Match report – Thurso F.C 5 V Golspie 0 – Saturday 24th January 2004 – by Iain Grant

Claiming a place in the final of the PCT Cup proved surprisingly easy for the Vikings against the MSIS North Caley League pace-setters.

Golspie were missing several key regulars but few could have predicted how tamely they capitulated against a side they had beaten 3-1 in a league tussle at the Dammies last month.

Three up at the interval, Thurso underlined their superiority with goals in the last quarter by Nigel MacKenzie and substitute Phil Makhouli.

The manner of Golspie's defeat on Saturday made for sorry viewing for the visiting camp-followers, who included club stalwart Darren Pullen, the ex-Academy player who is currently sidelined after an operation to remove his appendix.

 A fine, sunny day saw Thurso dominate from the off.

A tantalising, hanging first minute cross delivered by Gavin Bremner from the right flank could easily have produced a goal had one of his colleagues anticipated its flight.

A couple of minutes later, Bremner's cross from the other side was neatly nodded back by Jamie MacKenzie towards Brian Gray whose half-hit shot was easily cleared.

A low sun proved an unwelcome distraction for visiting keeper Ian Young and it could be blamed for him failing to gather a driven cross from Willie Inrig after seven minutes.

As he squinted to avoid the glare, the ball squirted from his grap but he did exceptionally well to recover and block Lee MacDougall's follow-up which looked certain to give his side the lead.

The breakthrough was delayed for three minutes when MacDougall skipped down the right and crossed towards Jamie MacKenzie who was barged by a defender as he rose to meet the ball.

The resultant spot-kick was struck low to Young's right by Gray.

Golspie's rearguard looked uncertain throughout the first half while their midfield's tendency to give away possession while under no real pressure meant they were not able to generate any forward momentum.

Thurso's second arrived after 17 minutes when Jamie MacKenzie seized on a stray pass and strode on before drilling a low shot from the edge of the box which eluded Young on his nearside.

It was midway through the half before the visitors manufactured their first attack of any note with Chris Stone setting up Ian Innes whose intelligent, curling effort snaked past the left-hand post.

That proved a brief respite for Golspie's hard-pressed defence with Young earning their plaudits after 27 minutes with a glorious diving save, high to his right to deny

MacDougall who rose to meet an inch-perfect cross from Jamie MacKenzie.

Ten minutes later, MacDougall's protest at not winning a penalty after being felled in the box saw ref Fraser brandish the first yellow card of the afternoon.

It was no surprise when the pressure yielded a third goal for Thurso after 42 minutes when a corner was played back to Bremner whose return ball was headed at the far post by Jamie MacKenzie on to Alan Sutherland who finished with a sweet half-volley.

Half-time – Thurso 3 V Golspie 0

Golspie's dressing room at the interval was not for the faint-hearted as manager Stuart Sutherland gave his side a real earful.

His remonstrations appeared to pay seem dividends as the visitors made a spirited start to the resumption though David Niven's showed too much of a combative streak when he was booked after 52 minutes for a crude lunge on Bremner.

The best move of the match two minutes later saw Bremner and MacDougall combine to send Nigel MacKenzie racing down the left. He beat several defenders before squaring for Bremner to thunder a shot just over the bar.

Thurso keeper Brian Mackay paced around his box to keep warm and it was not until the 58 minutes that he saw active service and even then Gavin Nicolson -- a two goal stand-out in the league victory -- failed to make decent enough contact with his shot to force a decent save.

Bremner and Nigel MacKenzie saw long rangers veer just off target before the two MacKenzies made a bid for some sort of league notoriety when they were both booked

within three minutes.

Jamie was carded for a tackle and Nigel for dissent to spark off debate as to whether other brothers have had a quicker 'crime' double.

Thurso forged further ahead after 76 minutes when the brothers combined in a positive fashion with Jamie capitalising on good work from Makhouli to cross for Nigel to net from close range.

Nigel MacKenzie had a chance for a second two minutes later when Ross Sutherland sent him clear on goal only for Young to spint out to block his shot.

Golspie were undone again on 80 minutes when Makhouli was rewarded for some bright play following his introduction when he raced down the right and smashed the ball past Young for goal number five.

A bad day for Golspie got even worse four minutes from the end when Steven MacLean was red-carded for lashing out at Ross Sutherland as the later was lying on the ground.

Manager Stuart Sutherland had no excuses for his side's sub-par display.

"We were a few short but we just didn't play well and don't deserve anything from the game. We weren't at the races and got a good old-fashioned thumping..

"Once they got the second goal, there was only going to be one winner. The second half was about damage limitation."

He added: "Thurso were up for it. They wanted it more than we did."

Saturday's game was sponsored by BT Global Services with Thurso-based BT operations manager Steve Webster presenting the Vikings' first ever man-on-the-match award to Ross Sutherland.

The manner and margin of the win delighted Thurso manager Duncan Gray who is hoping it can spur them on to a strong challenge for honours.

He said: "They were one or two short and they certainly badly missed Darren (Pullen) who is a key player for them.

"But we were also missing a couple of players and I was happy with how we performed. Hopefully, it can kick-start our season."

Thurso have a big challenge on Saturday when they head south in a bid to spike the long, unbeaten run of title-chasing Alness.

An away win, combined with Balintore defeating Golspie, would put the Vikings on the fringe of  the championship race. 

Kevin Morris returns from suspension while Alan Murray and Luke Cassidy should be available to add to the striking options.

Thurso: Mackay, A. Sutherland, Warner, Gray, Moar. Bremner, Inrig, R. Sutherland, J. MacKenzie,  MacDougall (Makhouli 67), N. MacKenzie (Angus 80).