We can’t feel sorry for ourselves, says Wick Groats boss after shootout loss
Manager Kevin Anderson acknowledged that a collective improvement is needed after Wick Groats’ patchy start to the 2025 campaign continued with a shootout loss to 10-man Pentland United in the Eain Mackintosh Cup.
The Stabbies had Grant Steven red-carded 30 minutes into an eventful first half at Ham Park in which Joe Steven and James McLean scored for the home side and Stewart Atkins grabbed a double for Groats.
The first-round tie ended 2-2 after extra time and United prevailed 4-3 on penalties.
“Obviously it’s disappointing to lose after they went down to 10 men in the first half,” Anderson said.
“It was 1-1 at that point. We went 2-1 up, then we lost a goal at a bad time.
“We just needed to try and stretch them, use the size of the park, use the extra man to our advantage.
“I felt we were on top for large spells but we just lacked quality in the final third. We got a couple of half-chances but it was over the bar or it was wide.
“I did feel that we looked the most likely to go on and win the game. However, if you’re not scoring goals, it is what it is. Penalties are cruel but you need to decide the game some way.
“At the end of the day, we’ve been playing a team that’s down to 10 men for 90 minutes. We should be taking the game to them and winning it.”
It is unusual for Wick Groats to have been eliminated from two county knockout tournaments before the end of May. They were beaten by second division side Thurso Swifts in the Stannergill Cup quarter-finals.
Groats are third in the Division One table, behind leaders Pentland United and second-placed High Ormlie Hotspur.
“It’s a poor start,” Anderson admitted. “We’ll take it a game at a time. Collectively as a team we need to improve.
“We certainly need to be showing more quality in the final third and taking more chances, but we can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We just need to dust ourselves down and go again.”
Groats, through no fault of their own, have no idea when their Highland Amateur Cup second-round match will go ahead.
They were due to play Inverness and district side CK Interiors this weekend but it is one of three ties that have been postponed because of appeals involving other clubs relating to earlier stages of the tournament.
Highland Amateur Cup officials warned earlier this week that the 2025 competition could run into September.
Results – Eain Mackintosh Cup, first round: Acks 1, Keiss 2 (after extra time); Pentland United 2, Wick Groats 2 (Pentland United won 4-3 on penalties); Staxigoe United 5, John O’Groats 1; Swifts 1, Castletown 4; Thurso Pentland 0, High Ormlie Hotspur 6; Top Joe’s 0, Halkirk 8; Watten 0, Wick Thistle 3.
Fixtures – Saturday, May 31 – Highland Amateur Cup, second round (3pm kick-off unless otherwise stated): Avoch v Ferry United; Benbecula v High Ormlie Hotspur (Evanton); Dounby Athletic v Kirkwall Thorfinn; Fortrose v Black Rock; Halkirk v Carloway (Culbokie, noon); Inverness Athletic v Fort William Reserves (Culbokie, 3.30pm); Kirkwall Accies v Thurso Acks; Lerwick Spurs v Westside (Helmsdale, 12.30pm); Maryburgh v North West Skye; Tornagrain v Pentland United (Culloden); Watten v Staxigoe United; Whalsay v Portree (Fortrose, 11.30am); Wick Thistle v Inver.
Tuesday, June 3 – Eain Mackintosh Cup, quarter-finals: Castletown v Wick Thistle; Halkirk v Keiss; Pentland United v Staxigoe United; High Ormlie Hotspur v Lybster (all 7.15pm).
CAFA standings – Division One: 1 Pentland United (played 6, points 18); 2 High Ormlie Hotspur (6, 15); 3 Wick Groats (6, 13); 4 Lybster (6, 9); 5 Staxigoe United (6, 8); 6 Castletown (6, 3); 7 John O’Groats (5, 1); 8 Keiss (5, 0).
Division Two: 1 Wick Thistle (played 4, points 12); 2 Thurso Pentland (4, 9); 3 Acks (5, 9); 4 Watten (3, 4); 5 Swifts (3, 3); 6 Top Joe’s (4, 0); 7 Halkirk (5, -2). Halkirk deducted six points for playing an ineligible player in two league fixtures.