Post by Michael Gray on Jun 9, 2004 9:17:50 GMT
Another good night for football saw United make their first visit to Ormlie for two years in the second round of the E Macintosh Cup. There were two changes to the side that had triumphed against Rovers on the Wednesday previous Martin Baker replaced Hamish Boyd and Gavin Bremner returned in place of Tony Farquhar. The visitors intentions were made clear from the start and skipper Ryan Farmer was marginally off target with an acrobatic overhead kick after a deep Bremner freekick was only partially cleared. The deadlock was broken after 10 mins when Sutherland picked the ball up in midfield and strode forward before chipping a perfectly weighted pass in to the path of Inrig who had timed his run to perfection the midfielder controlled the ball elegantly before steering his shot around the encroaching Jackson. Exactly the start United had wished for and it was made even better minutes later a good run and turn from Cassidy allowed him enough space to pick out Mackenzie his first effort was partially blocked by Jackson but the keepers luck ran out there as the winger smashed the ball into the unguarded net. It was now almost continual one way traffic although the second division side nearly created an opportunity to force their way back into the game when Macphee showed good skill on the right and his far post cross was glanced away from McIntyre by Inrig at full stretch. Almost immediately the contest was effectively ended when Mackenzie picked out Nichol in the left hand channel the striker raced clear drew the keeper before expertly passing the ball into the corner of the net. Thistle had an extraordinary let off after 20 mins when Nichol picked out Cassidy’s run in the box the striker showed great feet to take the ball away from Gray and round Jackson but amazingly he never tapped the ball into the net and it ran past the post. However the goal was only delayed momentarily when Nichol chased an apparently lost cause retrieving the ball on the bye line before cutting it back for Mackenzie who dummied Campbell and Jackson on the 6 yard line before tapping into the empty net. Gavin Bremner got in on the act with number five when he doubled his season’s account after taking a short corner return from Mackenzie he raced in from the left hand side and thumped the ball into the net with the home defence appealing in vain for offside. Nigel Mackenzie then completed a first half hat-trick after good link up between Cassidy and Nichol allowed him a clear run and slip the ball into the corner of the net. The halves scoring was completed five minutes before the interval when Nichol was on hand to prod the ball home after Jackson parried a shot from Mackenzie.
Half time
Thurso Thistle 0-7 Pentland United
United with the match already secured removed B Gray, Mackenzie and Cassidy replacing them with Boyd, Begg and Manson. The introduction of the substitutes had no effect on the tempo of the game whatever as within five minutes Willie Inrig had bagged himself another goal good play down the left saw Begg turn in an inviting cross allowing the midfielder, who had made an excellent near post run, to deftly flick the ball into the net. Mark Nichol became the second player to complete a hat-trick on the night when he picked up a pass on the left cutting into the box before firing a vicious shot past the despairing Jackson in the home net. Moment later Irig himself completed an unlikely treble when he reacted first, after Jackson had made an excellent save low to his left off a Nichol shot from 18 yards, to tap the ball into the empty net. Derek Manson was the source of the number eleven when he did well combining with Inrig he cut in along the bye line before squaring to Nichol presenting him with as easy a chance he will ever get. The same player notched his fifth in some style stepping away from 3 tackles he fired an unstoppable shot low into the bottom corner with Jackson helpless as the defence disintegrated in front of him. At this point the Thurso side were basically trying to keep the score down and for all their shortcomings they continued to battle away and never resorted to lowering the nature of the game. Inrig nicked his fourth of the game when Bremner dinked a ball over the advancing defence allowing the midfielder once again to spring the off side trap draw Jackson and slip the ball into the unguarded net as once again the defence appealed to referee Gunn in vain. Inrig completed his night’s tally in similar fashion to his first of the second as he got across his marker to tuck the ball away at the near post from a Begg centre. The rout was completed by Jocky Begg when he out leapt his marker at the far post to power home a pin point Sutherland floated centre giving the home keeper once again absolutely no chance.
Full time
Thurso Thistle 0-15 Pentland United
1. M Gray 2. B Gray (H Boyd 45) 3. J Skinner 4. M Baker 5. R Farmer (c) 6. G Bremner 7. R Sutherland 8. W Inrig 9. M Nichol 10. L Cassidy (D Manson 45) 11. N Mackenzie (Begg 45)
View from the goal
A pretty clinical display throughout from the lads where we took full advantage of nearly every opportunity that came our way. Obviously it is hard to gauge that kind of performance when a playing side from the middle of the second division but I really thought our movement and overall performance was first class as was the attitude and application we showed towards the game. Delighted for Willie it must be a very long time since he scored 5 goals in a game but took all his chances very clinically indeed. However it wasn’t just his goals but his overall work rate was equally as impressive along with Gavin Bremner who showed a fantastic attitude after his short break. We now move on to the quarter finals where we await the winners of Wick Thistle and Top Joes in Dunnet.
Half time
Thurso Thistle 0-7 Pentland United
United with the match already secured removed B Gray, Mackenzie and Cassidy replacing them with Boyd, Begg and Manson. The introduction of the substitutes had no effect on the tempo of the game whatever as within five minutes Willie Inrig had bagged himself another goal good play down the left saw Begg turn in an inviting cross allowing the midfielder, who had made an excellent near post run, to deftly flick the ball into the net. Mark Nichol became the second player to complete a hat-trick on the night when he picked up a pass on the left cutting into the box before firing a vicious shot past the despairing Jackson in the home net. Moment later Irig himself completed an unlikely treble when he reacted first, after Jackson had made an excellent save low to his left off a Nichol shot from 18 yards, to tap the ball into the empty net. Derek Manson was the source of the number eleven when he did well combining with Inrig he cut in along the bye line before squaring to Nichol presenting him with as easy a chance he will ever get. The same player notched his fifth in some style stepping away from 3 tackles he fired an unstoppable shot low into the bottom corner with Jackson helpless as the defence disintegrated in front of him. At this point the Thurso side were basically trying to keep the score down and for all their shortcomings they continued to battle away and never resorted to lowering the nature of the game. Inrig nicked his fourth of the game when Bremner dinked a ball over the advancing defence allowing the midfielder once again to spring the off side trap draw Jackson and slip the ball into the unguarded net as once again the defence appealed to referee Gunn in vain. Inrig completed his night’s tally in similar fashion to his first of the second as he got across his marker to tuck the ball away at the near post from a Begg centre. The rout was completed by Jocky Begg when he out leapt his marker at the far post to power home a pin point Sutherland floated centre giving the home keeper once again absolutely no chance.
Full time
Thurso Thistle 0-15 Pentland United
1. M Gray 2. B Gray (H Boyd 45) 3. J Skinner 4. M Baker 5. R Farmer (c) 6. G Bremner 7. R Sutherland 8. W Inrig 9. M Nichol 10. L Cassidy (D Manson 45) 11. N Mackenzie (Begg 45)
View from the goal
A pretty clinical display throughout from the lads where we took full advantage of nearly every opportunity that came our way. Obviously it is hard to gauge that kind of performance when a playing side from the middle of the second division but I really thought our movement and overall performance was first class as was the attitude and application we showed towards the game. Delighted for Willie it must be a very long time since he scored 5 goals in a game but took all his chances very clinically indeed. However it wasn’t just his goals but his overall work rate was equally as impressive along with Gavin Bremner who showed a fantastic attitude after his short break. We now move on to the quarter finals where we await the winners of Wick Thistle and Top Joes in Dunnet.