Thurso aim to avoid ending up second bottom in North Caledonian League
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The number of players used by Thurso during the 2022/23 season could exceed the 50 mark by this weekend – underlining the difficulties the Vikings have faced in fielding a settled team.
Beset by injuries and lack of availability, Thurso have been languishing in the lower reaches of the North Caledonian League.
They are 11th in the 13-team division going into their last match of the campaign on Saturday at home to Nairn County "A". Nairn's 4-2 victory over St Duthus in midweek means the Vikings need at least a point to avoid dropping to second bottom.
Manager Michael Bremner revealed that Thurso have used 49 players so far this term.
"This week we'll have to pull in a few more so we'll be over the 50-player mark," he said.
"I remember when I managed Halkirk a few years ago and we won the league, I think we used 18 or 19. We had the same squad every week.
"It has just been so inconsistent. When we've got a good squad I feel we're a good team, but that has only happened a handful of times.
"We've shown what we can do. We've drawn with Loch Ness, who won the league, we kept a clean sheet against them at home, we kept a clean sheet against Halkirk the other night, we've beaten Orkney over there.
"We've had a few good results but a lot of the other games have just been hammerings because we've not had a squad – it has been kind of thrown together.
"At the start of the season we thought we had enough. Through the season we lost Marc Macgregor to Wick, and we've lost a few players to injuries – Luke Manson and James McLean haven't played most of the season."
Thurso and Halkirk United played out a goalless draw at Morrison Park last Friday in what was officially a home game for the Vikings.
Bremner is unavailable this weekend so his assistant Scott Davidson will be in charge.
"Hopefully we'll have enough that we can get a result," Bremner said.
Halkirk United round off their season on Saturday with a home game against St Duthus. A win for the Anglers would ensure they finish eighth.
Loch Ness are the 2022/23 North Caledonian League champions after they picked up a 5-0 win over Fort William and Invergordon had to settle for a draw at home to Orkney.
Going into the weekend it was a fairly simple equation for both sides – if Loch Ness won and Invergordon did not, the title race would be over.
Invergordon's Ruaridh Patience cancelled out Owen Young's opener for Orkney but it ended 1-1.
By that point, Loch Ness had already kicked off at home to Fort William. The leaders raced into a 3-0 by half-time thanks to goals from Scott Morrison, Josh Race and Liam Taylor.
Allan MacPhee and Shane Harkness added further goals after the break.
It is a first triumph at this level for Shane Carling’s side, who will be presented with the league trophy this Saturday when they host Alness United at Fortrose.
North Caledonian League results: Bonar Bridge 1, Clachnacuddin "A" 6; Invergordon 6, Golspie 2; Invergordon 1, Orkney 1; Loch Ness 5, Fort William 0; Nairn County "A" 4, St Duthus 2; Thurso 0, Halkirk United 0.
North Caledonian League fixtures for Saturday, April 15: Bonar Bridge v Orkney; Clachnacuddin "A" v Golspie; Halkirk United v St Duthus (2pm); Invergordon v Fort William; Loch Ness v Alness United; Thurso v Nairn County "A" (2pm).
