The job has barely begun, says Mackenzie as Lybster move off bottom spot
Lybster manager Cameron Mackenzie hailed the togetherness of his squad after they lifted themselves off bottom spot in Caithness AFA Division One – but warned there is a lot of work to be done if the villagers are to stay in the top flight.
Andrew Sutherland scored twice, either side of an Alfie Mackay penalty, as Lybster came from behind to beat Acks 3-1 at Cow Park on Tuesday night. Owen Lockhart had given the Thurso side an early lead.
The result allowed Lybster to move up to seventh, with Wick Thistle now propping up the table.
Mackenzie said: "I was absolutely delighted with our performance. We are performing to our capabilities and it is starting to show.
"I was concerned at our slow start, but after going 1-0 down the boys responded remarkably well. Young Andrew Sutherland in particular deserves a special mention – he was unplayable again, scoring a brace and winning the penalty for our second goal.
"I feel we could have easily scored a few more as well."
But he added: "As much as it's a relief to move off the bottom of the table, nobody is kidding themselves. There are loads of games left in an extremely tight season where everybody is taking points from each other, so the job has barely begun.
"In saying that, there is a great togetherness that has been instilled in the club over the past few weeks, on and off the park. Myself and everyone involved with the club believe we can not only stay up but push to get further up the table."
High Ormlie Hotspur, Pentland United and Wick Groats followed up their weekend Highland Amateur Cup wins with league victories on Tuesday.
In-form Aaron Wilson hit a double for the second game in a row as third-placed Hotspur won 4-3 at John O'Groats. Stuart Campbell and James Mackintosh got the others for Spurs, who were 4-1 up before a late rally by JOG.
Saleem Bremner (2) and Martin Sinclair scored for the home side.
High Ormlie co-manager Liam Sutherland said: “In the last five minutes we had a bit of a scare. They got a second goal and it spurred them on to get a third, but we held out for the last couple of minutes quite well.
“It was unbelievable how windy it was so it was more or less a game of two halves.
“At half-time we were 2-1 up and we said, 'Look, we've got the wind on our backs this half, let's go out and try to kill this game off.' And that's what we did in the first five or 10 minutes as we grabbed two more goals.
“I thought we played really well in the second half up until we conceded a couple at the end.”
Sutherland added: "Aaron is playing unbelievably well just now. He is really starting to take control of games in the middle of the pitch.
“He and young Liam Bain and Mark Webster are doing really well and starting to dominate games together.
"We're in a good bit of form just now, the mood in the squad is really good, and everyone is looking forward to the next game."
Pentland United were 3-0 winners at home to Staxigoe United. Marc Macgregor's goal separated the sides at the break and Conor Cormack added a double in the second half.
New signing Steven Anderson grabbed another two goals as Groats beat Thistle 3-1 in the Wick derby. Graham MacNab kept up his scoring run for Groats, with Sam Barclay pulling one back for the Jags.
Results – Highland Amateur Cup, third round: Avoch 2, Kirkwall Hotspurs 1; Black Rock Rovers 2, Golspie Stafford 5; Iochdar Saints 0, High Ormlie Hotspur 4; IRN Security 3, Sleat and Strath 0; Pentland United 5, Lairg Rovers 0; Ness 5, Carloway 1; Stromness Athletic 5, Wick Thistle 2; Wick Groats 2, Staxigoe United 1.
Caithness AFA – Division One: John O'Groats 3, High Ormlie Hotspur 4; Lybster 3, Acks 1; Pentland United 3, Staxigoe United 0; Wick Thistle 1, Wick Groats 3.
Division Two: Castletown 6, Watten 0; Swifts 0, Keiss 1; Top Joe's 3, Pentland 0.
Fixtures – Saturday: Alan Farquhar Day of Football, including under-eights at 10am, veterans at 12.30pm and Caithness AFA v Wick Academy at 4pm (Back Park, Castletown).
Monday – Eain Mackintosh Cup, quarter-final: Acks v Wick Groats (7.15pm).
Tuesday – David Allan Shield, first round: Keiss v Pentland United; Lybster v Swifts; Pentland v Wick Thistle; Staxigoe United v Top Joe's (7.15pm).
Wednesday – David Allan Shield, first round: John O'Groats v Watten; Wick Groats v High Ormlie Hotspur (7.15pm).
Revised quarter-final draw for Highland Amateur Cup: Golspie Stafford v High Ormlie Hotspur; IRN Security v Wick Groats; Ness v Avoch; Stromness Athletic v Pentland United (ties to be played on Saturday, July 16, kick-off times to be confirmed).