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High Ormlie Hotspur ‘need to be at the top of our game’ for Benbecula clash





Kieran MacGregor leaps over a tackle by Castletown defender Benn Murray during High Ormlie Hotspur's 4-0 victory in the Highland Amateur Cup preliminary round in April. Picture: James Gunn
Kieran MacGregor leaps over a tackle by Castletown defender Benn Murray during High Ormlie Hotspur's 4-0 victory in the Highland Amateur Cup preliminary round in April. Picture: James Gunn

High Ormlie Hotspur are “in good shape” as they prepare to face first-time opposition from the Outer Hebrides in the second round of the Highland Amateur Cup.

The 2022 winners, one of eight Caithness teams through to the last 32, travel to neutral Evanton on Saturday to take on Benbecula.

Goalkeeper Lewis Gallacher, who is part of the club’s management team, said: “These away ties are the sort of games you look forward to as a squad when the draw comes out – particularly a team we have not come across yet, which adds a bit extra to the occasion.

“The squad is in good shape and we’ve done our best to try to get some understanding of the tie. We know that teams from the west always prove a tough test in this competition and we’ll need to be at the top of our game heading into Saturday.”

High Ormlie, back-to-back winners of the Eain Mackintosh Cup, eased through to the quarter-finals of this year’s tournament with a 6-0 victory over Thurso Pentland on Tuesday.

There were two goals each for Kieran Macgregor and Liam Bain, with the others coming from James Mackintosh and Aaron Wilson.

Staxigoe United’s good form continued with a comfortable 5-1 victory at home to John O’Groats in their Eain Mackintosh Cup encounter the same night.

Four-goal Graham MacNab was the hero for Staxigoe, with Martin Banks also on target. Lewis Breeze scored for JOG.

Staxigoe’s quarter-final opponents will be Pentland United, whom they defeated in the Stannergill Cup semi-finals last week.

Castletown booked a quarter-final encounter with Wick Thistle after beating Swifts 4-1 at the Dammies on Wednesday night.

Michael Smith struck twice for Castletown, with Jack McKechnie and Lewis Swan also on the scoresheet. Andrew Bremner pulled one back for Swifts.

Results – Eain Mackintosh Cup, first round: Acks 1, Keiss 2 (after extra time); Pentland United 2, Wick Groats 2 (Pentland United won 4-3 on penalties); Staxigoe United 5, John O’Groats 1; Swifts 1, Castletown 4; Thurso Pentland 0, High Ormlie Hotspur 6; Top Joe’s 0, Halkirk 8; Watten 0, Wick Thistle 3.

Fixtures – Saturday, May 31 – Highland Amateur Cup, second round (3pm kick-off unless otherwise stated): Avoch v Ferry United; Benbecula v High Ormlie Hotspur (Evanton); Dounby Athletic v Kirkwall Thorfinn; Fortrose v Black Rock; Halkirk v Carloway (Culbokie, noon); Inverness Athletic v Fort William Reserves (Culbokie, 3.30pm); Kirkwall Accies v Thurso Acks; Lerwick Spurs v Westside (Helmsdale, 12.30pm); Maryburgh v North West Skye; Tornagrain v Pentland United (Culloden); Watten v Staxigoe United; Whalsay v Portree (Fortrose, 11.30am); Wick Thistle v Inver.

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).

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.


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