‘Fantastic performance’ as Acks put four past Orkney opponents
Player/manager Kyle Innes was proud of Acks’ “solid, disciplined performance” as they ran out 4-0 winners on their Highland Amateur Cup trip to Orkney.
The Thurso side earned a third-round tie away to Inver, from the north-west Sutherland league, after seeing off Kirkwall Accies on Saturday.
Innes was among the scorers, tucking away Acks’ third goal from the penalty spot after they led 2-0 at the break.
“We played really well as a unit,” Innes said. “While it’s always a tough test going away from home, Kirkwall Accies certainly made us work for it.
“Lee Mackay got us off to a great start with the opening goal, followed by Olaf Taylor not long after.
“The goals gave us real momentum, but towards the end of the first half we did let a bit of complacency slip in. Jack Ross pulled off a fantastic save at a vital moment to stop Kirkwall getting back into the game.
“Overall we managed the second half well. It was a solid, disciplined performance across the pitch.
“We managed to secure the third goal with the penalty and Harvey Labor netted the fourth to see the game out for us.
“Overall it was a fantastic performance from the team which certainly made it worthwhile for the travelling support.
“We look forward to going into the next round away to a tough Inver side.”
Acks are one of four, or potentially five, Caithness teams through to the last 16. Wick Groats have still to play their second-round tie.
Inver squeezed past Wick Thistle at the Upper Bignold despite having two players sent off.
Jayden Loughlin was shown a straight red midway through the first half. The visitors made the breakthrough early in the second half through Reece Wilson, then they had Paul Loughlin ordered off after the hour mark.
With 10 minutes left, Thistle’s Jayden Bremner was shown a second yellow, making it 10 against nine in the closing stages, but Inver held on.
Pentland United, the holders, eased through with a 5-1 victory over Inverness and district side Tornagrain at Culloden. The Stabbies will meet Inverness Athletic at home in the next round.
United co-manager Michael Gray said: “We’re delighted to have navigated our way past Tornagrain. They are a new team and are scoring goals for fun in Inverness, so it had all the makings of a very testing tie, but I thought we approached it in the right manner and got on the front foot early.
“We had a few near things before Michael Petrie broke the line and finished well. That settled us down and I thought we had most of the possession and territory, but Tornagrain never stopped and they have a lot of experience in their ranks.
“Once James Murray quickly got the second, our nerves dissipated and we knocked the ball around confidently.
“The third goal was the pick of the bunch. Great link-up down the left freed up Andrew Brims whose cross to the near post was perfectly timed for Andrew Mackay to side-foot home.
“Sean Munro made it four with a speculative shot from distance just before half-time and Andrew Brims got the fifth early in the second period, beating the goalkeeper to a through ball.
“Tornagrain got a consolation in the last 10 minutes, but overall it was a satisfactory result and into round three we go. Inverness Athletic will be a big challenge.”
Halkirk were beaten 5-1 by Carloway, from Lewis, at neutral Culbokie.
Results – Highland Amateur Cup, second round: Avoch 3, Ferry United 1; Benbecula 1, High Ormlie Hotspur 6 (Evanton); Dounby Athletic 1, Kirkwall Thorfinn 1 (AET, Dounby won 3-2 on penalties); Fortrose 2, Black Rock 1; Halkirk 1, Carloway 5 (at Culbokie); Inverness Athletic 6, Fort William Reserves 1; Kirkwall Accies 0, Thurso Acks 4; Lerwick Spurs 4, Westside 1; Maryburgh 6, North West Skye 0; Tornagrain 1, Pentland United 5 (at Culloden); Watten 1, Staxigoe United 8; Whalsay 6, Portree 0; Wick Thistle 0, Inver 1.
Highland Amateur Cup third-round draw (ties to be played on June 21): Carloway v Fortrose; East United or Barra or Stornoway Athletic v Dounby Athletic; High Ormlie Hotspur v Staxigoe United; Inver v Thurso Acks; Lerwick Spurs v Maryburgh; Pentland United v Inverness Athletic; Scalloway or Iochdar Saints or Stornoway United v Whalsay; Wick Groats or CK Interiors or Culloden v Avoch.
Three second-round ties were postponed pending appeals.
Fixtures – Tuesday, June 3 – Eain Mackintosh Cup, quarter-finals: Castletown v Wick Thistle; Halkirk v Keiss; Pentland United v Staxigoe United; High Ormlie Hotspur v Lybster (all 7.15pm).
Friday, June 6 – Division Two: Swifts v Halkirk; Top Joe’s v Wick Thistle; Watten v Thurso Pentland (all 7.30pm).
Saturday, June 7 – Stannergill Cup final: Castletown v Staxigoe United (at Castletown, 3pm).
Sunday, June 8 – SWF Highlands and Islands League: Orkney v Caithness (kick-off TBC).
CAFA standings – Division One: 1 Pentland United (played 6, points 18); 2 High Ormlie Hotspur (6, 15); 3 Wick Groats (6, 13); 4 Lybster (6, 9); 5 Staxigoe United (6, 8); 6 Castletown (6, 3); 7 John O’Groats (5, 1); 8 Keiss (5, 0).
Division Two: 1 Wick Thistle (played 4, points 12); 2 Thurso Pentland (4, 9); 3 Acks (5, 9); 4 Watten (3, 4); 5 Swifts (3, 3); 6 Top Joe’s (4, 0); 7 Halkirk (5, -2). Halkirk deducted six points for playing an ineligible player in two league fixtures.