Halkirk United FC - Reports, Results & Photos - Season 2008-2009

Jock MacKay Memorial Cup Semi-Final - 04/04/09
Halkirk United 3 - 0 Golspie

(photo by Colin Gregory)

On another miserable day of driving rain and gathering wind, the Anglers toughed it out to deliver a knock-out blow to their arch North Caley rivals in the current campaign.

Their triumph in the Jock Mackay Memorial Cup semi-final levels the series at 2-2 with a potential decider coming if the pair win through to the final of the Football Times Cup on the last day of the season.

Before that, United have a cup final date in Invergordon with county neighbours Thurso a week tomorrow.

Halkirk on Saturday deserved to finish on top though the contest was very much live until Lee Elder grabbed a double in the last eight minutes.

United had earlier missed chances to add to Mark Nichol's deflected strike which had put them in front after 19 minutes.

The visitors - unbeaten since their previous defeat by Halkirk at the end of January - spurned opportunities either side of the opener.

(photo by Colin Gregory)

But the visitors struggled to find the fluency in their general play which has taken them to the brink of clinching the league title.

Golspie conjured up two early openings with Ken Whyte shooting wide when given an unobstructed view of the goal on eight minutes.

Veteran striker Robbie MacDougall was even more culpable four minutes later when he too failed to trouble keeper Shaun Henderson when put in the clear.

Suitably piqued, Halkirk responded with a series of attacks which culminated in the opening goal.

Taking possession of a stray pass just inside the penalty box, Nichol stepped round a couple of would-be tacklers before seeing his shot stot off a defender into the back of the net.

It would have been 2-0 within a minute had visiting keeper Robert Taylor been less alert and able to hold Gavin Henderson's wind-assisted 30 yard screamer.

The keeper did even better two minutes later, when Nichol and Alan Farquhar did the groundwork for Graham MacDonald.

(photo by Colin Gregory)

Confronted by just the keeper, MacDonald's shot was well enough struck but Taylor had narrowed the angle just enough to get fingertips to the ball.

Halkirk were turning the screw and could easily have added a couple more before the break.

Alan Sinclair headed just over before Taylor was again to the fore to deny Nichol and Farquhar.

Golspie drew encouragement from a lively start to the second period and MacDougall again passed up a decent opening when he shot straight at Shaun Henderson after 55 minutes.

The tie was still very much in the balance and the home keeper did well to turn a stinging Shane Sutherland effort behind on 74 minutes.

Shortly before that, Nichol passed up a great chance to double his side's lead.

Profiting from a long-range assist from Colin Sinclair, the striker worked himself into prime position only to drag his finish wide of the target.

(photo by Colin Gregory)

His replacement Grant MacNab provided a fresh threat to the visitors with a weaving run on 82 minutes taking him from his own penalty box to the other.

That danger fizzled out but two minutes later, a shorter break from MacNab proved decisive when he broke clear and set up Elder for his first.

Elder made it 3-0 four minutes from time when he cottoned on to Kevin Miller's long through-ball to steer the ball wide of Taylor.

The win was somewhat soured with the 88th minute dismissal of Gavin Henderson after he picked up his second yellow card.

United manager Ian MacDonald believed his side coped better with the elements.

He said: Golspie failed to perform on the day, with MacDougall's brace of decent chances just about all they managed to create. We could have been more than one up at half-time and when they turned round with the wind at their backs, they didn't really do anything with it. For the first 10 minutes, we struggled a bit to clear our lines but we soon took a grip on the game and finished up well on top.

Halkirk - S. Henderson, C. Sinclair, Davidson, A. Sinclair, MacDonald (MacNab 72), Miller, Farquhar, G. Henderson, Nichol (Bremner 77), Elder, Murray. Subs (unused) - Sutherland and Nicolson.

Golspie - R. Taylor, J. Sutherland, R. Thomson, MacLeod, S. Thomson, A. Sutherland, Dunnett, Campbell, MacDougall, Whyte, S. Sutherland. Subs - D. Taylor, MacAskill and MacBean.

Ref - Mr G. Elder.

report provided by Iain Grant

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