Vikings looking to kick-start league campaign with Bonar double-header
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A double-header against Bonar Bridge will give Thurso a chance to kick-start their North Caledonian League campaign after the disappointment of last weekend's cup exit.
The Vikings, who are second from bottom of the 11-team division, are away to eighth-placed Bonar on Saturday and will then have to travel to Golspie next Wednesday night for what is technically a home game.
Thurso won 5-1 when the teams met in a North Caledonian Cup first-round tie at Dornoch earlier this month but manager Michael Bremner will be taking nothing for granted – especially after the way the Vikings underperformed in their quarter-final against Nairn County "A" at Naver.
The tie ended 1-1 after Robbie Lean's 24th-minute opener for Nairn was cancelled out by Grant Aitkenhead five minutes later, and the visitors went through 5-4 on penalties.
“We didn't deserve anything out of it," Bremner admitted. "It was disappointing.
“It was probably one of the worst performances since we came in.
“We just never got going. We scored a good goal, but I don't think we strung three passes together the whole game.
“We got hammered by Golspie [7-2] but at least in that game we tried a bit. It was really bad on Saturday.
“Nairn were right up for it – they were right in our faces. They have a lot of young boys and they were very fit and they were closing everything down. Full credit goes to them.”
A goalkeeping crisis resulted in co-manager Scott Davidson taking over between the posts for the Vikings, and he rose to the challenge.
“We tried and tried for a keeper on Thursday and Friday to no avail," Bremner said. "We couldn't get anybody.
“I think we went through about 12 keepers. But to give Scott his due, he was man of the match – he saved us from being 3-1 or 4-1 down in the game."
Back-to-back wins against Bonar would get Thurso moving up the table but Bremner won't be reading too much into the last result between the teams.
He said: “Hopefully we can push on, but who knows – they might have boys back this week. We won't be thinking about the last game.”
North Caledonian League fixtures for Saturday: Alness United v Halkirk United (2pm); Bonar Bridge v Thurso (2pm); Invergordon v Orkney (12.45pm); Inverness Athletic v Nairn County "A" (2.30pm); St Duthus v Golspie Sutherland (2pm).
Wednesday, February 23: Thurso v Bonar Bridge (8pm, at Golspie).
