A 'massive' fortnight ahead for Wick Groats as they fight on three fronts
Wick Groats are gearing up for a "massive" concluding fortnight to the 2023 campaign as they set their sights on landing three more pieces of silverware.
Saturday's Highland Amateur Cup semi-final against Stromness Athletic will be followed by a top-of-the-table clash in Caithness AFA Division One on Tuesday as champions Pentland United visit the Upper Bignold. A win would seal the title for Groats, while a draw would keep them in pole position going into the last game.
Then next weekend they take on High Ormlie Hotspur in the David Allan Shield final, looking to add to the Colin Macleod Memorial Cup which they won in June.
Groats booked their place in the David Allan showdown with a hard-fought 1-0 win against Pentland United at Ham Park on Tuesday night. It looked to be heading for extra time until John Budge powered home a header with four minutes of the 90 remaining.
Manager Kevin Anderson said: "The two teams cancelled each other out. It was a game of very few chances.
"I don't think in the first half either keeper had many saves to make and the second half continued in the same vein, really. There was very little for either keeper to do.
"It was a typical cup tie. It was cagey, a battle, and one chance was going to win it.
"They had a good chance for Marc Macgregor at the end, a bit of a scramble, but thankfully it didn't end up in the back of the net.
"At the end of the day it's cup football. It's all about getting into the next round and we have a cup final to look forward to now against High Ormlie Hotspur.
"It came at a cost. Greg Shearer has done his ankle and that could be his season done. Certainly the early signs look like that – it's a shame."
The decisive moment in Dunnet came when Budge arrived to meet Ben Sinclair's corner from the left. United goalie Owen Gordon got a hand to the ball but couldn't keep it out.
"We did what the natural default thing was then – we kind of sat back too deep and invited pressure," Anderson said. "But it's a win, and we are looking forward to the final."
Groats had progressed to the last four without kicking a ball as town rivals Thistle were unable to raise a team last Friday.
Wick Groats will have two key players back from suspension for Saturday's Highland Amateur Cup semi-final against Stromness Athletic in Castletown, with defender Gavin Sinclair and striker Steven Anderson set to rejoin the squad.
However, midfielder Greg Shearer is likely to miss out after injuring an ankle during Tuesday's 1-0 victory over Pentland United in the David Allan Shield semi-final at Dunnet.
The Highland Amateur Cup tie kicks off at 2.30pm at Back Park, with the winners facing Clach Reserves or Avoch in the final at Harmsworth Park on August 19.
Manager Kevin Anderson was watching online as Stromness Athletic beat Lerwick Spurs 4-3 in their quarter-final.
"They look a good team," Anderson said. "They are top of their league.
"In the semi-finals of the Highland Amateur Cup you're not playing a poor team, so we'll need to be at it. We'll welcome Gavin Sinclair and Steven Anderson back into the squad on Saturday but we'll probably lose Greg.
"It's a massive, massive last two weeks of the season – a semi-final, a cup final and the league game [against Pentland United]. I know it's the old cliché but we'll take it one game at a time.
"It's just relentless – we've progressed in every cup and it has been two games a week for weeks and weeks.
"Thankfully we're getting players back. It's probably the strongest the squad has been all season, with a strong bench, and you need that. It's not 11 or 13 that win you leagues or cups, it's squads."
Groats were handed a place in the semi-finals of the Highland Amateur Cup after their scheduled opponents Lerwick Celtic withdrew from the competition.
"You want to play to win but there's nothing you can do," Anderson said. "It has happened a few times in the competition this year, which is a shame. In many rounds we've been short but we've pulled in guys and every team should do the same."
Results – David Allan Shield, quarter-finals: Castletown 5, Acks 0; High Ormlie Hotspur 9, Top Joe's 0; Staxigoe United 1, Pentland United 7.
Highland League: Banks O' Dee 4, Wick Academy 0.
David Allan Shield, semi-finals: High Ormlie Hotspur 3, Castletown 0; Pentland United 0, Wick Groats 1.
Fixtures – Saturday, August 5 – Steven Cup final: Lybster v Swifts (Cow Park, Lybster, kick-off 12 noon).
Highland Amateur Cup, semi-finals: Clach Reserves v Avoch (Culbokie, 3pm); Stromness Athletic v Wick Groats (Castletown, 2.30pm).
Highland League: Wick Academy v Deveronvale (3pm).
Tuesday, August 8 – Caithness AFA Division One: High Ormlie Hotspur v Staxigoe United; John O'Groats v Acks; Wick Groats v Pentland United. Division Two: Watten v Top Joe's (all 7pm).
Wednesday, August 9 – Caithness AFA Division One: Castletown v Wick Thistle. Division Two: Keiss v Thurso Pentland; Lybster v Swifts (all 7pm).
Saturday, August 12 – David Allan Shield final – High Ormlie Hotspur v Wick Groats (Castletown, 3pm).