Post by Michael Gray on Jul 5, 2005 8:11:53 GMT
Blustery conditions greeted both teams to Recreation Park, Halkirk for the 2005 Eain Macintosh cup final. The wind howled down from the riding centre towards the road making conditions less than favourable for good football. The holders won the toss and decided to play into the wind and made the better start with Martin Murray carving out a great chance for Jamie Mackenzie within the first couple of minutes the tall striker turned and fired goalwards but the legs of John Skinner denied him the proverbial dream start. United responded and won a corner through the perseverance of Mark Makhouli and he took the corner, which Cook met knocking the ball into the danger area but Ross Sutherland failed to get sufficient contact on the ball and Brian Mackay gathered comfortably. The Thurso side continued to make the early running and some slick passing opened up the United defence for Michael Bremner too have a shot on the angle, which Gray held on to at the near post. However they were dealt a blow after ten minutes when G Coghill went down clutching his leg he attempted to play on after treatment but eventually succumbed to the injury and was replaced by Miller. United then had a great chance to open the scoring when Nichol played in Makhouli who slipped away from Bain and Green before being thwarted by a great blocking save from Mackay. Makhouli then turned creator when he stepped away from Sutherland linked with Nichol before playing in Cook who never broke stride before bending in a shot with the outside of his right foot that Mackay held comfortably. On the half hour mark Acks had huge appeals for a penalty turned away after Gray had blocked Bremner’s powerful shot Mackenzie fired in the rebound that struck Skinner but referee Wheatcroft was having none of it and waved play on. Bobby Thorburn became the games first booking after harshly being adjudged of fouling Martin Murray thirty yards from goal with ten minutes left in the half. A few moments later Martin Baker was penalised for a foul on Martin Bain and MacDougall swept in a testing freekick that Allan Sutherland met but couldn’t direct in the wind. The final opportunity of the half also came via a set piece when Martin Cook powered in a header from a Gavin Bremner corner that MacDougall cleared off the line as the United attack waited any mistake.
Half time
Acks 0-0 Pentland United
With the wind now at their backs Acks started to gain the initiative in the game good work from Murray down the left saw him cross into the box Skinner half cleared and Gray completed the clearance with a punch as MacDougall looked set for an acrobatic attempt on goal. MacDougall was again denied moments later by the keeper when he latched on to a pass on the edge of the box Cook and Thorburn forced him into taking the shot earlier than he perhaps would have wanted Gray managed to block the ball but failed to hold on, Mackenzie reacted first to the rebound but couldn’t get a shot off and Gray gratefully flopped on his attempted pass back to MacDougall. Mackenzie, was again at the heart of things minutes later as Acks turned the screw on United who were struggling to contain them, when he turned well at the edge of the box and fired in a low shot that Gray again blocked but couldn’t hold however he recovered quickest to again smother the loose ball but reacted angrily along with Baker when Mackenzie followed up his attentions on the keeper, Baker became the second player booked for his part in the altercation. However after about twenty minutes of constant Acks pressure in the second half the tide started to turn and only a tremendous block from Allan Sutherland stopped Mark Nichol opening the scoring when he controlled a long B Gray throw in and the back post on his chest before volleying goalwards. With fifteen minutes remaining it was United’s turn to have huge appeals for a penalty turned down after Nichol released Makhouli down the left he raced to the byeline before cutting the ball back for the inrushing Cook whose shot cannoned off Sutherland but once again Wheatcroft saw nothing doing. With ten minutes left Murray released Bain down the left and he made good ground before whipping in a dangerous cross that was snuffed out by a combination of M Gray and Thorburn. The final action of the half saw Mark Makhouli step away from Sutherland then unleash a powerful shot that Mackay watched all the way before tipping over.
Full time
Acks 0-0 Pentland United
Acks had the first had a good early chance when quick thinking from a Lee MacDougall freekick saw Jamie Mackenzie in space but Gray threw himself into the challenge and managed to block the ball away for a corner whilst the striker seemed to take a knock in the challenge and required some medical attention. From the resultant corner B Gray was forced into conceding another set piece, which this time M Gray claimed at the near post. The opening goal came five minutes before the turn around Gavin Bremner robbed Bain 30 yards from goal he drew Moar before slipping a pass to Nichol who bent a superb effort into the top corner from 18 yards giving Mackay no chance.
Half time (Extra time)
Acks 0-1 Pentland United
The spectators had settled properly after the break when they were treated into another sensational goal, Gavin Bremner received a Farmer pass 45 yards from goal he drove on until he was around 30 yards from goal then unleashed a magnificent shot that struck both sides of the stanchion before flying into the roof of the net to send the United supporters into raptures. The goal was huge tonic for the tired legs of the Dunnet side and they suddenly found extra energy Ross Sutherland broke from midfield but with options through the middle in Nichol and Bremner to his left he delayed the pass a fraction too long and played his teammates offside. Bremner was certainly the stand-out in the extra period he again took off on a lung bursting run from the half way line right into the bottom left corner where he was upended by Sutherland he dusted himself down and took the freekick himself with audacious shot from the angle, which Mackay did well to tip away for a corner. As the game went into stoppage time Acks were handed a lifeline by an act of sheer madness from United keeper Gray coming for a deep Green cross he never even got near the flight of the ball leaving substitute K Sutherland the easiest of tasks nodding the ball into the empty net. In fact the last action of the game saw the Sutherland have another chance to earn the title ‘super sub’ but alas his shot on the volley was high and wild and as keeper Gray launched the goal kick back into opposition territory referee Wheatcroft drew proceedings to a close.
Full time (Extra time)
Acks 1-2 Pentland United
1. M Gray 2. B Gray 3. R Thorburn (G Mackay 115) 4. J Skinner 5. G Bremner 6. R Farmer (c) 7. R Sutherland 8. M Makhouli 9. M Nichol 10. M Baker 11. M Cook (D Manson 115)
View from the goal
Well in terms of the quality it was far from a classic but then again these games rarely are but in sheer effort and excitement they certainly supply they certainly don't disappoint. Thought we struggled early doors in both halves especially the second period when the Acks dominated proceedings for a good 20 mins but we slowly got to grips with the game and ourselves took the upper hand. The goals themselves were fit to win any game and both players deserve enormous credit for the technique and composure they showed but all fairness the entire team put in a tremendous shift. I myself have to take full responsibility for the goal we conceded and making things far more difficult than they should have been but thankfully the lads held on. We now have another battle on our hands facing Halkirk on Monday who I am sure will be well up for the game and a few of our boys may be feeling their limbs after a 120 minutes of football.
Half time
Acks 0-0 Pentland United
With the wind now at their backs Acks started to gain the initiative in the game good work from Murray down the left saw him cross into the box Skinner half cleared and Gray completed the clearance with a punch as MacDougall looked set for an acrobatic attempt on goal. MacDougall was again denied moments later by the keeper when he latched on to a pass on the edge of the box Cook and Thorburn forced him into taking the shot earlier than he perhaps would have wanted Gray managed to block the ball but failed to hold on, Mackenzie reacted first to the rebound but couldn’t get a shot off and Gray gratefully flopped on his attempted pass back to MacDougall. Mackenzie, was again at the heart of things minutes later as Acks turned the screw on United who were struggling to contain them, when he turned well at the edge of the box and fired in a low shot that Gray again blocked but couldn’t hold however he recovered quickest to again smother the loose ball but reacted angrily along with Baker when Mackenzie followed up his attentions on the keeper, Baker became the second player booked for his part in the altercation. However after about twenty minutes of constant Acks pressure in the second half the tide started to turn and only a tremendous block from Allan Sutherland stopped Mark Nichol opening the scoring when he controlled a long B Gray throw in and the back post on his chest before volleying goalwards. With fifteen minutes remaining it was United’s turn to have huge appeals for a penalty turned down after Nichol released Makhouli down the left he raced to the byeline before cutting the ball back for the inrushing Cook whose shot cannoned off Sutherland but once again Wheatcroft saw nothing doing. With ten minutes left Murray released Bain down the left and he made good ground before whipping in a dangerous cross that was snuffed out by a combination of M Gray and Thorburn. The final action of the half saw Mark Makhouli step away from Sutherland then unleash a powerful shot that Mackay watched all the way before tipping over.
Full time
Acks 0-0 Pentland United
Acks had the first had a good early chance when quick thinking from a Lee MacDougall freekick saw Jamie Mackenzie in space but Gray threw himself into the challenge and managed to block the ball away for a corner whilst the striker seemed to take a knock in the challenge and required some medical attention. From the resultant corner B Gray was forced into conceding another set piece, which this time M Gray claimed at the near post. The opening goal came five minutes before the turn around Gavin Bremner robbed Bain 30 yards from goal he drew Moar before slipping a pass to Nichol who bent a superb effort into the top corner from 18 yards giving Mackay no chance.
Half time (Extra time)
Acks 0-1 Pentland United
The spectators had settled properly after the break when they were treated into another sensational goal, Gavin Bremner received a Farmer pass 45 yards from goal he drove on until he was around 30 yards from goal then unleashed a magnificent shot that struck both sides of the stanchion before flying into the roof of the net to send the United supporters into raptures. The goal was huge tonic for the tired legs of the Dunnet side and they suddenly found extra energy Ross Sutherland broke from midfield but with options through the middle in Nichol and Bremner to his left he delayed the pass a fraction too long and played his teammates offside. Bremner was certainly the stand-out in the extra period he again took off on a lung bursting run from the half way line right into the bottom left corner where he was upended by Sutherland he dusted himself down and took the freekick himself with audacious shot from the angle, which Mackay did well to tip away for a corner. As the game went into stoppage time Acks were handed a lifeline by an act of sheer madness from United keeper Gray coming for a deep Green cross he never even got near the flight of the ball leaving substitute K Sutherland the easiest of tasks nodding the ball into the empty net. In fact the last action of the game saw the Sutherland have another chance to earn the title ‘super sub’ but alas his shot on the volley was high and wild and as keeper Gray launched the goal kick back into opposition territory referee Wheatcroft drew proceedings to a close.
Full time (Extra time)
Acks 1-2 Pentland United
1. M Gray 2. B Gray 3. R Thorburn (G Mackay 115) 4. J Skinner 5. G Bremner 6. R Farmer (c) 7. R Sutherland 8. M Makhouli 9. M Nichol 10. M Baker 11. M Cook (D Manson 115)
View from the goal
Well in terms of the quality it was far from a classic but then again these games rarely are but in sheer effort and excitement they certainly supply they certainly don't disappoint. Thought we struggled early doors in both halves especially the second period when the Acks dominated proceedings for a good 20 mins but we slowly got to grips with the game and ourselves took the upper hand. The goals themselves were fit to win any game and both players deserve enormous credit for the technique and composure they showed but all fairness the entire team put in a tremendous shift. I myself have to take full responsibility for the goal we conceded and making things far more difficult than they should have been but thankfully the lads held on. We now have another battle on our hands facing Halkirk on Monday who I am sure will be well up for the game and a few of our boys may be feeling their limbs after a 120 minutes of football.