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Last-gasp defeat was like 'a kick in the teeth' for Wick Thistle





Wick Groats and Wick Thistle line up with the match officials just before kick-off in the Colin Macleod Memorial Cup final. Picture: James Gunn
Wick Groats and Wick Thistle line up with the match officials just before kick-off in the Colin Macleod Memorial Cup final. Picture: James Gunn

Owen Harrold admitted that Groats' injury-time winner in the Colin Macleod Memorial Cup final felt like "a kick in the teeth" for Wick Thistle.

The Jags' player/manager felt it was always likely that a single goal would settle the contest, and the breakthrough came three minutes into stoppage time at Back Park just as extra time looked inevitable.

Harrold, on the goal line or possibly just behind it, was unable to prevent Greg Shearer's header ending up in the net via a post after the ball had dropped down from the crossbar.

"It was just one of those games, it was going to be a one-goal game," Harrold said. "It's a hard one to take, especially with a goal like that.

"It hit the bar twice and then dropped down. Greg headed it off my knee and in off the post. I was kind of behind the line anyway.

"We had a couple of chances, they had a couple of chances near the end, but for that to happen was kind of a kick in the teeth."

Harrold felt that getting to the first final of the Caithness AFA season underlined the improvement made by the Jags since last year.

"It shows that we are progressing," he said. "Last season we were knocked out of all the cups quite early and then we were nearly relegated.

"Now we're third in the league and we've reached the first cup final. We will try to take the positives from that."

Thistle have little time for recovery as they are back in action on Monday evening in a Caithness AFA Division One fixture at home to Acks.

Wick Groats forward Jonah Martens tries to get past Thistle player/manager Owen Harrold. Picture: James Gunn
Wick Groats forward Jonah Martens tries to get past Thistle player/manager Owen Harrold. Picture: James Gunn

Related story:

Result – Colin Macleod Memorial Cup final: Wick Groats 1, Wick Thistle 0 (in Castletown).

Fixtures – Monday, June 12 – Caithness AFA Division One: Wick Thistle v Acks (7.30pm).

Tuesday, June 13 – Division One: John O'Groats v High Ormlie Hotspur; Pentland United v Castletown; Wick Groats v Staxigoe United (all 7.30pm).

Wednesday, June 14 – Division Two: Keiss v Watten; Lybster v Top Joe's; Swifts v Thurso Pentland (all 7.30pm).

Saturday, June 17 – Archer Shield, Orkney v Caithness.

Monday, June 19 – Division Two: Keiss v Top Joe's; Thurso Pentland v Lybster; Watten v Swifts (all 7.30pm).

Wednesday, June 21 – Eain Mackintosh Cup, quarter-finals: Acks v Keiss; High Ormlie Hotspur v Castletown; Wick Groats v Staxigoe United; Wick Thistle v Pentland United (all 7.15pm).


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