Heat is on in Caithness County League division one battle

THE battle for division one in the Caithness County League is heating up after frontrunners Wick Groats lost out to their only other realistic contenders, Pentland United.

They slumped to a 3-1 defeat in Dunnet to wreck their 100 per cent record in their title defence. The smart money is now on the battle between the duo going all the way to the return joust on the final night of the league season.

Meanwhile, Wick Thistle are on the cusp of clinching the second-division title after completing a back-to-back double over main rival Thurso Pentland.

Results – Division one: Acks 1, John O’Groats 1; Pentland United 3 Wick Groats 1. Division two: Keiss 5, FSC 4; Ormlie Hotspurs 2, Lybster 3; Rovers 2, Top Joe’s 1; Thurso Pentland 0, Wick Thistle 1; Wick Thistle 2, Thurso Pentland 1.

David Allan Shield, second round: Castletown 5, Swifts 2; Halkirk 1, Pentland United 2; Rovers 2, Top Joe’s 0; Wick Groats 4, John O’Groats 1.

Fixtures – Tomorrow, MacLeod IFA Highland Amateur Cup semi-finals: Avoch v Carloway (at Ullapool, 12pm); Back v Wick Groats (at Culbokie, 12.30pm).

Monday: David Allan Shield semi-finals (7pm): Castletown v Pentland United; Rovers v Wick Groats.

Wednesday: Division one (7.15pm), Halkirk v John O’Groats; Pentland United v Castletown; Staxigoe United v Acks, Wick Groats v Swifts.

Thursday: Division two (7.15pm), FSC v Ormlie Hotspurs; Lybster v Keiss; Top Joe’s v Thurso Pentland.

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