Decisions go against Caithness United U16s in defeat to Clach
Caithness United under-16s lost out to a streetwise and physically strong Clachnacuddin side at Evanton on Sunday, and coach Stewart Ross hopes the team will have learned a lesson about how to react when decisions go against them.
The Caithness boys were keen to build on their excellent display against Balloan United and avenge their home defeat to Clach earlier in the season.
However, the Inverness side seemed to settle into the game the better as they created a few early opportunities.
They found Caithness United to be relatively resolute in defence, though, with their central defensive pairing of Harris Shone and Connley Fairweather plus keeper Kyle Bain all battling tooth and nail to protect their goal.
There was plenty of drama in the final 15 minutes of the half.
The deadlock was broken by the home side when a through ball that looked suspiciously offside punctured the United defence and the Inverness striker finished the move off.
Caithness were pushing hard for an equaliser when they were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty box. Cory Miller drilled the ball low towards goal and the keeper spilled it in front of the onrushing Caithness midfielder John Mullally, who tapped it in – only for the visitors to be enraged again when the referee blew for offside against Mullally.
There seemed to be a swing in momentum from that point and Clach scored two quick goals to go in at the break 3-0 up.
Twenty minutes into the second half captain Miller pulled a goal back with a tidy finish but it was too little, too late, as the game ended 3-1 to Clach.
Coach Ross said: “I thought we started sluggishly, which allowed Clach to dominate the ball and grow in confidence in the opening stages. I still felt our defence were standing up strong, though, right up until they scored the opener.
“I actually thought we were favourites to score next at that point. However, the double whammy of being on the wrong side of two offside decisions seemed to hit the lads hard, and Clach took advantage of that before half-time.
“I made a few changes at the break, both enforced and tactical, which seemed to work for us, as the boys were more on the front foot and were giving Clach problems at the back. From that we ended up getting our goal.
“It was a real body blow getting our equalising goal chalked off – but I’d also expect a better reaction to that from our lads, if I am honest. The boys have to learn that these things happen in football, and you’ve just got to roll your sleeves up and use those moments of ‘injustice’ as motivation.”
Ross added: “Next up we have Inverness Athletic at home. We will be looking for our lads to bounce back, and also look to avenge the defeat we suffered to Athletic in North Kessock a couple of months ago.”
It was honours even between Caithness United under-14s and Orkney Youth Development at Naver, with Duncan McGee and Ruaridh Kean scoring for United in a 2-2 draw.
U14 coach Murray Coghill said: “It proved to be a testing afternoon. Granted there was a wind sweeping down the park, but we know the boys are capable of much more than they showed in what was a very scrappy first 60 minutes.
“Orkney grabbed the lead in the opening 30-minute period when we just didn’t set up properly when defending a corner, but Duncan got us back on level terms in the second period with a nice low strike into the bottom left corner.
“In the final period we once again failed to deal with a corner, resulting in Orkney going ahead 2-1.
“The final 30 minutes was much better from our point of view. I don’t know if that was through a couple of changes we made or if it was the wind dying down, but we were definitely more like ourselves as we pressed hard to get an equaliser with some excellent interchanges through each third of the team.
“We did similar against Ellon Meadows in the Scottish Cup but we were punished when we pushed to get back into the game.
“This week our bravery in possession was rewarded when Ruaridh levelled with a nice strike from distance. We were very much in the ascendancy by this stage but couldn’t find a winner.”
Coghill added: “It’s always a tough game against our Orcadian counterparts and I think they would probably have every right to think they did enough to win the game.
“But fair play to our boys for showing some fantastic resilience to fight their way back despite it not being a vintage performance for most of the game.”