Vikings making progress ahead of trip to bottom club Bunillidh
Thurso manager Tom McKenna insists progress is being made despite seeing the team slip to defeat for the seventh time in nine North Caledonian League outings this season.
The Vikings took an early lead through Bobby Gunn in last weekend’s encounter with Golspie at the Dammies, but the visitors responded with headed goals by Steven Sutherland and Joe Anderson to lead 2-1 at the break and there was no further scoring.
“I think a draw would have been a fair result,” McKenna said. “We competed really well with them in every department and we limited them to few chances.
“I said to the lads it’s obviously disappointing losing but I can see progress being made, and Golspie will probably be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.
“The last three goals we’ve conceded have come from corners, it hasn’t been from open play. That’s something we really need to speak about and try to address.
“We’re coming up against teams that have got a lot of big lads and they seem to work on their set-pieces. It’s causing us problems.”
On a more encouraging note, McKenna said: “We’re starting to get a settled squad and that creates familiarity within the team. Everybody is getting to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
“We’re getting over 20 people at training, so it seems a much more positive place to be.
“There was a good support there on Saturday as well. Speaking to a few committee members, they say the feedback they got was very positive.
“The biggest thing I can take from it is that I can see progress being made and that’s what this year is all about, really.”
Gunn was making only his second appearance of the season after returning from injury. He had scored one of Thurso’s goals in their opening-day 2-0 victory over Clachnacuddin “A” in Inverness.
“It’s good having Bobby back,” McKenna said. “He holds the ball up well and can create a lot more options in the final third.”
Thurso will be targeting a third win of the season when they take on bottom club Bunillidh Thistle at Couper Park in Helmsdale on Saturday, although McKenna is taking nothing for granted.
The Vikings remain 10th in the 12-team division on six points. Bunillidh are still searching for their first point after nine games.
“We’ve got to go first and foremost with the right attitude,” McKenna said. “We can’t be complacent and go through the motions.
“You’ve got to give the opposition the respect they rightly deserve. We’ve got to go out there and earn the right to get anything from the game – it’s not just going to happen for us.
“I’ll make sure the players are aware of that and there’s no complacency within our game.
“Bunillidh will be sitting there thinking, ‘we’ve got Thurso coming, they’re only a few points ahead of us’, so they will have the same thought process as us.”
Elsewhere last Saturday, Fort William were 2-1 winners at home to Alness United.
Goals by Ruairidh Macdonald and Liam Martin within a couple of minutes of each other put the Lochaber side two up inside the first quarter. Craig Dryburgh pulled one back at the start of the second half.
Orkney were 3-1 down to Clachnacuddin “A” at Evanton with about 20 minutes to go but the islanders came storming back to run out 5-4 winners.
Second-half goals by Finn As-Chainey, Scott MacDonald and Thomas Lewis gave St Duthus a 3-0 victory over Bunillidh in Tain.
Luke Mackay’s hat-trick in extra time helped Inverness Athletic to a 4-1 victory over Invergordon in their Football Times Cup semi-final at North Kessock. Athletic will play Alness United in the final.
Results – North Caledonian League: Bonar Bridge 2, Halkirk United 6; Clachnacuddin “A” 4, Orkney 5; Fort William 2, Alness United 1; St Duthus 3, Bunillidh Thistle 0; Thurso 1, Golspie 2.
Football Times Cup, semi-final: Inverness Athletic 4, Invergordon 1 (after extra time).
North Caledonian League fixtures for Saturday, November 2: Bunillidh Thistle v Thurso (1pm); Clachnacuddin “A” v Inverness Athletic; Halkirk United v Golspie Sutherland (1pm); Invergordon v Alness United; Orkney v Bonar Bridge; Fort William v St Duthus.
