Cup and league honours at stake in Lybster v Swifts double-header
Lybster and Swifts are set for a double-header over the coming week with cup and league honours at stake.
The teams meet at Cow Park on Saturday in the final of the Steven Cup, the annual knockout competition for Caithness AFA second division clubs.
They will come face to face again on Wednesday night in what could be a pivotal fixture in the second division title race, as they are level on points at the top of the table with two games remaining. Lybster's far superior goal difference could yet become a factor.
There is even a chance that third-placed Keiss could snatch the title and automatic promotion, but that would require an unlikely sequence of results.
Lybster’s 3-3 draw with Top Joe’s last week allowed Swifts to pull level with the long-time leaders on 31 points after a 5-0 win against Pentland.
The Steven Cup final has a noon kick-off. It will be preceded by an open training session for children, with the final to be followed by a Lybster v Caithness veterans' match.
Lybster eased to a 7-0 victory over Watten in their semi-final, while Swifts beat Keiss 1-0.
Last season's Steven Cup winners were Castletown, who defeated Keiss 5-0 in the final. The Quarrymen had already been crowned as Division Two champions.
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 (Dammies, Thurso, 3pm).