Thurso close to full strength for trip to face much-improved Orkney
Thurso will have a number of key players back in contention as they head to Orkney on Saturday for their last North Caledonian League game before the festive break.
The Vikings were seriously short of personnel for their previous outing, a 7-2 thumping at Golspie, but manager Michael Bremner expects to have almost a full squad for the trip across the Pentland Firth.
Innes Mackintosh is still sidelined by injury but Bremner will certainly have more options than he did for that Friday night fixture at King George V Park earlier this month.
“I had to pull in six or seven boys," the manager said. "We had 24 signed and I had 16 unavailable for that game.
"It was awful, and Golspie were on fire that night, but we're looking a lot better this week.”
Thurso have strengthened their squad by bringing in Alan Larnach and he scored one of the goals against Golspie.
"We played him up front in that game but he can play anywhere, really," Bremner said. "We're delighted to have him.”
Orkney lost four of their opening five league fixtures but their fortunes began to pick up with a 4-0 win against Thurso at the Dammies in October. They are now fifth in the table, five places above the Vikings, who have played fewer games than any other team.
Bremner said: “Orkney have improved. They had a slow kind of start but they have picked up quite a bit.
"Even when I was at Halkirk United, Orkney were strong so they were always going to come good again."
The game will be played at the Kirkwall Grammar School pitch.
There was frustration for the islanders last Saturday when they made the journey to Easter Ross only for their scheduled match against Alness United to be postponed because of a frozen pitch.
Tributes have been paid to Loch Ness player Donald Macphee, known as DJ, following his death at the age of 34.
Loch Ness released a statement saying they had lost a friend.
It said: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our player Donald Macphee.
"DJ was more than just a player and a team-mate at Loch Ness FC, he was our friend and we are all better off for having known him.
"Our sympathies are with his family at this difficult time."
Inverness Athletic, for whom Macphee played previously, said they were shocked and saddened to hear about his passing. The club said: "The thoughts of everyone at Inverness Athletic are very much with DJ’s family, friends and everyone at Loch Ness at this incredibly hard time."
Macphee was also a boxer at Highland Boxing Academy and was the club's first champion.
Loch Ness moved six points clear at the top of the league after defeating bottom side Athletic 6-3 at Inverness Royal Academy.
Ryan Ingram hit a hat-trick for Loch Ness, with their other goals coming from Andrew Miller, Conor Macphee and Martin Mainland.
Dominic Macaulay, Liam Smith and Dominic Macaulay were on target for Athletic.
St Duthus and Bonar Bridge played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in Tain.
Finn As-Chainey put Saints ahead but the Sutherland outfit hit back to take the lead with goals from Archie Ryder and Jack Mitchell. St Duthus were gifted a point when Fraser Macleod scored an own goal.
North Caledonian League fixtures for Saturday: Bonar Bridge v Golspie Sutherland; Inverness Athletic v Alness United; Loch Ness v Halkirk United (1pm); Nairn County “A” v Invergordon; Orkney v Thurso (12.45pm).