Anglers set to welcome back half a dozen players for Bonar clash
Halkirk United are getting closer to full strength as they prepare to welcome back half a dozen players for Saturday's home game against bottom club Bonar Bridge in the North Caledonian League.
The Anglers are looking to bounce back from their action-packed 7-4 loss to leaders Loch Ness last weekend, a fifth defeat in six matches for Ewan McElroy's side.
It is just three weeks since United eased to an 8-1 win at Bonar's ground but the Sutherland outfit will have taken confidence from picking up their first three points of the campaign last weekend.
"It was certainly an exciting game from a neutral's perspective – not so much for us at the side," McElroy said after the Loch Ness clash. "The final score didn't reflect the tightness of the game.
"Speaking with their manager after the game, he agreed it was on a knife edge for most of the time and their two late goals made it look slightly harsher than it was.
"Loch Ness are a physical and direct team. It’s a learning process, for sure, and we need to learn quickly if we are going to see an improvement in terms of points and league position.
"We need to focus on each game as it comes right now and this weekend is no different."
It was 3-3 at half-time and the Anglers were unfortunate not to be in front at that stage.
Halkirk scorers were Steven Anderson (2), Liam Bain and Kyle Henderson, with the Loch Ness goals coming from Josh Race (3), Phil MacDonald (2) and Allan MacPhee along with a first-half own goal.
McElroy said: "This week is again another big game. Despite the scoreline in our first encounter we know it will likely be a different Bonar Bridge who will be in buoyant mood after beating Nairn at the weekend.
"Similarly they have run Orkney close on their own patch earlier on in the season.
"For the first time this season we are looking to welcome a number of boys back to the squad without any new injuries from the weekend. It’s difficult for any squad when injures mount up and we have been missing between eight and 12 players each week for most of the season.
"If all goes well at this week's training we will hopefully be looking to welcome back around half a dozen boys to the squad and this will undoubtedly help things in general."
United remain ninth in the 13-team division.
Bonar Bridge were 4-2 winners at home to Nairn County "A". Jack Corbett struck twice for the Sutherland side, who stay bottom but only on goal difference from Clach "A".
The league's leading scorers Alness United moved up to third with a surprisingly one-sided 7-0 victory over St Duthus. Ryan McFee, Mikey Grimes and Euan Henderson all scored twice, while Alexander Mackay also got his name on the scoresheet.
Golspie Sutherland had a 3-2 win away to Inverness Athletic, with Cameron Sutherland scoring twice for the visitors.
North Caledonian League results: Alness United 7, St Duthus 0; Inverness Athletic 2, Golspie Sutherland 3; Invergordon 4, Clachnacuddin "A" 0; Bonar Bridge 4, Nairn County "A" 2; Loch Ness 7, Halkirk United 4; Thurso 1, Orkney 1.
Fixtures for Saturday: Fort William v Inverness Athletic; Golspie Sutherland v Clachnacuddin "A"; Halkirk United v Bonar Bridge (2pm); Invergordon v Thurso (2pm); Loch Ness v Nairn County "A"; St Duthus v Orkney.