Pentland United can't dwell on cup semi-final loss, says co-manager Gray
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Pentland United's players have been told to move on from the disappointment of their Colin Macleod Memorial Cup semi-final loss and focus on the next challenge.
The Stabbies' hopes of retaining the trophy were ended by Wick Groats at Ham Park on Tuesday night as Kevin Anderson's men ran out 3-1 winners.
Korbyn Cameron made the breakthrough for Groats just before half-time and Steven Anderson headed in their second soon after the break. Andrew Brims pulled one back late on, but Ben Sinclair added a third for Groats.
United co-manager Michael Gray said: "We never really got out of first gear. I felt that from the first whistle really they showed more urgency around the park than we did, better option-taking than we did. We didn't use the ball very well at all.
"To be honest, I didn't think it was really that great a game. There was very little quality.
"Losing the goal right before half-time, that set us back, and then losing one straight after half-time. I've certainly got no reason to have any complaints about the result. I don't think we did enough to justify a win.
"At the end of the day, you can't allow yourself to dwell on it. That's what we've said in there just now – you can feel sorry for yourself for 24 hours or so but the games are going to keep on coming.
"Time waits for no man, and it's about us dusting ourselves down, moving on to Friday and looking for a response from the group."
Friday brings a Caithness AFA Division One fixture against High Ormlie Hotspur at Morrison Park.
High Ormlie knocked the Stabbies out of the Highland Amateur Cup in a preliminary tie in April, but United won 5-1 when the sides met in a league match earlier this month.
Gray added: "I don't think any team has actually impressed that much, to be perfectly honest. There doesn't seem to be a dominant team throughout the league – there are a lot of evenly matched games."
Results – Alan Farquhar Testimonial: Wick Academy 6, SPL Legends 4.
CAFA Division Two: Keiss 5, Thurso Pentland 0; Swifts 1, Lybster 3; Watten 0, Top Joe's 3.
Colin Macleod Memorial Cup, semi-finals: Pentland United 1, Wick Groats 3; Wick Thistle 2, John O'Groats 1.
Fixtures: Friday, May 26 – CAFA Division One: Castletown v Wick Groats; High Ormlie Hotspur v Pentland United; John O'Groats v Wick Thistle; Staxigoe United v Acks (all 7.15pm).
Monday, May 29 – Division One: Wick Thistle v Castletown. Division Two: Keiss v Lybster; Top Joe's v Swifts; Watten v Thurso Pentland (all 7.30pm).
Tuesday, May 30 – Division One: Acks v John O'Groats; Pentland United v Wick Groats; Staxigoe United v High Ormlie Hotspur (all 7.30pm).
