McElroy wants clean sheets to keep on coming for Halkirk United
Manager Ewan McElroy believes Halkirk United will need to continue their habit of keeping clean sheets if they are to maintain their North Caledonian League title challenge.
The table-topping Anglers were 4-0 winners over Alness United at Morrison Park on Saturday after an outstanding first-half display. That followed on from away victories over Invergordon (2-0) and Orkney (3-0), so McElroy’s men have now gone 270-plus minutes without conceding.
They remain three points clear at the top, having won six of their first seven league fixtures.
“The squad were superb on Saturday, as good a first half as we have had this season,” McElroy said. “There was a real hunger about the performance and I thought we started with a real intensity that set the tone for the rest of the match.
“We were disappointed with our last match against Alness [a 2-1 defeat in the Football Times Cup last month] and knew we needed an awful lot more.”
Jonah Martens opened the scoring after eight minutes and Mark Munro doubled the lead six minutes later. Cameron Montgomery weighed in with a double in the closing seven minutes of the half.
“The front four were excellent,” McElroy said. “Their work rate really stood out for me and a couple of the goals came from their work off the ball, pressing the opposition at the right time and then having the composure in the final third.
“Another clean sheet is always a bonus and it’s something we will need to continue if you want to be challenging the top teams in the league.
“We are using the whole squad in most of the games and there is a healthy competitive spirit amongst the boys who all realise the importance of having competition both at training and match days.”
This weekend the Anglers are at home to 10th-placed Clachnacuddin “A”, who beat Bunillidh Thistle 3-2 at the weekend.
“It will be another test,” McElroy said. “It was a close game on their home patch at the end of August and it took a fantastic goal by Kuba Koziol late on to finish it off.
“They are a well-drilled outfit, they have just won their last game, and it’s another test for the boys to look forward to.”
McElroy also highlighted the hard work of the Halkirk United committee.
“There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes right now with our pitch and training pitch amongst other areas,” he said.
“The committee is constantly looking at new ways to improve and the coaches are exactly the same. We work collectively as a small group and everyone is very much playing their part.
“We know it’s very early on but we want to continue to improve and believe that there is more to come from the squad if they continue along the same lines.”
North Caledonian League results: Bunillidh Thistle 2, Clachnacuddin “A” 3; Fort William 1, Orkney 4; Golspie Sutherland 3, Bonar Bridge 0; Halkirk United 4, Alness United 0; St Duthus 1, Inverness Athletic 2; Thurso 0, Invergordon 2.
Fixtures for Saturday, October 12 – North Caledonian League: Alness United v Fort William; Bonar Bridge v Thurso (2pm); Golspie Sutherland v St Duthus; Halkirk United v Clachnacuddin “A” (2pm); Inverness Athletic v Orkney; Invergordon v Bunillidh Thistle.
