Post by Brian Mackay on Jul 24, 2003 19:44:55 GMT
Highland Amateur Cup Quarter Final - Saturday 19th of July 2003
Portree 0 V Pentland United 0 - By Michael Gray
United made the long trip over to the sea to Skye on Friday night in preparation for the Quarter final tie vs. Portree, overcast conditions quickly subsided leaving a lovely warm summers day. The park itself measured in length a massive 120 yards (same as Wembley) suggesting that there would be plenty space to capitalise on around the pitch.
United made one change to the team that started against FSC in midweek with Luke Cassidy being replaced in the starting line-up by Russel Beattie, Tony Farquhar played alongside Kevin Morris up front.
The opening exchanges were fairly tentative with both sides feeling their way into the game and sizing up their opponents but Portree did settle the quickest with Macleod especially prominent in the early stages. Although Portree held the upper hand in terms of possession they never actually managed to create any clear cut chances in the early period of the game. The home side's best chance of the first half came when Macleod just failed to connect with a terrific low freekick, which fairly fizzed across the face of the goal before drifting harmlessly away for a bye kick.
Farquhar had the visitors first real opportunity when he was played in by Mackenzie only to be thwarted by the keeper who dived out at the strikers feet and smothered the ball. United had huge appeals for a penalty turned away after 25 mins when Mackenzie's low centre appeared to be controlled with the use of an arm by Davidson but the referee was having none of it.
On the half hour mark the roles were reversed when the home support claimed wildly for a penalty when the ball became trapped between Sutherland's and Macleod's arms but the referee allowed common sense to prevail and play continued. Davidson at the back for Portree required every inch of his frame to clear away Beattie's long searching cross field pass with Morris waiting just behind the central defender to pounce after peeling away.
Gannon then had a chance blocked away by Skinner as the ball dropped in the box it sat up nicely for the striker but the United sweeper moved quickly to close him down and ensured the ball never got near the goal. The same player had a freekick opportunity from the edge of the box after Gray had felled him however the wall stood firm and the ball was deflected away from a corner from the resultant flag kick Baker rose highest to clear.
There were 2 or 3 niggling confrontations appearing throughout the game none more so than when Gannon raised his hands at Sutherland after the midfielder had been fouled by Macleod and the Portree attacker took exception to the decision.
Almost immediately after Beattie was scythed down after a sweeping Bremner pass opened up the left side of the home defence although the resultant freekick failed to produce an opening. Mackenzie was getting good joy down the left and he managed to open up the defence in the wide areas on more than one occasion but couldn't quite find the killer ball to unlock the home defence as the first half drew to a close.
Half-time 0-0
United had been clearly growing in confidence throughout the game and this carried on into the second forth five a wonderful cross field ball from Bremner saw Mackenzie in the clear as the keeper advanced he took his first touch on the run but couldn't quite get round the keeper who recovered to conceded a corner.
A low skimming shot from the edge of saw Gray scrambling in the United goal and he made a bit of a hash attempting to save the ball and it squirmed away for a corner. Mackenzie who was finding increasing amounts of room down the left almost opened the scoring with a right foot thunderbolt after cutting in from the left he let fly but could only look on in anguish as the ball flew just over with the keeper beaten.
Gannon became the first player to be booked and rightly so after raising his hands for the second time on this occasion Martin Baker was on the receiving end of his frustrations after a touch line tussle. The same player however nearly redeemed himself only moments later when he let fly from the edge of the box but his rising shot flew inches over the bar.
Sutherland then had a half chance after a short freekick found him all alone on the edge of the box but he screwed the shot wide of the target with the defence rapidly closing him down. Farquhar the did well down the right hand side getting to the bye line before cutting the ball back for Morris but the ball bobbled away from him at the last moment and he could only fire wide. The same player then had another chance fall to him inside the box after good build up play however his net bound shot was deflected to safety by Davidson although how much he actually knew about it is anybodies guess.
With fifteen minutes left on the clock Portree had a major let off a deep Bremner corner was met by Morris who did everything technically right getting over the ball heading downwards but couldn't believe his luck when the ball bounced back off the baked turf and over the bar as the defence looked on helplessly.
Farquhar joined Gannon in the book for a rather rash challenge after the Gannon himself had nipped across the striker drawing a clumsy lunge, from the resultant freekick keeper Gray intercepted the ball and tried to set Mackenzie away but the retreating defence made sure that the attack was repelled.
Cassidy replaced Beattie with ten minutes left and the frontman had the final real opportunity in the game played in by Mackenzie he cut back on to his left foot before throwing another dummy allowing him to step back on to his right foot but the ball just wouldn't run for him as he was crowded out and the ball cleared for a corner.
A tremendous shift put in by all the United players clearly evident in the changing rooms afterwards with some very tired bodies on show perhaps with a little luck they may have even won the game certainly on the second half display they probably deserved it but it wasn't to be and now they face a tough replay in Dunnet and Portree have already shown they can come to Caithness and win this season so there will be nothing taken for granted.
M Gray, B Gray, J Skinner, M Baker, R Sutherland,
G Bremner, R Farmer (c), R Beattie (Cassidy 80),
T Farquhar, K Morris, N Mackenzie
Subs not used: D Manson and G Elder.
Portree 0 V Pentland United 0 - By Michael Gray
United made the long trip over to the sea to Skye on Friday night in preparation for the Quarter final tie vs. Portree, overcast conditions quickly subsided leaving a lovely warm summers day. The park itself measured in length a massive 120 yards (same as Wembley) suggesting that there would be plenty space to capitalise on around the pitch.
United made one change to the team that started against FSC in midweek with Luke Cassidy being replaced in the starting line-up by Russel Beattie, Tony Farquhar played alongside Kevin Morris up front.
The opening exchanges were fairly tentative with both sides feeling their way into the game and sizing up their opponents but Portree did settle the quickest with Macleod especially prominent in the early stages. Although Portree held the upper hand in terms of possession they never actually managed to create any clear cut chances in the early period of the game. The home side's best chance of the first half came when Macleod just failed to connect with a terrific low freekick, which fairly fizzed across the face of the goal before drifting harmlessly away for a bye kick.
Farquhar had the visitors first real opportunity when he was played in by Mackenzie only to be thwarted by the keeper who dived out at the strikers feet and smothered the ball. United had huge appeals for a penalty turned away after 25 mins when Mackenzie's low centre appeared to be controlled with the use of an arm by Davidson but the referee was having none of it.
On the half hour mark the roles were reversed when the home support claimed wildly for a penalty when the ball became trapped between Sutherland's and Macleod's arms but the referee allowed common sense to prevail and play continued. Davidson at the back for Portree required every inch of his frame to clear away Beattie's long searching cross field pass with Morris waiting just behind the central defender to pounce after peeling away.
Gannon then had a chance blocked away by Skinner as the ball dropped in the box it sat up nicely for the striker but the United sweeper moved quickly to close him down and ensured the ball never got near the goal. The same player had a freekick opportunity from the edge of the box after Gray had felled him however the wall stood firm and the ball was deflected away from a corner from the resultant flag kick Baker rose highest to clear.
There were 2 or 3 niggling confrontations appearing throughout the game none more so than when Gannon raised his hands at Sutherland after the midfielder had been fouled by Macleod and the Portree attacker took exception to the decision.
Almost immediately after Beattie was scythed down after a sweeping Bremner pass opened up the left side of the home defence although the resultant freekick failed to produce an opening. Mackenzie was getting good joy down the left and he managed to open up the defence in the wide areas on more than one occasion but couldn't quite find the killer ball to unlock the home defence as the first half drew to a close.
Half-time 0-0
United had been clearly growing in confidence throughout the game and this carried on into the second forth five a wonderful cross field ball from Bremner saw Mackenzie in the clear as the keeper advanced he took his first touch on the run but couldn't quite get round the keeper who recovered to conceded a corner.
A low skimming shot from the edge of saw Gray scrambling in the United goal and he made a bit of a hash attempting to save the ball and it squirmed away for a corner. Mackenzie who was finding increasing amounts of room down the left almost opened the scoring with a right foot thunderbolt after cutting in from the left he let fly but could only look on in anguish as the ball flew just over with the keeper beaten.
Gannon became the first player to be booked and rightly so after raising his hands for the second time on this occasion Martin Baker was on the receiving end of his frustrations after a touch line tussle. The same player however nearly redeemed himself only moments later when he let fly from the edge of the box but his rising shot flew inches over the bar.
Sutherland then had a half chance after a short freekick found him all alone on the edge of the box but he screwed the shot wide of the target with the defence rapidly closing him down. Farquhar the did well down the right hand side getting to the bye line before cutting the ball back for Morris but the ball bobbled away from him at the last moment and he could only fire wide. The same player then had another chance fall to him inside the box after good build up play however his net bound shot was deflected to safety by Davidson although how much he actually knew about it is anybodies guess.
With fifteen minutes left on the clock Portree had a major let off a deep Bremner corner was met by Morris who did everything technically right getting over the ball heading downwards but couldn't believe his luck when the ball bounced back off the baked turf and over the bar as the defence looked on helplessly.
Farquhar joined Gannon in the book for a rather rash challenge after the Gannon himself had nipped across the striker drawing a clumsy lunge, from the resultant freekick keeper Gray intercepted the ball and tried to set Mackenzie away but the retreating defence made sure that the attack was repelled.
Cassidy replaced Beattie with ten minutes left and the frontman had the final real opportunity in the game played in by Mackenzie he cut back on to his left foot before throwing another dummy allowing him to step back on to his right foot but the ball just wouldn't run for him as he was crowded out and the ball cleared for a corner.
A tremendous shift put in by all the United players clearly evident in the changing rooms afterwards with some very tired bodies on show perhaps with a little luck they may have even won the game certainly on the second half display they probably deserved it but it wasn't to be and now they face a tough replay in Dunnet and Portree have already shown they can come to Caithness and win this season so there will be nothing taken for granted.
M Gray, B Gray, J Skinner, M Baker, R Sutherland,
G Bremner, R Farmer (c), R Beattie (Cassidy 80),
T Farquhar, K Morris, N Mackenzie
Subs not used: D Manson and G Elder.
