Pentland United celebrate ninth Highland Amateur Cup after heroics by ‘old man’ Gray
Veteran goalkeeper Michael Gray admitted he felt “wrecked” after his heroics in Pentland United’s record-extending Highland Amateur Cup triumph.
The 48-year-old co-manager pulled off a penalty save in the second half of Saturday’s final against Avoch when the Stabbies were trailing to Keith Mason’s early strike.
It proved to be a turning point as the momentum swung United’s way and goals by Sean Campbell and James Murray put them in front. Gray produced a flying fingertip save in stoppage time to seal a 2-1 victory and take the cup to Dunnet for a ninth time.
It came four days after the Stabbies were presented with the Caithness county league trophy.
Gray had been forced to put himself in the starting line-up as regular keeper Owen Gordon was ruled out with a foot injury and efforts to bring in an emergency replacement came to nothing.
“I am wrecked,” Gray said after the trophy presentation at Harmsworth Park. “The save at the end, my calf started seizing up and I wasn’t sure if I’d get up again.
“My back’s sore… I’m an old man, officially!
“My brothers were both messaging me today, one in Spain and one in Australia, and I said ‘I can’t defeat time, as much as I try’. They were trying to gee me up a bit, but it was a struggle.”
Avoch, with seven Highland Amateur Cup successes, went into the match hoping to draw level with United and the Inverness and District FA Premier Division champions seized the advantage in front of a crowd of around 500 when Mason squeezed in the opener with eight minutes gone.
Referee Stephen McDade awarded Avoch a penalty five minutes into the second half, seemingly for a push on Craig Lawrie. Gray flung himself to his right to catch James Ross’s spot-kick.
Seven minutes later Campbell conjured up an equaliser. Latching on to a partial clearance on the right edge of the box, he curled the ball into the far corner with the aid of a slight deflection.
The Stabbies had the initiative now and the winner arrived on 66 minutes when James Murray netted from close range with a bullet header after a great cross by Andrew Brims from wide on the left.
There was a scare for United in stoppage time as a shot from Lawrie appeared to be swerving and dipping into the far corner, but Gray leapt to tip it over.
“I half read it, and you stick your hand up and you hope it gets enough contact,” Gray said.
United had overcome Castletown, Top Joe’s, North Isles, Lybster, Ness and Stornoway Athletic on their run to the final.
“Avoch had the chance to draw level with us,” Gray said. “They’re a fantastic side. They have been for some time now and we’ve managed to open that gap back up again to two.
“It’s a great competition. This year we’ve played a team from Shetland, two from Lewis, three from Caithness and now a team from Ross-shire. Over the years it has been kind to us and today it has been kind again.
“Avoch started the second half a little bit sharper than us. We were kind of slow out of the blocks. I didn’t think it was a penalty, there wasn’t much in it, and there wasn’t much of a claim for it.
“James Ross hit it well but it was probably a bit close to me. You get lucky sometimes.
“I’ve never been particularly good at saving penalties. You just try to read the body of the guy that’s taking it.
“From about the hour mark I thought we started really dictating the play. We started getting it into good areas and our wide guys started having an impact on the game.
“Sean Campbell has a tremendous instinct for picking up pockets of space. He gets in there and inevitably he’ll get shots on target.
“He got the equaliser, and then Andy Brims – what a superb run and cross. James Murray now has 39 goals for the season so fair play to him. It’s probably quite fitting, after the season he’s had, to get the winner.”
Saturday’s match came 31 years on from Gray’s first appearance in a Highland Amateur Cup final.
“The gap is bigger than the age of most of the players in the team,” he said. “It’s quite scary when you think of that!”
Avoch manager Martyn MacAllister said: “Michael did well to save the penalty and I felt the momentum shifted then. If we’d scored it, I would have fancied us to see the game through – but those are the fine margins of football. You’re up one minute, and the next minute it’s taken away from you.
“Pentland United are the record holders for a reason. They are a quality side.
“Equally I’m proud of my players. In the 16 or 17 years I’ve been with Avoch it’s probably the hardest run we’ve had to the final. Every single game we’ve had has been tough.
“I’m gutted for them that they just couldn’t get over the line. That’s football, you take it on the chin and move on.
MacAllister acknowledged that it was a soft penalty award.
He added: “James Ross has been excellent for us and no-one in the squad will blame him for it. I said to the boys we win together and we lose together.
“I know what it’s like. Fifteen years ago on this very park I put one over the bar in a shootout against Thorfinn. We lost, so I know how he’s feeling.
“But you’ve got to bounce back from it and it drives you on to hopefully come back again next year and be on the other side of it.”
