Wick Thistle and Thurso Pentland get chance to shine under Harmsworth lights
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Harmsworth Park will host Saturday night football this weekend as Wick Thistle take on Thurso Pentland in the Highland Amateur Cup.
The preliminary round tie will kick off at 7.30pm, following Wick Academy’s Highland League match against Banks O’ Dee in the afternoon.
Thistle normally play their home games at the adjacent Upper Bignold Park, but the shared facilities mean matches cannot take place at Harmsworth Park and the Upper Bignold simultaneously.
Thistle chairman Andrew Henderson said: “We couldn’t play on the Friday night and we couldn’t play on the Saturday afternoon because Academy have a three o’clock kick-off for their last home game of the season.
“We approached Pat Miller [Wick Academy chairman] and they have accommodated it. We’ve got a good relationship with Wick Academy and they were good enough to give us the park and the lights for a 7.30 kick-off.
“The Highland Amateur Cup is a prestige competition. In my eyes, it’s for people to get their shirt and tie on. It’s like the Scottish Cup for amateur players.
“It’s the pinnacle of their careers and for some guys and to play at Harmsworth Park under the lights, they might never get that opportunity again.
“We’re thankful to Wick Academy for giving us that opportunity.”
He was speaking after Thistle’s 6-3 defeat at Lybster in the county league first division on Wednesday night.
“We’ll go again on Saturday and see where it takes us,” Henderson added.
CAFA results – Thursday – Division One: Wick Groats 5, Lybster 1. Division Two: Halkirk 5, Swifts 2.
Friday – Division Two: Acks 0, Top Joe’s 0.
Tuesday – Division One: John O’Groats 0, High Ormlie Hotspur 2; Staxigoe United 1, Wick Groats 2. Division Two: Swifts 3, Watten 0.
Wednesday – Division One: Castletown 1, Pentland United 2; Lybster 6, Wick Thistle 3. Division Two: Top Joe’s 3, Halkirk 5.
Fixtures – Saturday – Highland Amateur Cup, preliminary round, north section: Acks v Wick Groats (4pm); Castletown v Pentland United (3pm); John O’Groats v High Ormlie Hotspur (3pm); Thurso Swifts v Helmsdale United (noon); Wick Thistle v Thurso Pentland (7.30pm, Harmsworth Park).
Tuesday, April 23 – CAFA Division One: Castletown v John O'Groats; Pentland United v Lybster; Wick Groats v High Ormlie Hotspur. Division Two: Thurso Pentland v Swifts.
Wednesday, April 24 – Division Two: Halkirk v Keiss; Watten v Top Joe's.
Friday, April 26 – Division One: John O'Groats v Pentland United; Lybster v High Ormlie Hotspur; Wick Thistle v Wick Groats. Division Two: Acks v Swifts (all 6.45pm).
