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Thurso aiming to finish North Caledonian League season in style after extending their winning run





Thurso's Marc Macgregor holds off a challenge from Alness United's Evan Hamilton. Picture: Alan Hendry
Thurso's Marc Macgregor holds off a challenge from Alness United's Evan Hamilton. Picture: Alan Hendry

Thurso manager Michael Bremner wants his team to round off the season in style on Saturday after extending their winning run to four games with an emphatic victory over Bonar Bridge in midweek.

The Vikings came from behind to win 4-1 in the rearranged North Caledonian League fixture at Golspie's King George V Park. That followed on from victories over Bonar, Golspie and Alness United, and they conceded only one goal in those four matches.

Wednesday night's result confirms that Thurso will finish seventh in the 11-team division, having been bottom for a spell before catching up with their games in hand.

Bremner admitted he was "raging" at half-time as Bonar led through an Adam Mackay strike. The Vikings responded with four goals in a 15-minute spell in the early part of the second half from Conor Trueman, Marc Macgregor, Grant Aitkenhead and James McLean.

Aitkenhead's goal was the pick of the bunch, with an assist from James Murray to cap off a fine move.

"We were awful in the first half," Bremner said. "But in the second half we were like a totally different team and we hit them early.

"We got on top and we just kept on top."

The North Caledonian League table after Wednesday's Bonar Bridge v Thurso match. (Three points from Thurso v Nairn County 'A' awarded to Nairn.)
The North Caledonian League table after Wednesday's Bonar Bridge v Thurso match. (Three points from Thurso v Nairn County 'A' awarded to Nairn.)

The Vikings are at home to ninth-placed Inverness Athletic this weekend in their last match of the campaign.

"We want to finish with style, hopefully," Bremner said. "We'd like to put on a good performance to finish off.

"We're all talking about keeping the winning run going. Hopefully we can carry it on to the end and then start again next season."

Last Saturday, Thurso racked up their third successive win and clean sheet by beating Alness 2-0 at the Dammies.

Macgregor got the opener with a tap-in midway through the first half, and Murray bundled home the second with just over a quarter of an hour to go.

Bremner felt that the bobbly pitch had been a big factor.

“We couldn't get the ball down and play football that much," he said. "In the first half we played well without creating too many chances.

“I thought they came into it a wee bit more at the start of the second half but then we finished strongly.

“You could feel that the momentum was coming to them a wee bit until we scored. Once the second goal went in I felt we were comfortable – I didn't feel threatened that much by them.”

Thurso's Connor Macleod gets to grips with Kyle Taylor of Alness United. Picture: Alan Hendry
Thurso's Connor Macleod gets to grips with Kyle Taylor of Alness United. Picture: Alan Hendry

Results: Saturday – North Caledonian League: Invergordon 1, Orkney 0; Thurso 2, Alness United 0. North Caledonian Cup final: St Duthus 1, Halkirk United 0 (at Brora). Wednesday – North Caledonian League: Bonar Bridge 1, Thurso 4.

Fixtures: Saturday, April 9 – North Caledonian League: Orkney v St Duthus (12.45pm); Loch Ness v Halkirk United (2pm); Thurso v Inverness Athletic (2pm).

Saturday, April 16 – North Caledonian League: Alness United v Halkirk United (2pm).

Thurso's Grant Aitkenhead tries a shot at goal against Alness. Picture: Alan Hendry
Thurso's Grant Aitkenhead tries a shot at goal against Alness. Picture: Alan Hendry
James Murray bundles home Thurso's second goal from point-blank range. Picture: Alan Hendry
James Murray bundles home Thurso's second goal from point-blank range. Picture: Alan Hendry
Thurso's Craig Kennedy gets the break of the ball as he goes past Aaron Grant of Alness United. Picture: Alan Hendry
Thurso's Craig Kennedy gets the break of the ball as he goes past Aaron Grant of Alness United. Picture: Alan Hendry
Jack McKechnie bursts forward for Thurso during their 2-0 win against Alness, with Evan Hamilton in pursuit. Picture: Alan Hendry
Jack McKechnie bursts forward for Thurso during their 2-0 win against Alness, with Evan Hamilton in pursuit. Picture: Alan Hendry
Thurso's James McLean takes control. Picture: Alan Hendry
Thurso's James McLean takes control. Picture: Alan Hendry

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