Post by Michael Gray on May 10, 2007 11:32:04 GMT
United made their first visit of the season to Thurso on the back of a decent performance against Acks but hardly a spectacular one. Tony Farquhar made his first start of the season and was to add a new dimension to the United system as Grant Budge dropped down to the bench as a precautionary measure. Within minutes it was clear this was going to be a very open game with the Pentlands employing a Jimmy Calderwood 2-5-3 system. An early chance for Milton based striker Farquhar came to nothing as he let fly from 20 yards but Anderson seemed reasonably confident all the way. Almost immediately the Dunnet had side had another opportunity from a corner kick, which Bremner swung in but again Farquhar was crowded out as he tried to open his account. The opener came after 9 mins Martin Bain made a dash to the left picking up a pass from Mackay-Steven the wide man teased his marker before delivering a pin-point cross right on to the head of Farquhar to bullet home. The home side had set out their stall to play a high line but United soon worked out that runners from the deep were the way to counteract that Michael Steven picked out cousin Scott on the run who raced clear unchallenged tried to lift the ball over the advancing keeper only to scuff his shot wide to despair of his team-mates. Skipper Bremner however showed the way after quarter of an hour when Richardson produced a sublime bit of skill to step away from Henderson before laying the ball into the path of the midfielder who raced clear before waltzing passed the keeper and tapping into the unguarded net. Pentlands were competing well though all the same Petrie, ‘Despy’ Mackay, ‘Daffy’ Mackay and Riddell all posing questions in fact Despy should have done better inside the 18 yard box to the right he drove high and wide after picking the ball up in a suspiciously offside position. Mackay-Steven may have let himself down earlier in the game but he produced a fine goal to partially make up for the earlier chance when 25 yards from goal on the left he took a short freekick from Bremner before letting fly into the top corner giving Anderson no chance. United were now rampant Mackay-Steven in particular was in full flight with his full array of tricks on display giving the Pentlands defence a torrid time as they just couldn’t get close to him at all. Andrew Richardson was also turning in a fine display against one of his former clubs and was clearly eager to open his account although he was thwarted on the half hour mark when he made a great run into the box where keeper Anderson just managed to push him wide enough so that the finish went into the side net. Given how open and stretched the game was it was no surprise at the amount of clear cut opportunities that were being created Farquhar was proving a real handful and he clipped the post with a volley after again Mackay-Steven had opened up the defence. The tall striker completed first half scoring less than 10 minutes before the break when he reacted first inside the box after Mackay-Steven had clipped the ball into the box and prodding the ball into the net.
Half time
Pentlands 0-4 Pentland United
Pentlands came out with a renewed vigour after half-time keen to try and rectify some of the damage inflicted in the first half only a tremendous tackle from Ross Sutherland thwarted ‘Despy’ Mackay as he shaped to shoot after good work from Petrie from the resulting corner Michael Foubister could only head over from a good position although he was under severe pressure. Gavin Bremner then had a glorious opportunity to double his own personal tally racing clear on to an Inrig through ball but like Mackay-Steven in the first half his finish lacked accuracy as it drifted wide. But the game was ebbing and flowing as the town side tried admirably to get something out of the game although leaving gaping holes at the back the tactic was frustrating their country rivals. After ten minutes of having the better of the game the roof fell in on the home side and it was that man Mackay-Steven doubling his own tally cutting in from the left and bending a ball via the finger tips of keeper Anderson into the bottom left corner. With the contest now out of sight United started to step up a gear skipper Bremner again broke free of the defence in on the keeper but once again failed to trouble the keeper. On the hour mark Lee Sutherland opened his account for the season Martin Bain did the donkey work down the right before cutting back for the midfield man to skip passed his man and strike it low across the keeper in to the left hand corner from 12 yards. Andrew Richardson had played very well with his back to goal but was still keen to try and get his seasons tally off the mark and he ran to a brilliant pass from Bremner beating the offside trap but at the vital moment his touch deserted him and Anderson smothered the ball. Mackay-Steven suffered a similar fate when his raced on to an Inrig through pass he reached the ball momentarily before Anderson but the keeper made a brave block and the save was made more impressive as the keeper held on to the ball. Number 7 came with just left than 20 mins to go, Farquhar raced clear with ‘Despy’ Mackay in hot pursuit the striker made a valiant attempt to get back goal side but only succeeded in putting what can only be described as a typical forwards challenge landing Farquhar in a heap and giving referee Whitson no option but to award a penalty, Willie Inrig had taken up the challenge of penalty taking in the Rural League and he stepped up to send Anderson the wrong way and nestle the ball in the bottom corner. Former United player Rob Bell then entered the fray and he showed a good appetite for the game right from the start getting into some great positions one such run down the left was only halted by a tremendous last ditch tackle from Gordon Mackenzie at full stretch the young man nipped the ball of the toe of the substitute. With 10 mins left Scott Mackay completed his hat-trick in fine style a superb run down the right from Bain saw him outstrip the defence before crossing for the inrushing Mackay-Steven to deftly backheel the ball passed the helpless Anderson. Five minutes later Pentlands grabbed their consolation Petrie picked the ball up on the edge of the 18 yard line and he drove in a volley that skipped off the turf Gray unconvincingly got a hand to the ball but could only palm it back out to Bell who couldn’t miss. Amazingly that wasn’t the last action skipper Bremner had missed two glorious chances but when Richardson was hauled down 25 yards from goal he never let the wall form properly before sending a shot into the top corner to complete a comprehensive victory.
Full time
Pentlands 1-9 Pentland United
(Farquhar 9 & 37, Bremner 17 & 90, Mackay-Steven 24, 52 & 76, L Sutherland 59, Inrig 64 (pen))
1. M Gray 2. M Bain 3. R Sutherland 4. B Gray (G Mackay 59) 5. M Steven 6. G Bremner (c) 7. L Sutherland 8. W Inrig (G Mackenzie 75) 9. A Richardson 72 10. T Farquhar (B Thain 72) 11. S Mackay-Steven
View from the goal
What can you say I don’t think I have ever been involved in a match where both teams attacked at will. We again played in fits and starts when we were flowing it was superb but at times were slack with passing but can’t complain given the result. Scotty again was in devastating form but was also impressed with Andrew Richardson who showed an excellent touch and awareness around him.
Half time
Pentlands 0-4 Pentland United
Pentlands came out with a renewed vigour after half-time keen to try and rectify some of the damage inflicted in the first half only a tremendous tackle from Ross Sutherland thwarted ‘Despy’ Mackay as he shaped to shoot after good work from Petrie from the resulting corner Michael Foubister could only head over from a good position although he was under severe pressure. Gavin Bremner then had a glorious opportunity to double his own personal tally racing clear on to an Inrig through ball but like Mackay-Steven in the first half his finish lacked accuracy as it drifted wide. But the game was ebbing and flowing as the town side tried admirably to get something out of the game although leaving gaping holes at the back the tactic was frustrating their country rivals. After ten minutes of having the better of the game the roof fell in on the home side and it was that man Mackay-Steven doubling his own tally cutting in from the left and bending a ball via the finger tips of keeper Anderson into the bottom left corner. With the contest now out of sight United started to step up a gear skipper Bremner again broke free of the defence in on the keeper but once again failed to trouble the keeper. On the hour mark Lee Sutherland opened his account for the season Martin Bain did the donkey work down the right before cutting back for the midfield man to skip passed his man and strike it low across the keeper in to the left hand corner from 12 yards. Andrew Richardson had played very well with his back to goal but was still keen to try and get his seasons tally off the mark and he ran to a brilliant pass from Bremner beating the offside trap but at the vital moment his touch deserted him and Anderson smothered the ball. Mackay-Steven suffered a similar fate when his raced on to an Inrig through pass he reached the ball momentarily before Anderson but the keeper made a brave block and the save was made more impressive as the keeper held on to the ball. Number 7 came with just left than 20 mins to go, Farquhar raced clear with ‘Despy’ Mackay in hot pursuit the striker made a valiant attempt to get back goal side but only succeeded in putting what can only be described as a typical forwards challenge landing Farquhar in a heap and giving referee Whitson no option but to award a penalty, Willie Inrig had taken up the challenge of penalty taking in the Rural League and he stepped up to send Anderson the wrong way and nestle the ball in the bottom corner. Former United player Rob Bell then entered the fray and he showed a good appetite for the game right from the start getting into some great positions one such run down the left was only halted by a tremendous last ditch tackle from Gordon Mackenzie at full stretch the young man nipped the ball of the toe of the substitute. With 10 mins left Scott Mackay completed his hat-trick in fine style a superb run down the right from Bain saw him outstrip the defence before crossing for the inrushing Mackay-Steven to deftly backheel the ball passed the helpless Anderson. Five minutes later Pentlands grabbed their consolation Petrie picked the ball up on the edge of the 18 yard line and he drove in a volley that skipped off the turf Gray unconvincingly got a hand to the ball but could only palm it back out to Bell who couldn’t miss. Amazingly that wasn’t the last action skipper Bremner had missed two glorious chances but when Richardson was hauled down 25 yards from goal he never let the wall form properly before sending a shot into the top corner to complete a comprehensive victory.
Full time
Pentlands 1-9 Pentland United
(Farquhar 9 & 37, Bremner 17 & 90, Mackay-Steven 24, 52 & 76, L Sutherland 59, Inrig 64 (pen))
1. M Gray 2. M Bain 3. R Sutherland 4. B Gray (G Mackay 59) 5. M Steven 6. G Bremner (c) 7. L Sutherland 8. W Inrig (G Mackenzie 75) 9. A Richardson 72 10. T Farquhar (B Thain 72) 11. S Mackay-Steven
View from the goal
What can you say I don’t think I have ever been involved in a match where both teams attacked at will. We again played in fits and starts when we were flowing it was superb but at times were slack with passing but can’t complain given the result. Scotty again was in devastating form but was also impressed with Andrew Richardson who showed an excellent touch and awareness around him.