper (Ross 69), McKaskill, Innes, Wilson, Ogilvie, Scobbie, Dinwoodie, MacDonald and McAllister.

Thurso –B.Mackay, A.Sutherland, Morris, Warner, Gray, Bremner, N.MacKenzie (Angus 69), R.Sutherland, Murray (Nicholl 64), P.Makhouli (Cassidy 58), MacDougall.

A light covering of snow on a soft playing surface at Invergordon greeted the Thurso squad from the long trip through the drifting snow from the North. Thurso manager Duncan Gray added Mark Nichol and Kevin Morris to the squad with Willie Inrig and Jamie MacKenzie being unavailable due to work commitments from the squad who defeated Golspie 5-0 in The PCT Cup Semi-Final a few weeks ago. Morris took his place in the back four along with Allan Sutherland, Kevin Warner and Brian Gray. Nigel MacKenzie and Lee MacDougall took their positions out wide with Bremner and Ross Sutherland in the centre of midfield with Phil Makhouli and Alan Murray making a pacy frontline.

Thurso started off brightly with Nigel MacKenzie and Allan Sutherland making strong runs down the right causing Invergordon a lot of problems with Murray and Makhouli using their pace to tear the Invergordon back line apart. Invergordon were using a lofted ball over the Thurso defence and on two occasions keeper Brian Mackay had to race outside his box to clear in the opening five minutes.

With 6 minutes gone Invergordon got an injury blow as Magnus Sinclair got a bad injury and had to limp off the field to be replaced by Whitelaw.

A minute later a run from Nigel MacKenzie from the halfway line into the box and cut back was intercepted by Invergordon with The Thurso strikers eagerly waiting to pounce. After 9 minutes Ogilvie and Dinwoodie had a great passing move down the left but was eventually cut out by The Thurso defence. Then a minute later MacDonald hit a long range shot which MacKay saved well.

Invergordon were playing with more confidence and Dinwoodie was causing Thurso more problems in the 13^th minute as he again broke down the left and cut the ball back. Mackay got a touch which took the ball away from the Invergordon forwards and the ball was eventually cleared.

Invergordon were to rue those missed opportunities as Thurso took the lead 2 minutes later as Allan Sutherland played the perfect through ball into the path of Nigel MacKenzie who chipped Campbell brilliantly to give Thurso the lead.

A minute later Thurso extended their lead as Alan Murray was tripped in the box by Campbell, Gray’s penalty was saved and the rebound crashed into the net but the referee ordered a retake which Gray took again, this time making no mistake sending Campbell the wrong way.

Frustration was getting the better of the home side on and off the pitch as MacDonald got booked for a late challenge on Gray and referee had to speak to Invergordon manager Graham Stewart to try and stop the abuse coming from the home support who felt that Thurso were getting more than their fair share of any decisions on the pitch.

After 22 minutes McAllister for Invergordon made a dangerous run down the right, cut the ball across goal which was cleared from near the goal line by Warner as the home team tried in vain to get back into the match.

Thurso broke up the field straight after and Alan Murray was through on goal but Campbell came off his line to block, then Makhouli’s effort from 20 yards was saved again by Campbell who was doing well to keep the score down to two nil.

After 24 minutes Thurso effectively put the game out of sight as Ross Sutherland played an excellent through ball to Murray who drew the keeper and finished low into the bottom left corner of the net from 10 yards.

The game was going from end to end and after 25 minutes Gray handled outside the box and MacDonald hit his free kick into the Thurso defensive wall.

Then, Invergordon despite being three goals down kept fighting hard and almost grabbed one back in the 28^th and 32^nd minutes as Scobbie shot wide on both occasions

With seven minutes to go to the break Lee MacDougall almost made it four nil but shot wide from distance, then in the 40^th minute an Invergordon corner was cleared by Warner to McKaskill who shot wide from the edge of the box.

Half-time – Invergordon 0 V Thurso 3

Thurso came out of the blocks strongly at the start of the second half after conceding several opportunities to Invergordon in the first half. They had the strong wind in their favour and the second half was always going to be a tough one for Invergordon with the weather threatening to deteriorate further. In the 46^th minute Thurso killed off the game as Nigel MacKenzie crossed from the left to Phil Makhouli who neatly finished past Campbell to make it four nil.

Five minutes into the second half Thurso almost extended their advantage as Murray was put through on goal again, his shot was blocked again by the exposed Campbell and the rebound was sent goal wards by the faint touch of Makhouli but was cleared off the line.

In the 55^th minute Thurso made it five as Nigel MacKenzie crossed deep to the far post to Murray who finished with the aid of Campbell to put Thurso on easy street.

In the 58^th minute Makhouli was replaced by Cassidy who was looking for his first goal of the season as Invergordon looked more and more vulnerable against the fast Thurso forward line and the worsening weather conditions.

With twenty-five minutes to play the grateful Murray was taken off to be replaced by Mark Nichol as the snow started falling and wind increasing in strength.

Nichol made an immediate impact as he broke down the left, cut inside, beating two Invergordon players and hammering a low shot past Campbell into the far right hand corner of the net which was a candidate for goal of the match to make it six nil.

With 20 minutes to play Hutchison and Ross came on for Whitelaw and Cooper for Invergordon and Nigel MacKenzie was replaced by youngster Graham Angus who had a run out.

With eighteen minutes to go Scobbie was sent clear on goal on Mackay who blocked the striker’s effort with Gray at hand to clear the loose ball.

In the 74^th minute Thurso took a seven nil lead as Bremner scored from a square ball from substitute Cassidy from 5 yards.

With eleven minutes to go Innes spoke out of turn to the assistant ref on too many occasions who received a yellow card, then almost immediately Nichol crossed to Cassidy who was denied by a point blank save from Campbell who, on the day saved his team from conceding into double figures.

With seven minutes to play Thurso completed the scoring as Nichol this time turned provider for fellow sub Luke Cassidy who tapped home from six yards to open his account for the season since his return from The Highland League for Brora Rangers.

One more chance for Thurso with a few minutes to go as Cassidy set up Lee MacDougall who’s powerful drive cleared the cross bar from 18 yards.

Final score – Invergordon 0 V Thurso 8

Thurso went within two points of third placed Alness United who’s game at Helmsdale was called off as the Sutherlandshire village had whiteout conditions as The Thurso travelling squad made their was south. The only other game of the day saw Balintore take top spot with a 5-0 home win against Halkirk United taking advantage of Golspie’s fixture at Bonar also falling fowl of the bad weather.

Next weekend sees the top four locking horns as Thurso travel to Alness and Golspie travelling to Balintore. Other fixtures sees Dornoch playing hosts to Halkirk United and Tain at home to Bunillidh Thistle.