It's one game at a time for Wick Groats after victory over 'real deal' Hotspur
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Manager Kevin Anderson is sticking to the time-honoured "one game at a time" philosophy after Wick Groats underlined their county league title credentials with a second successive 4-0 victory.
Their latest opponents in Caithness AFA Division One were High Ormlie Hotspur, who had knocked Pentland United out of the Highland Amateur Cup at the weekend. All the goals on Tuesday night came in the first half at a chilly Upper Bignold, with Korbyn Cameron firing in the first two before Greg Shearer added a double.
Anderson said: "High Ormlie speak for themselves now – Highland Amateur Cup winners, and they put Pentland United out of the Highland Amateur Cup on Saturday. They are obviously the real deal now themselves.
"We have a lot of boys struggling with injuries, but what a performance tonight. We defended well, kept our shape and limited them to very few chances. We took our chances well and on another night could have probably scored more.
"To get four goals and a clean sheet again, the same as last week [against Staxigoe United], was very promising.
"There's a lot of new guys, there's a lot of experience we've lost in the squad, so it's purely a case of taking it one game at a time – it's the old cliché but that's all we're doing."
Wick Groats are away to John O'Groats on Friday, while Hotspur are at home to Wick Thistle.
High Ormlie co-manager Liam Sutherland said: "We started all right, but there was a 20-minute spell in the first half that kind of killed us. After that the game was gone.
"We battled on and we made a lot of changes at half-time. We had a couple of half-chances and hit the woodwork once as well.
"You could see that a couple of boys had obviously had a tough shift on Saturday, but that's no excuse. The fixtures are coming thick and fast.
"You know what you're getting when you come here – it's always going to be really tough. We'll just pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and go again on Friday."
Marc Macgregor, the 2022 Caithness AFA player of the year and top scorer, hit a hat-trick as Pentland United bounced back from their Highland Amateur Cup exit with an 8-1 rout against Acks at Ham Park on Tuesday.
Allan Munro contributed a double and James Murray also scored twice, including a penalty. Sean Munro was the other scorer for the Stabbies, with Adam Porteous getting a consolation goal for Acks.
Michael Smith scored both Castletown's goals in a 2-1 win at John O'Groats who had equalised through Jordan Howden.
Results – Highland Amateur Cup, preliminary round, north section: High Ormlie Hotspur 1, Pentland United 0; John O'Groats 0, Lairg Rovers 0 (Lairg won 4-2 on penalties); Keiss 4, Brora Wanderers 3; Lochinver 5, Lybster 3; Thurso Swifts 2, Golspie Stafford 3; Watten 2, Lochbroom 5.
Caithness AFA Division One: John O'Groats 1, Castletown 2; Pentland United 8, Acks 1; Wick Groats 4, High Ormlie Hotspur 0.
Fixtures – Wednesday, April 26 – Division Two: Lybster v Swifts; Thurso Pentland v Keiss; Top Joe's v Watten (all 6.45pm).
Friday, April 28 – Division One: Castletown v Acks; High Ormlie Hotspur v Wick Thistle; John O'Groats v Wick Groats; Staxigoe United v Pentland United (all 6.45pm).
Tuesday, May 2 – Colin Macleod Memorial Cup, first round: High Ormlie Hotspur v Lybster; Pentland United v Staxigoe United; Watten v Keiss (all 6.30pm).
Wednesday, May 3 – Colin Macleod Memorial Cup, first round: Castletown v Swifts; Thurso Pentland v Wick Thistle; Wick Groats v Acks (all 6.30pm).
Saturday, May 6 – Colin Macleod Memorial Cup quarter-finals: Castletown or Swifts v Wick Groats or Acks; High Ormlie Hotspur or Lybster v Pentland United or Staxigoe United; John O'Groats Top Joe's; Thurso Pentland or Wick Thistle v Watten or Keiss.
Highland Amateur Cup, revised first-round draw (north section): Castletown v Lairg Rovers; Golspie Stafford v Invergordon; Inver v Lochinver; Helmsdale United v Staxigoe United; High Ormlie Hotspur v Thurso Acks; Lochbroom v Wick Groats; Thurso Pentland v Keiss; Wick Thistle v Top Joe's (ties to be played on Saturday, May 13).
