Halkirk United's Orkney call-off 'a sensible decision'
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Postponing Halkirk United's scheduled North Caledonian League fixture in Orkney on Saturday was "a sensible decision", according to the Anglers' assistant manager Liam Anderson.
League officials called off the fixture on Thursday because of the logistical difficulties involved in getting the Halkirk squad across the Pentland Firth and back within the constraints of NorthLink's Scrabster/Stromness ferry timetable.
Sailings between Gills and St Margaret's Hope by rival operator Pentland Ferries are suspended until February 4 while the MV Pentalina has its annual refit.
The Scrabster alternative would have allowed too little room for manoeuvre either side of the scheduled 2.15pm kick-off.
"We usually take the Gills ferry but it was the Scrabster one we were having to take for Saturday," Anderson said.
"I think it was a sensible decision [to postpone the fixture] because there was no other way about it, to be honest.
"If there was any delay whatsoever we were either not going to get there in time for the game or we were going to be having to stay there.
"We got stuck there a couple of years ago because a ferry didn't go, so we didn't want a repeat of that."
On that occasion, in January 2022, a technical fault with the boat meant an unscheduled overnight stay for the Anglers after they had lost 4-1 to Orkney.
"Unfortunately the boat's generator packed in so we had to stay the night," manager Ewan McElroy said at the time. "Of course it was not ideal but the squad were in good spirits."
The postponement means another blank weekend for Halkirk United after last Saturday's wipe-out of North Caley fixtures. The Anglers had been due to play Alness United in Easter Ross.
McElroy said earlier this week: "It was not hugely surprising that last week's match was called off considering the weather, especially in the north of the Highlands. I think it's affecting the majority of teams in the league, and in other leagues, but hopefully we can get a decent run of games over the next few weeks."
Halkirk's last outing was the 2-0 victory over Inverness Athletic at Morrison Park on January 13. They are third in the table behind leaders Invergordon and second-placed Loch Ness.
"We are confident going into most games at the minute but we also respect every team in the league," McElroy said. "It’s important that we go into every game with the right attitude.
"It has been a real strength of the squad this year."
Thurso had been due to take on Loch Ness at home last weekend. The Vikings, whose last match was a 1-0 defeat to Clachnacuddin "A" in Inverness, have no fixture this Saturday.
North Caledonian League fixtures for Saturday, January 27: Alness United v Bonar Bridge; Fort William v Loch Ness; Invergordon v Golspie Sutherland; Inverness Athletic v St Duthus.
