Cup exit for Stabbies after 'three pretty cheap goals'
Pentland United will focus their energies on the two pieces of silverware still available to them this season after their defence of the Eain Mackintosh Cup came to an end at the hands of Wick Groats.
The Stabbies made the breakthrough in Tuesday's semi-final at the Upper Bignold when James Murray scored from the spot eight minutes from half-time. However, Groats quickly turned it round before the break with goals from John Budge, Sandy Sutherland and Ben Sinclair.
Marc Macgregor gave United renewed hope when he pulled one back after 80 minutes but Groats held on to win 3-2 and they will face High Ormlie Hotspur in Saturday's final.
United co-manager Michael Gray said: "They do say you're at your most vulnerable after scoring and I think that was true.
"From the initial free kick [leading to the equaliser] I didn't think we got ourselves organised as well as we should have done and we didn't put pressure on the ball as quickly as we should have done either.

"These things are small margins. For the second goal we were on the attack and then we got caught on the counter. For the third goal we've given the ball away just a little bit too cheaply.
"I think we played the game the right way, it just wasn't to be for us. We put an awful lot into it, we just didn't get much of a reward.
"We haven't done an awful lot wrong. We had the balance of the play for most of the first half until going ahead and then obviously we've given away three pretty cheap goals.
"In the second half I thought we kind of dominated it.
"It is disappointing, there's no doubt about it, but we'll just have to dust ourselves down and go again next week when we start the David Allan Shield. You can sit there and feel sorry for yourself but that's not going to take you very far.
"There are still two trophies to play for and we've got to go and put everything into getting those two. We can't look back."
The Stabbies, the reigning Caithness AFA champions, are three points clear of Wick Groats in the title race but Groats have a game in hand.
Results – Caithness AFA Division Two: Thurso Pentland 1, Swifts 4; Top Joe's 1, Lybster 2; Watten 1, Keiss 7.
Eain Mackintosh Cup, semi-finals: High Ormlie Hotspur 7, Acks 0; Wick Groats 3, Pentland United 2.
Caithness AFA Division One: John O'Groats 2, Staxigoe United 0.
Fixtures – Saturday – Eain Mackintosh Cup final: High Ormlie Hotspur v Wick Groats (Recreation Park, Halkirk, 3pm).
Monday, July 10 – David Allan Shield, first round: Keiss v Acks; Top Joe's v Thurso Pentland (both 7.15pm).
Tuesday, July 11 – David Allan Shield, first round: Lybster v Wick Groats; Pentland United v John O'Groats; Watten v Wick Thistle (all 7.15pm).
Friendly: Wick Academy v Ross County XI (7pm).
Wednesday, July 12 – David Allan Shield, first round: Staxigoe United v Thurso Swifts (7.15pm).
Thursday, July 13 – Caithness AFA Division One: Wick Thistle v Acks (7.30pm).
Friendly: St Duthus v Wick Academy (7.15pm).
Friday, July 14 – Steven Cup, quarter-finals: Thurso Pentland v Keiss; Top Joe's v Lybster (both 7.15pm).