Halkirk United FC - Reports, Results & Photos - Season 2009-2010

Football Times Cup Final - 01/05/10
Dingwall Thistle 3 - 2 Halkirk United

The conversion of a contentious last-minute penalty on Saturday sealed an unwelcome hat-trick of beaten cup final appearances for United.

The defeat in the final action of the North Caley season gave Ian MacDonald's troops a mirror image record to last year's campaign when they lifted three trophies.

In the aftermath to the Football Times Cup final, ref Mark Dalton was never in line to be offered the freedom of Halkirk. But the flak directed at him for his award of the crucial spot-kick was well over the top and led to an early bath for Grant McNab.

The goal would, in any event, have been no more than consolation value had the Caithness outfit cashed in on the surfeit of opportunities they had to pull clear of their opponents.

Most glaringly, they failed to nail a penalty of their own when 2-1 up and just over 20 minutes left.

United's recent impotence in front of goal came back to haunt them as their stranglehold of play in the first 20 minutes and after the interval did not prove decisive.

The Anglers were missing suspended duo Colin and Alan Sinclair and the unavailable Graham MacDonald.

Alan Davis won a start in defence while McNab partnered the fit-again Gavin Henderson in the centre of the park and Sandy Sutherland made a belated return up front.

Within the opening five minutes, Jags keeper Neil Mackay required to turn two efforts from Jimmy Budge behind.

Budge was then remiss in heading Scott Mackay Steven's pinpoint cross over from close range.

After 12 minutes, Mackay had to charge from his goal to prevent the pacy Luke Sawyer getting to Mackay Steven's through-ball.

Defender Craig Munro then made a vital interception as Budge was poised to finish another assist from Mackay Steven.

It was against the run of play that Thistle took the lead on 23 minutes when John MacLeod skipped through unopposed and lobbed keeper Graeme Williamson.

Mackay Steven missed a glorious chance to quickly level things when he sped clear only to scuff his shot wide of the target when he could have squared to Sutherland for a tap-in.

MacLeod had another opening on 28 minutes when Williamson palmed out a corner but the Thurso exile blazed over.

The Thistle goal had a double let-off a minute later when Sawyer's powerful pop at goal was parried by Mackay into the path of Sutherland whose effort produced a goal-line clearance from David Murray.

A strong start to the half by the Caithness combine was rewarded by an equaliser eight minutes after the restart.

Colin Davidson's diagonal was controlled by Budge whose feed to Sawyer sent with him skipping past a defender before he planted a firm shot wide of keeper Mackay.

United retained the initiative and went infront on 65 minutes after good lead-up work down the right flank by Henderson and Mackay Steven. The ball was played in to Sutherland whose flick into the path of Budge was met by a booming volley on-the-turn which flashed past the despairing dive of Mackay.

United looked on course for victory and that would surely have been assured had they gone two clear after being awarded a penalty when McNab's cut-back was handled by Munro.

Mackay Steven's unconvincing spot-kick came back off Mackay who got up smartly to block Mackay Steven's follow-up.

Thistle took full advantage to pep up their game and apply a spell of pressure which led to them restoring parity on 76 minutes when Williamson failed to reach sub Alan Houston's effort from a quickly-taken free-kick.

United still had decent chances with the best coming when Mackay's flap at Sawyer's cross gave Budge an unopposed header.

Thistle's camp breathed a huge sigh of relief as the ball brushed over the bar to nestle on the roof of the net.

Mackay turned another Budge effort behind before the last-minute heartbreak for the Anglers.

Davis appeared to be balked as he contested a high ball in the penalty area with his right hand making contact with the ball as he fell to the ground.

Mr Dalton was besieged by a posse of irate United players after he pointed to the spot.

As the smoke died down, McNab was shown a second yellow card before Taylor coolly netted the penalty despite Williamson managing to get fingers to the ball.

The manner of defeat flummoxed manager MacDonald.

'I was confident right through the game that we would take them and I think we would have won had it gone to extra time.'

MacDonald believed his side lost their way after a strong start following Thistle's opener.

He said: 'We had been playing really well but after the goal, we played into their hands by launching long balls. After half-time, we got it together again and we should really have had it sewn up long before the end. They said themselves that they would not have come back had we scored the penalty to go 3-1 up.'

He was unhappy with the way they lost the equaliser while he seethed over the award of the winning penalty.

He said: 'Alan (Davis) was clearly fouled when he challenged for the ball in the air. He was tugged and then as he goes to ground, the ball hits him on the hand.'

It was a cruel way to settle the final and end a season which promised much for United but stripped them of their collection of silverware.

Saturday's victory reunited Thistle with a trophy they last won in 1985 during their previous stint in the North Caley league.

Dingwall Thistle - N. Mackay, Bain, Munro, Murray, Duff, D. Mackay, Urquhart, Taylor, MacLeod, Manson, Dorrian. Subs - Reid, Hyslop, Morton, Miller and Houston.

Halkirk - Williamson, Florence, Murray (Davis, Davidson, Henderson, MacNab, Sawyer (Mackay 87), S. Sutherland (C. Sutherland 73), Budge, Mackay Steven (Shearer 78).

Referee - Mr M. Dalton.

report provided by Iain Grant

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