John O’Groats squad ‘more than capable’ of keeping first division status
Top-flight survival is the main priority for John O’Groats this season, according to co-manager Mark Robertson.
The village side led twice against Wick Thistle at a very foggy Folke Park on Tuesday night but it ended 2-2 after Jayden Bremner’s double for the Jags.
It was Thistle’s first point of the season and they remain bottom of the Caithness AFA Division One table, while JOG are one of three teams on the five-point mark.
“The man of the match was [goalkeeper] Christy Cannop, without a doubt,” Robertson said. “He kept us in the game in the first half.
“The boys dug deep and a point probably suits us better than it suits them. A win takes you a fair bit up the table, but after the first half we’d probably have taken a draw.
“They play good football at times, those boys – you can’t take that away from them.
“We’ve not really had a steady squad this season. First division survival is what we’re aiming for at the moment and I think we’ve got a squad that is more than capable of doing that.
“Our goal is always to finish as high as we can, but you’ve got to be realistic.”
The home side opened the scoring late in the first half when a free kick broke to Michael Sutherland, who poked the ball in from close range.
Bremner broke through to slot home an equaliser just before the break.
JOG regained the initiative midway through the second half when Jordan Howden took a corner on the left and it flew into the net without anyone getting a touch.
Bremner struck again to ensure a share of the points.
Thistle were reduced to 10 men late on when Colin Henstridge was shown a straight red for a foul on Grant Budge.
John O’Groats have never been relegated and the players and management team are determined to make sure they retain their first division status.
Robertson said: “I was in the team that came up from the second division, that was my first year here. I was 14, and I was 39 this year, so that’s 25 years ago.
“Once we get a few boys back from injury we’ll be fairly confident that we can stay up.”
Thistle manager Owen Harrold said: “I feel that after the first half we should have been out of sight. We should have been at least 3-0 up and then they have one attempt at goal and they score.
“We’ve been playing good football throughout the whole season.
“I think once we start taking our chances everything will start clicking into place. But we have no confidence in front of goal just now.
“It’s a shame, because we are playing some good football. The two guys that are leading the line [Jayden Bremner and Scott Durrand] are so young, you’re putting a lot of responsibility on them, but they are more than capable because they are two really good players.
“It’s probably two points lost rather than one point gained. However, it’s still a long season.
“We are more than capable of picking up points, so I do believe we’ll get back into this league by playing good football.”
Wick Groats kept up their title challenge with a 6-2 victory at Castletown.
Sandy Sutherland got a hat-trick for the champions with the others coming from Michael Steven, Steven Anderson and Steven Sutherland. Josh Sutherland and Dylan Alexander scored for Castletown.
Results – Colin Macleod Memorial Cup, semi-finals: High Ormlie Hotspur 0, Wick Groats 3; Pentland United 5, Staxigoe United 3. CAFA Division Two: Keiss 4, Halkirk 1.
SWF Highlands and Islands League: Caithness 1, Sutherland 5.
CAFA Division One: Castletown 2, Wick Groats 6; High Ormlie Hotspur 2, Pentland United 3; John O’Groats 2, Wick Thistle 2; Staxigoe United 3, Lybster 1.
CAFA Division Two: Keiss 2, Top Joe’s 3.
Fixtures – Thursday, May 23 – CAFA Division Two: Acks v Pentland; Halkirk v Watten; Keiss v Swifts (all 7.15pm).
Friday, May 24 – Division One: High Ormlie Hotspur v Wick Thistle; John O’Groats v Wick Groats; Staxigoe United v Pentland United (all 7.15pm).
Tuesday, May 28 – Eain Mackintosh Cup, first round: Castletown v Pentland United; High Ormlie Hotspur v Wick Groats; Keiss v Lybster; Swifts v John O’Groats; Wick Thistle v Staxigoe United (all 7.15pm).
Wednesday, May 29 – Eain Mackintosh Cup, first round: Top Joe’s v Halkirk; Watten v Pentland (both 7.15pm). Acks have a bye.
