We’ll be right up for it in Eain Mackintosh Cup final, says Staxigoe boss
Manager Colin Sinclair is hoping Staxigoe United will be at full strength for Saturday’s Eain Mackintosh Cup final against High Ormlie Hotspur and his message is: “We’ll be right up for it.”
Staxigoe booked their place in the showpiece occasion at Halkirk with a 4-0 victory at Watten on Tuesday night, while holders High Ormlie came from behind to win 5-1 at Lybster.
“It’s interesting seeing a final without Wick Groats or Pentland United in it,” Sinclair said. “It doesn’t happen very often.
“It’s going to be very difficult. High Ormlie Hotspur are a very in-form team and their Highland Amateur Cup results show how well they’re doing.
“They’re a young, fit, fast, good footballing team so it’ll be a very tough game. But it’s a chance to play a cup final, which we haven’t done in a few years, so we’ll be giving it our all.
“It’s a good chance of winning a cup and it would make our season a bit better too. We’ll be right up for it and hopefully we’ll be at full strength.”
Watten, from the second division, played most of the semi-final with 10 men after Conner Pattinson was sent off in debatable circumstances midway through the first half with the score at 1-0.
Sinclair said: “We had a lot of the ball, we controlled it, but we missed a lot of chances again.
“The sending off in the first half didn’t help Watten. It was a very soft red card, I’d say.
“I did feel for them going down to 10 men, because I don’t think it was deserved.”
Grant Aitkenhead’s goal separated the sides at half-time. Jack Steven headed in the second and Jack Henry added a late double.
“Jack Henry was immense,” Sinclair said. “He covers every blade of grass on that park. He wins so many tackles, he breaks up so much play, but he’s good on the ball as well and gets goals with late runs into the box.
“Their keeper played well. Watten looked dangerous on the break – on a long ball over the top they had a bit of pace.
“Give them their due, they kept their shape well and they kept their discipline and they were still trying to play football.
“They’re quite a good young team, there’s an enthusiasm about them and they stuck to their task.
“Although we got in behind a few times, it wasn’t easy and they offered a threat sometimes going forward.”
Watten manager Scott Bremner said: “We kept our shape well. We did a training session on Monday night and it was all to do with shape in the lead-up to this game, so we were taking it as seriously as we possibly could.
“We knew it was always going to be a big task, but we had a clear game plan in place.
“Even at 1-0, Shane Honeyman had a great chance and it just shaved the post. You’re thinking, ‘if that goes in it’s a different game’.
“The red card definitely changed the game. Going in at half-time it was all about trying to keep that discipline and try to keep their front three quiet as best we could.
“But they’ve got ex-Highland League players, they’ve got North Caley players, it was always going to be difficult, and at times it did look like we were chasing shadows.
“We do have a young team and it was a great learning experience for them and a good learning experience for me as a young coach.
“Credit to the players to get to a semi-final, which is normally dominated by the top four in the first division. I’m extremely proud and it sets a belief that we can go quite far in cup competitions.
“If we play like that, if we keep our discipline and our shape, we can beat any team in the second division so it definitely was a great experience.
“In cup games it’s all about creating memories and trying to get as far as you possibly can. That’s what we want to do in the Steven Cup, for example.
“I believe in what we’re doing and I certainly believe in the players that we’ve got to go and do it. We showed on Tuesday night that we can try to compete with the best in the county.”
The final at Recreation Park kicks off at 3pm. It will be preceded by a seven-a-side tournament for over-35s, starting at 10.30am, and there will be a licensed bar all day, with music after the match.
Results – Caithness AFA Division Two: Keiss 4, Watten 1; Pentland 1, Acks 4; Top Joe’s 1, Swifts 5; Swifts 5, Halkirk 1. Eain Mackintosh Cup, semi-finals: Lybster 1, High Ormlie Hotspur 5; Watten 0, Staxigoe United 4.
Fixtures – Wednesday, July 3 – CAFA Division One: Wick Thistle v Pentland United (7.30pm).
Thursday, July 4 – Division Two: Acks v Watten; Halkirk v Top Joe’s (both 7.30pm).
Saturday, July 6 – Eain Mackintosh Cup final: High Ormlie Hotspur v Staxigoe United (Recreation Park, Halkirk, 3pm).
Tuesday, July 9 – David Allan Shield, round one: Acks v Wick Thistle; Staxigoe United v Halkirk; Top Joe's v Keiss; Watten v Swifts (all 7.15pm).
Wednesday, July 10 – David Allan Shield, round one: John O’Groats v Thurso Pentland; Lybster v High Ormlie Hotspur; Pentland United v Castletown (all 7.15pm). Wick Groats have a bye.