‘We need to lift standards’: Pentland United looking for improvement in Highland Amateur Cup semi-final
Co-manager Michael Gray is looking for a big improvement from Pentland United in the last four of the Highland Amateur Cup after they were knocked out of the David Allan Shield in midweek.
The Stabbies, record eight-times winners of the Highland Amateur Cup, take on Lewis and Harris league leaders Stornoway Athletic at Culbokie on Saturday with the place in the final at stake.
There are doubts over Sam Mackay and Sean Campbell after both picked up injuries in a sometimes feisty David Allan Shield semi-final against Staxigoe United at Ham Park on Tuesday. The visitors won 2-1.
“I’ve no real complaints about the result,” Gray said. “I felt that although we had quite a lot of possession we didn’t really stretch Staxigoe enough.
“We were a bit hesitant and tentative at the back which resulted in us conceding the two goals. I felt that we lacked composure in the final third. We didn’t test the keeper as much as we’d have liked.
“To be fair to Staxigoe, they are well organised at the back. Shaun Sinclair is a wily old fox. They’re a good side and they’re got some real match-winners in their team.
“We didn’t do enough to earn the win. I expected a better performance than we got.
“It seemed to be lacking that cutting edge in the final third that we’ve shown all season really in terms of creating chances and scoring goals.
“Hesitation at the back cost us a couple of times. Their second goal didn’t give us enough time to adjust and try to get back into the game. These are breaks.
“We’ll have to pick ourselves up for Saturday.”
The Stabbies were 2-1 winners against another Western Isles outfit, Ness, in the quarter-finals and Gray is well aware of Stornoway Athletic’s strengths.
“They score a lot of goals, they’ve got a big, physical centre forward, they’ve got a good combination of youth and experience right through their side, so they look on course to win that championship out there,” he said.
“That tells you the pedigree that they’ve got, so we’ll have to be considerably better than we were on Tuesday night if we want to progress in this competition.
“We’re not going to get a second bite at this one. The message will be clear that we need to lift standards.
“We’re disappointed that we’re not going to make the David Allan Shield final, but we’re going to have to dust ourselves down because there is absolutely no time to feel sorry for ourselves. Maybe it’s an ideal opportunity to right some wrongs.”
Results – David Allan Shield, quarter-finals: Staxigoe United 4, High Ormlie Hotspur 1 (at Lybster); Swifts 2, Keiss 6; Wick Groats 4, John O’Groats 1; Wick Thistle 0, Pentland United 7.
Division Two: Swifts 2, Pentland 0; Top Joe’s 4, Acks 5.
David Allan Shield, semi-finals: Wick Groats 4, Keiss 3; Pentland United 1, Staxigoe United 2.
Fixtures – Wednesday, July 31 – CAFA Division One: Castletown v Lybster (7.15pm).
Thursday, August 1 – CAFA Division Two: Pentland v Halkirk.
Saturday, August 3 – Highland Amateur Cup, semi-finals: High Ormlie Hotspur v Avoch (at Tain, 2pm); Stornoway Athletic v Pentland United (at Culbokie, 12.30pm).
Steven Cup final: Acks v Keiss (at Lybster, 3.30pm).