Halkirk United FC - Reports, Results & Photos - Season 2011-2012

NCC Cup Quarter Final - 17/09/11
Halkirk United 6 - 3 Balintore

United again put their backroom team and supporters through the mill before securing a place in the last four of the North Caledonian Cup.

Saturday's contest was hard to call for an hour before a hat-trick from Grant MacNab seemed to have loaded the chips firmly in the home side's favour.

But sub Chris Mailey's opportunist last-minute strike put Balintore 4-3 behind and raised the spectre of the visitors forcing extra-time.

Two injury-time strikes from sub Jack Halliday and Nigel MacKenzie exorcised the demons and allowed the home camp to celebrate a first win of the North Caley campaign.

'Tore somehow weathered a fraught opening half-hour to reach the break on terms at 1-1.

They had belatedly showed a goal threat and for 20 minutes after the resumption, they held the upper hand.

They were then regularly stretching the home rearguard with some peppy attacks down both flanks helping them take the lead.

It eventually came good for the Anglers though there was more than a hint of offside in two of their four second half goals.

United had chances aplenty to have effectively settled the cup-tie in the opening half-hour.

The strong pressure applied on the visiting goal was intensified by a less-than-assured display from keeper Scott MacGruer.

He was relieved that several fumbles and failures to take responsibility for dealing with high crosses went unpunished.

His difficulties began when he got into all sorts of difficulties dealing with a spiralling first minute centre from Chris Sutherland.

The first opening was created at the other end when MacGruer's counterpart Graeme Williamson showed good speed to prevent Liam Rostock being first to a long-range through-ball.

The 'Tore goal had an extraordinary treble escape on eight minutes when Sutherland, twice, and MacNab had shots beaten away by the keeper.

Nigel MacKenzie then wastefully volleyed straight at MacGruer from eight yards.

The home side were firmly in charge and were rewarded with the belated opener on 25 minutes.

Michael Bremner's free-kick cleared the main target cluster around the penalty spot to fall perfectly for the unmarked Alan Sinclair to score with a rasping, rising drive.

A second looked certain three minutes later when Mackenzie's delivery found Martin Bain whose glancing header must have missed the far post by a matter of inches.

Bremner then struck the left upright with a well-crafted low strike before a decent attempt by MacKenzie was palmed to safety by MacGruer.

Sutherland limped out of the action on the half-hour mark with his replacement, Alan Larnach almost making a show-stopping arrival from the bench.

After pick-pocketing David Mackay on the edge of his box with his first touch, Larnach was one-on-one with MacGruer, only to steer his shot fractionally wide.

Rostock was 'Tore's main threat throughout and, either side of Larnach's attempt, he struck a long-range effort just over the top before he struck the outside of the left post from an acute angle.

Thurso-based Darren Malcolm then forced Williamson to make a last-ditch block before the visitors' encouraging spell was capped in the final minute.

Rostock's agile turn in the penalty box attracted an ugly lunge from defender Colin Sinclair and the frontman recovered to convert the spot-kick.

His side continued where they left off after the break and within 10 minutes of the turnaround, they had their noses in front.

On 47 minutes, David MacGruer's cross was tidily tucked away by Andy Durrand.

Rostock then set up Malcolm who went desperately close before Rastock's cracking free-kick required Williamson's glove-tip to keep it out.

United levelled on 55 minutes when MacNab rose to net from a MacKenzie centre.

The game was becoming very stretched with James Metcalfe, for Tore, and MacNab, going close before the latter got his second on 61 minutes.

Stuart Florence's flighted cross was headed down by Gavin Henderson to MacNab who looked a yard or two offside as he turned the ball past keeper MacGruer.

MacNab and MacKenzie missed snips and Alan Sinclair rattled a shot off the right upright as Halkirk looked to kill off the tie.

They looked to have done so nine minutes from time when Larnach ran in and played the ball behind the keeper for MacNab - again looking comfortably offside - to grab his hat-trick.

But the visitors continued to battle and on 89 minutes, MacKenzie carelessly conceded possession and Mailey ran on to fire a 20 yarder just inside the left post.

That raised the prospect of the visitors emulating their 4-4 league draw on the opening day of the season.

But that was killed off thanks to an exquisite, lobbed finish from sub Halliday and a simple finish by MacKenzie, both in injury time.

Halkirk United - Williamson, C. Sinclair, Florence, A. Sinclair, Davidson, Henderson, (Halliday 88), Bain, Bremner, Sutherland (Larnach 31), MacNab (Mackay 83) MacKenzie. Sub (unused) - Howden.

Balintore - S. MacGruer, Davis, Metcalfe, Mackay, Powell, Clark, Durrand, D. MacGruer (Mailey 63), Farquhar (R. Murray 68), Malcolm (Gibson 68), Rostock. Sub (unused) - A. Murray.

Ref - Mr G. Elder.

report provided by Iain Grant

photos provided by jamesgunn.co.uk

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