Thurso Pentland pushing for play-off spot after ‘big learning curve’
Co-managers Ian Smith and Liam Forbes have hailed the togetherness in the Thurso Pentland squad as they keep up their push for the promotion play-off spot in Caithness AFA Division Two.
A 2-2 draw with town rivals Swifts at the Dammies on Wednesday night means second-placed Pentland are on 16 points from eight games.
It has been a remarkable turnaround for the 106-year-old club after they picked up a solitary point last season and none at all in 2023.
Smith said: “When we started it, we knew it was going to be three years to build up to get anything and the boys have stuck together as a team. Getting Liam in to help has been a massive benefit as well.
“It has been a big learning curve because the boys took defeats on the chin. We’ve obviously had a good season so far but they’re not wanting to stop where they are – they want to keep pushing on now, and they’re hungry for it.
“The team spirit is really good. We didn’t set a target for the players this year – it was for them to set their own targets for what they wanted to achieve from the season.
“Realistically, I don’t think we’re going to catch Wick Thistle in the league, but the play-off would be brilliant.”
Forbes said: “Most of the boys are mates, which I think makes a huge difference. A lot of them are in school together, some of them work together in their jobs.
“My target, considering it has been one point over the last two years, was to get some points on the board. We got our first win against Halkirk and since then it has kicked on, it has not stopped.
“The boys have been brilliant, every single one of them. I can’t speak highly enough of them.”
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Kian Helliwell nodded in an early opener for Pentland but Swifts got themselves level midway through the second half with a close-range finish by John Holmes.
Brandon Macleod swept home Pentland’s second with just over a quarter of an hour to go, and they looked set to collect all three points. However, John McLean was on hand to flick the ball in after the last of three stoppage-time corners for Swifts.
Forbes said: “I’m gutted. I thought we were by far the better team in the first half.”
Swifts manager Asa Sinclair said: “It was an open game from the start. I think we created more chances in the first 20 minutes than we have in a lot of games.
“We set out to attack a lot more, and it meant sacrificing at the back, but the defenders dealt with it well.
“We’ve had a few draws, we’ve lost a few games – we just need to start picking up more wins now.
“It’s a very competitive league – all the teams are taking points off each other. We’ll take it one game at a time and try to go on a run.”
Swifts caused the biggest upset of the county season so far when they knocked Wick Groats out of the Stannergill Cup.
Sinclair added: “No team really wants to play us in the cups because they know we can defend well and take the chances that we get.”
Sam Barclay got a first-half double as Thistle extended their 100 per cent league record with a 5-1 win at Watten.
Results – Saturday – Highland Amateur Cup, round three (ties involving Caithness clubs): High Ormlie Hotspur 1, Staxigoe United 0; Inver 5, Thurso Acks 1 (after extra time); Pentland United 5, Inverness Athletic 3 (after extra time); Wick Groats 1, Avoch 2.
Sunday – SWF Highlands and Islands League: Caithness 3, Sutherland 2.
Tuesday – Division One: John O’Groats 5, Castletown 2; Keiss 1, Staxigoe United 9; Pentland United 5, Lybster 1; Wick Groats 1, High Ormlie Hotspur 2. Division Two: Top Joe’s 0, Acks 7.
Wednesday – Division Two: Swifts 2, Thurso Pentland 2; Watten 1, Wick Thistle 5.
Fixtures – Friday, June 27 – Eain Mackintosh Cup semi-finals: Halkirk v Castletown; Pentland United v High Ormlie Hotspur (both 7.15pm). Division Two: Acks v Wick Thistle (7.30pm).
Saturday, June 28 – Friendly: Orkney v Wick Academy (Kirkwall, 12.30pm).
Sunday, June 29 – SWF Highlands and Islands League: Clachnacuddin v Caithness (Evanton, 1pm).
Monday, June 30 – Division Two: Halkirk v Swifts; Thurso Pentland v Watten; Wick Thistle v Top Joe’s (all 7.30pm).
Tuesday, July 1 – Division One: High Ormlie Hotspur v Keiss; Staxigoe United v Pentland United (both 7.30pm).
Wednesday, July 2 – Division One: Castletown v Wick Groats; Lybster v John O’Groats (both 7.30pm).
Thursday, July 3 – Division Two: Thurso Pentland v Halkirk; Wick Thistle v Swifts (both 7.30pm).
Friday, July 4 – Division Two: Acks v Watten (7.30pm).
CAFA standings – Division One: 1 Pentland United (played 9, points 25); 2 Wick Groats (9, 19); 3 High Ormlie Hotspur (9, 19); 4 Staxigoe United (9, 14); 5 Lybster (9, 12); 6 John O’Groats (9, 8); 7 Castletown (9, 4); 8 Keiss (9, 3).
Division Two: 1 Wick Thistle (played 7, points 21); 2 Thurso Pentland (8, 16); 3 Acks (7, 15); 4 Watten (8, 8); 5 Swifts (7, 6); 6 Halkirk (7, 2); 7 Top Joe’s (8, 0). Halkirk deducted six points for playing an ineligible player in two league fixtures.
SWF Highlands and Islands League standings: 1 Buckie (played 6, points 18); 2 Caithness (6, 12); 3 Clachnacuddin (6, 12); 4 Orkney (6, 9); 5 Sutherland (7, 6); 6 Nairn St Ninian (7, 0).
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