Post by Michael Gray on Apr 21, 2004 7:39:59 GMT
Heavy rain during the previous few days coupled with a howling wind meant this game was going to be played in far from conducive conditions to free flowing football. United made a several changes enforced on the squad that defeated Castletown the previous Tuesday. Ross Sutherland, Russel Beattie and Andy Mackay dropped out of contention through unavailability while Derek Manson returned to the squad. The starting line-up also saw changes with Jocky Begg, Willie Steven and Martin Baker all making initial eleven while John Skinner and Luke Cassidy dropped to the bench. United opened brightly and got the dream start after 4 mins a Begg cross from the left had the Groats defence in disarray and Nichol was on hand to prod the ball home from 6 yards. At this point the majority thought this would settle the home team down nicely and that they could build on the great start they had made and within minutes Mackenzie had the chance to extend the lead good feetwork on the edge of the box allowed him in on goal he deftly clipped the ball passed the advancing Henderson but unfortunately for the winger it crept wide of the goal. This however seemed to spur on the visitors and they had a glorious chance to equalise after quarter of an hour a booming kick from Henderson had the United defence toiling allowing Munro a free run in on goal however he just failed to sneak the ball past Gray who diverted the ball away for a corner. Mackenzie then failed to get enough purchase on a rare headed effort after good play from Begg down the right allowed him a sight of goal but Henderson was equal to it as he held the ball on the goal line. A combination of United’s sloppy play and the visitors combative spirit was slowly changing the game and it was no surprise when the match was levelled after twenty minutes and once again it was route one from Henderson resulting once again in widespread panic in the United backline once more Munro broke free and he was again repelled by Gray but the ball spun across goal and left Shearer with an open goal from 12 yards and he made no mistake. The United camp hoped this may kick start their team back into action but the lethargy, which had been all to evident during the first quarter of the game continued to be all to apparent. The approach play lacked any real imagination and fluency so often the ball was lifted off the ground resulting in the game become somewhat of a lottery. On the half hour mark Boyd had to show good pace and strength to fend off the combined challenge of Ross and Shearer as they came desperately close to breaking free into the box. The central defender then required every inch of his frame to deny the lively Shearer with a last ditch tackle as he once more threatened the home goal. Boyd’s involvement was not restricted to defending however and a Begg corner presented him with a good chance at the near post but his header cleared the bar when perhaps he should have hit the target. Nichol then had the opportunity to restore his side’s lead when he showed great strength on the edge of the box but after wonderful preparatory work he pulled his shot across goal. Groats had muted claims for a penalty late in the half when Boyd and Sinclair accidentally collided in the box under a high Banks freekick but referee Mowat quite rightly waved away the protest of the centre half. As the half-time whistle sounded the United players trooped of certain they were to face the wrath of their manager for producing such a performance with the Groats team feeling the exact opposite.
Half-time
Pentland United 1-1 John O’Groats
United entered the field with a spring in their step, which appeared to signal fresh intent on the approach they would adopt to the game but that didn’t last long as they got bogged down trying to play football in the wrong areas and failing to deliver enough quality service into the box. Then when things looked bad enough in terms of the quality of football it got worse Munro outstripped the United defence and played the ball into Shearer on the edge of the box Steven made a strong challenge on the edge of the box that referee Mowat harshly adjudged a freekick. However the United defence failed to organise properly and were still at sixes and seven when Banks bent a shot through the wall and left Gray clutching at fresh air as it found the bottom corner to give the visitors an unlikely lead. This certainly shook the home side and they increased the tempo but once again the real quality they were striving for was found to be wanting Nichol turned his marker Green in the right back area brilliantly before driving into the box and just when it seemed a cutback to Begg would surely present an equaliser Sinclair snuffed out the attack at the expense of a corner. Good work on the left then saw Mackenzie whip in an inswinging cross that Steven tried to flick on but it only succeeded in finding the roof of the net. With twenty minutes to go Cassidy was introduced at the expense of Begg who had put in a good shift but hadn’t got any real breaks. The little striker certainly presented a different challenge for the Groats defence injecting a little more pace coupled with close control and a great ability to turn his marker. Good chances were still at a premium though but Mackenzie had one of the few decent chances when he found himself in front of goal but he sclaffed the ball wide with only the keeper to beat although in fairness the ball was slightly behind him as the chance presented itself. However the ever eager Cassidy didn’t take long to have a major impact good link up between Bremner and Mackenzie saw him race into the box before cutting the ball back only to unceremoniously dumped on the turf by a crude Sinclair leaving Mowat no option but to point to the spot. B Gray stepped up and fired home the penalty sending Henderson the wrong way to hand United a lifeline back into the game. Cassidy then had a glorious chance after great perseverance from Nichol saw him harry the defence before cutting the ball back to his strike partner but he could only fire the ball over the top with the goal at his mercy. Munro had a good chance to put a further spanner into United’s works when he showed good feet to step away from a couple of challenges on the edge of the box but his toe poke drifted just wide of the top corner with Gray stranded. Boyd then decided to join the attack when he strode forward from the left back area to fire in a 25 yard shot that Henderson held comfortably at chest height. With little over ten minutes left United made the break through Gray took a long freekick from the half way line that Mackenzie met and with a nonchalant flick of the outside of his boot resulting in the ball dropping perfectly into the net the goal was met with a huge sense of relief evident in the celebrations around Ham park. Manson joined the field of play shortly afterwards in place of Baker who had put in a solid shift down the right hand side of the field. Nichol was now really stretching the Groats defence twice in a matter of minutes he rounded his marker in the right channel area but his low centres were well cleared with the United attack waiting to pounce. Steven also started to make inroads with his marker Banks visibly tiring but no further opportunities were taken and in all honesty it would have been rough justice on the young Groats side who had defended so valiantly for long spells in the game.
Full-time
Pentland United 3-2 John O’Groats
A very disappointing display from United given their decent start to the game and the performance in Castletown the previous week. However this was a performance devoid of any genuine quality perhaps not surprising given the treacherous conditions however it was the same for both sides and Groats certainly seemed to cope better than their counterparts in black. Casta certainly made a big difference when he entered the fray but to often the United attack was predictable and with out any pace or imagination. However on the positive side 3 points were taken from the game and at the end of the day mission complete in that sense. On reflection the young Groats side must take massive pluses in their performance especially Green, Robertson and Munro but the whole squad put in an excellent shift and were extremely unfortunate to end up on the losing side however I am sure that these words will be of little comfort to them. United now must re-group before a tough encounter in Thurso on Wednesday against the Acks who undoubtedly will punish the kind of slackness shown in this game far more severely.
TEAM:
1. M Gray, 2. B Gray, 3. R Farmer, 4. H Boyd, 5. W Inrig, 6. G Bremner, 7. W Steven, 8. M Baker (Manson 81), 9. M Nichol, 10. J Begg (L Cassidy 70), 11. N Mackenzie, Subs not used: Skinner
SCORERS:
Nichol 4, B Gray 73 (pen), Mackenzie 81
Half-time
Pentland United 1-1 John O’Groats
United entered the field with a spring in their step, which appeared to signal fresh intent on the approach they would adopt to the game but that didn’t last long as they got bogged down trying to play football in the wrong areas and failing to deliver enough quality service into the box. Then when things looked bad enough in terms of the quality of football it got worse Munro outstripped the United defence and played the ball into Shearer on the edge of the box Steven made a strong challenge on the edge of the box that referee Mowat harshly adjudged a freekick. However the United defence failed to organise properly and were still at sixes and seven when Banks bent a shot through the wall and left Gray clutching at fresh air as it found the bottom corner to give the visitors an unlikely lead. This certainly shook the home side and they increased the tempo but once again the real quality they were striving for was found to be wanting Nichol turned his marker Green in the right back area brilliantly before driving into the box and just when it seemed a cutback to Begg would surely present an equaliser Sinclair snuffed out the attack at the expense of a corner. Good work on the left then saw Mackenzie whip in an inswinging cross that Steven tried to flick on but it only succeeded in finding the roof of the net. With twenty minutes to go Cassidy was introduced at the expense of Begg who had put in a good shift but hadn’t got any real breaks. The little striker certainly presented a different challenge for the Groats defence injecting a little more pace coupled with close control and a great ability to turn his marker. Good chances were still at a premium though but Mackenzie had one of the few decent chances when he found himself in front of goal but he sclaffed the ball wide with only the keeper to beat although in fairness the ball was slightly behind him as the chance presented itself. However the ever eager Cassidy didn’t take long to have a major impact good link up between Bremner and Mackenzie saw him race into the box before cutting the ball back only to unceremoniously dumped on the turf by a crude Sinclair leaving Mowat no option but to point to the spot. B Gray stepped up and fired home the penalty sending Henderson the wrong way to hand United a lifeline back into the game. Cassidy then had a glorious chance after great perseverance from Nichol saw him harry the defence before cutting the ball back to his strike partner but he could only fire the ball over the top with the goal at his mercy. Munro had a good chance to put a further spanner into United’s works when he showed good feet to step away from a couple of challenges on the edge of the box but his toe poke drifted just wide of the top corner with Gray stranded. Boyd then decided to join the attack when he strode forward from the left back area to fire in a 25 yard shot that Henderson held comfortably at chest height. With little over ten minutes left United made the break through Gray took a long freekick from the half way line that Mackenzie met and with a nonchalant flick of the outside of his boot resulting in the ball dropping perfectly into the net the goal was met with a huge sense of relief evident in the celebrations around Ham park. Manson joined the field of play shortly afterwards in place of Baker who had put in a solid shift down the right hand side of the field. Nichol was now really stretching the Groats defence twice in a matter of minutes he rounded his marker in the right channel area but his low centres were well cleared with the United attack waiting to pounce. Steven also started to make inroads with his marker Banks visibly tiring but no further opportunities were taken and in all honesty it would have been rough justice on the young Groats side who had defended so valiantly for long spells in the game.
Full-time
Pentland United 3-2 John O’Groats
A very disappointing display from United given their decent start to the game and the performance in Castletown the previous week. However this was a performance devoid of any genuine quality perhaps not surprising given the treacherous conditions however it was the same for both sides and Groats certainly seemed to cope better than their counterparts in black. Casta certainly made a big difference when he entered the fray but to often the United attack was predictable and with out any pace or imagination. However on the positive side 3 points were taken from the game and at the end of the day mission complete in that sense. On reflection the young Groats side must take massive pluses in their performance especially Green, Robertson and Munro but the whole squad put in an excellent shift and were extremely unfortunate to end up on the losing side however I am sure that these words will be of little comfort to them. United now must re-group before a tough encounter in Thurso on Wednesday against the Acks who undoubtedly will punish the kind of slackness shown in this game far more severely.
TEAM:
1. M Gray, 2. B Gray, 3. R Farmer, 4. H Boyd, 5. W Inrig, 6. G Bremner, 7. W Steven, 8. M Baker (Manson 81), 9. M Nichol, 10. J Begg (L Cassidy 70), 11. N Mackenzie, Subs not used: Skinner
SCORERS:
Nichol 4, B Gray 73 (pen), Mackenzie 81