Match report - Thurso F.C 3 V Bunillidh Thistle 0 - 30/8/03

Thurso line-up - Mackay, A.Sutherland, Farmer, Morris, Coghill (Green 64), Bremner, N.Mackenzie,
Inrig (Chessor 82), Murray, J.MacKenzie, MacDougall (M.Makhouli 64).

Bunillidh Line-up - Munro, McAuley (Reid 74), Willby, Rizza, McLeod, M.Cowie, Dunoon,
R.Cowie, Hendry, Adamson, Wilson (Potter 64). Sub Not Used - Hossack

A switch to the excellent Castletown venue for Thurso's first home league game of the season on a cold drizzly afternoon. More changes to the squad with Ross Sutherland and Brian Gray being suspended after their red cards against Bonar last week. In came Alan Sutherland, veteran striker Kevin Morris playing in defence and the county league's top scorer Alan Murray returned to the fold. Bunillidh drafted in three Caithness based players, which included Swifts player manager Stevie Reid and Dounreay Workshops midfielder Sid Potter who took a place on the bench.

Thurso started the game in determined mood after the disappointing defeat away to Bonar last week with winger Nigel MacKenzie playing a prominent role putting in several dangerous crosses. In the first minute Nigel crossed to brother Jamie MacKenzie who shot wide of the target, then again in the fourth minute but this time headed wide by the same player.

Then in the fifth minute Kevin Morris playing in a defensive role had a powerful shot blocked by the hard-pressed Bunillidh defence.

In the seventh minute of play there was a scare for Thurso as a dangerous cross by McAuley brushed the head of one a striker and Brian Mackay in goal for Thurso fumbled the ball then gathered at the second attempt just before the ball crossed the line.

This was the only real scare for the home side and midfielder Willie Inrig tried his luck from 20 yards with a powerful low shot excellently saved by Munro.

After 15 minutes Adamson forced a save from Brian Mackay with a low effort, which lacked any power.

Thurso should have taken the lead in the 16th minute when efforts from Jamie Mackenzie and Alan Murray were blocked leading to a corner kick. The resultant corner was cleared by the Bunillidh defence.

In the 18th minute Hendry had a shot well over the cross bar. This was followed by a goal by Jamie MacKenzie chopped off for offside from a pass by Murray.

The deadlock was finally broken for the home side after twenty-four minutes when another cross from Nigel MacKenzie was volleyed in by Murray from six yards.

Murray almost doubled his and Thurso's tally after 26 minutes when he had a shot blocked by The Bunillidh back line.

The game went into a lull with Bunillidh fighting hard to get a foothold in the match. They conceded a free kick in the 35th minute but it was weakly at the keeper by Nigel MacKenzie.

Leading up to the half time break, Bunillidh almost forced a shock equaliser in the 38th minute when there was an almighty scramble in the box which The Thurso defence failed to clear and eventually miss kicked wide by R.Cowie. This gave Bunillidh heart and the same player then headed wide from a corner.

This was the only incident of note at the end of the half and the referee blew with Thurso holding a narrow one-goal advantage.

Thurso started the second half the same way as the start of the first with Murray shooting over the bar after 46 minutes.

After 47 minutes a long free kick from McLeod was cleared by the much-improved Thurso defence, then two minutes later a heavy challenge from the rear by McAuley on Murray was only punished by a yellow card.

In the 53rd minute Jamie MacKenzie won a corner on the right, which was powered in by Kevin Morris to double Thurso's lead. Kevin Morris was in the mood to double his tally when he had a powerful shot blocked by the Bunillidh defence.

Bunillidh were still fighting and after 61 minutes Willby headed wide from close range from a cross from the left.

After 64 minutes both sides rang the changes With Thurso taking on Green and Makhouli for Coghill and MacDougall and Bunillidh taking Sid Potter on for Wilson.

Two minutes later Thurso keeper Mackay took the pressure off his defence when he collected a dangerous long ball from McLeod.

In the 67th minute Jamie MacKenzie missed another chance heading a Phil Green corner kick over the bar and five minutes later Alan Sutherland ran from the half way line and blasted a shot just wide on Munro's right hand post.

In the 73rd Minute Inrig was booked for talking back to the referee after the Thurso midfielder had floored a Bunillidh player.

A minute later Bunillidh introduced another Caithness based player when Swifts player manager Stevie Reid came on for McAuley.

With 13 minutes to go Jamie MacKenzie had another effort on goal heading wide from a Philip Green cross from the right, then Makhouli had a shot blocked for a corner.

In the 79th minute Wilson put in a dangerous cross which was cleared by Kevin Morris, who then turned provider for Murray to score his second and Thurso's third with the striker heading across the keeper into the far corner from six yards.

With nine minutes remaining another dangerous cross from Green was headed to safety by McLeod and a minute later Thurso made their final substitution with Gavin Chessor replacing Inrig.

In the 85th minute Bunillidh's McLeod shot a free kick over. This was followed by two further efforts from Murray looking for a hat-trick as he first shot wide after 86 minutes then clipped the cross bar on full time.

Then in the second minute of stoppage time Alan Sutherland was bizarrely booked when it looked as though a Bunillidh player went down with cramp with minimal contact from the Thurso defender.

Final score - Thurso 3 V Bunillidh 0