Post by Michael Gray on Jul 30, 2007 11:14:53 GMT
Once again the United squad was stripped down to the bare bones but as it turned out a display that what it lacked in quality was more than made up by effort and attitude and was probably the most impressive result of the season to date. United had a good early half chance when McCulloch left his goals to clear a through ball but only succeeded in picking out Jocky Sutherland 40 yards from goal but the little strikers chip landed in the back tracking keepers arms. When Grant Budge is in the mood there are few players in the county who can live with him and right from the off it was clear he was set on giving the Halkirk rearguard a difficult evening. One such run from the Lybster based striker saw left 3 defenders trailing in his wake he then clipped a pass into Andrew Richardson’s path the tall midfielder took a touch before firing agonisingly wide with his left foot. Halkirk weren’t there to make up the numbers though and a Lee Elder corner set up a scramble before Steven Campbell was pulled back for a foul on keeper Gray. Another Elder set-piece saw Graham Swanson attack the ball positively at the far post but the cross was marginally to high and the centre half’s header looped over. However United had consistently looked dangerous on the counter attack and mid-way through the half they made the break through Andrew Richardson picked out Grant Budge on the left wing the striker slipped passed Swanson and Bain before driving to the bye line and cutting the ball back for the inrushing Jocky Sutherland to side foot passed the helpless McCulloch for a fine opener. The home side tried desperately to get back on level terms and keeper Gray was fractionally ahead of Paul Mackay in fielding a long Adamson switch although to be fair Brian Thain appeared to have the situation under control. As the home side were searching for the equaliser they were hit by the sucker punch when again Budge had the home defence in a tangle before lay in the ball into the path of the supporting Richardson who took a touch before firing left footed across the keeper in the net the goal was timed at 42 mins and the effect on the morale of the homeside was obvious.
Half time
Halkirk 0-2 Pentland United
It was easy to establish the Halkirk philosophy for the second period get an early goal and then have the rest of the half to draw level. Within 5 minutes they almost got their wish Paul Mackay found space on the left as keeper Gray anticipated a far post cross the young midfielder went for goal with an audacious effort that struck the outside of the post with Gray scrambling across his goal. However as Halkirk pressed up the opportunities to counter increased and Grant Budge should have put the game beyond question after running clear on to a Ross Sutherland through pass the striker had out stripped the home defence who had tried to play offside and failed miserably but at the vital moment his touch deserted him and McCulloch gratefully smothered the ball at the edge of his area. The woodwork again came to United’s rescue on the hour mark when Steven Campbell’s shot from 12 yards deflected off Brian Gray and clipped the post and went behind for a corner. Substitute Russell Bain was quite prominent now on the right hand side of the park stretching Brian Thain to the limit just what he needed first game back from off-shore. Michael Gray was then called into action firstly to deal with a dipping Lee Elder volley which he should have held but as the ball broke towards Adamson the keeper blocked tackled the forward then smothered the loose ball. Halkirk were very much in the ascendancy at this point as the United defence started to creak slightly under the possession their counterparts were enjoying. Keeper Gray then had to be alert to turn away a header from his brother after a scramble for another Elder corner the centre half in trying to clear under pressure only succeeded in knocking the ball goalwards. With around ten minutes left on the clock Halkirk had their final real attempt on goal when Russell Bain cut in from the right and tried to bend the ball into the top corner Gray scrambled across his goal to claw the ball away and the recover the rebound ahead of any attacker. The wily veteran Jocky Begg who had entered the fray just over ten minutes before the end passed up a decent scoring opportunity when Inrig swept in an inswinging ball the striker deftly tried to flick the ball over the encroaching McCulloch but the keeper stood up well and held on to the ball.
Full time
Halkirk 0-2 Pentland United
1. M Gray 2. G Mackay 3. J Skinner 4. B Gray 5. B Thain 6. A Richardson 7. S Sutherland 8. W Inrig (c) 9.J Sutherland 10. G Budge 11. G Mackenzie (J Begg 78)
Subs not used
S Swanson, E Boyd
View from the goal
A brilliant effort from everyone involved we were up against given the absentee’s but produced a sterling first half performance. Granted the second period belonged to Halkirk but we managed to limit their goal scoring chances to a minimum quite a feat given how well they have done on their return to the top flight of Caithness football. Granty was different class in the first half where they really struggled to cope with his movement and pace which was where both the goals came from, now to the final against either Castletown or Swifts either way a tall order.
Half time
Halkirk 0-2 Pentland United
It was easy to establish the Halkirk philosophy for the second period get an early goal and then have the rest of the half to draw level. Within 5 minutes they almost got their wish Paul Mackay found space on the left as keeper Gray anticipated a far post cross the young midfielder went for goal with an audacious effort that struck the outside of the post with Gray scrambling across his goal. However as Halkirk pressed up the opportunities to counter increased and Grant Budge should have put the game beyond question after running clear on to a Ross Sutherland through pass the striker had out stripped the home defence who had tried to play offside and failed miserably but at the vital moment his touch deserted him and McCulloch gratefully smothered the ball at the edge of his area. The woodwork again came to United’s rescue on the hour mark when Steven Campbell’s shot from 12 yards deflected off Brian Gray and clipped the post and went behind for a corner. Substitute Russell Bain was quite prominent now on the right hand side of the park stretching Brian Thain to the limit just what he needed first game back from off-shore. Michael Gray was then called into action firstly to deal with a dipping Lee Elder volley which he should have held but as the ball broke towards Adamson the keeper blocked tackled the forward then smothered the loose ball. Halkirk were very much in the ascendancy at this point as the United defence started to creak slightly under the possession their counterparts were enjoying. Keeper Gray then had to be alert to turn away a header from his brother after a scramble for another Elder corner the centre half in trying to clear under pressure only succeeded in knocking the ball goalwards. With around ten minutes left on the clock Halkirk had their final real attempt on goal when Russell Bain cut in from the right and tried to bend the ball into the top corner Gray scrambled across his goal to claw the ball away and the recover the rebound ahead of any attacker. The wily veteran Jocky Begg who had entered the fray just over ten minutes before the end passed up a decent scoring opportunity when Inrig swept in an inswinging ball the striker deftly tried to flick the ball over the encroaching McCulloch but the keeper stood up well and held on to the ball.
Full time
Halkirk 0-2 Pentland United
1. M Gray 2. G Mackay 3. J Skinner 4. B Gray 5. B Thain 6. A Richardson 7. S Sutherland 8. W Inrig (c) 9.J Sutherland 10. G Budge 11. G Mackenzie (J Begg 78)
Subs not used
S Swanson, E Boyd
View from the goal
A brilliant effort from everyone involved we were up against given the absentee’s but produced a sterling first half performance. Granted the second period belonged to Halkirk but we managed to limit their goal scoring chances to a minimum quite a feat given how well they have done on their return to the top flight of Caithness football. Granty was different class in the first half where they really struggled to cope with his movement and pace which was where both the goals came from, now to the final against either Castletown or Swifts either way a tall order.