Wick Groats through to Eain Mackintosh Cup semis after shootout win against Staxigoe
Manager Kevin Anderson admitted Wick Groats have been "playing in fits and starts" this season after they came through a penalty shootout to reach the last four of the Eain Mackintosh Cup at the expense of Staxigoe United.
Jonah Martens looked to have settled Tuesday's entertaining tie at the Upper Bignold when his third goal of the night put Groats 4-3 up in extra time, only for Darren Sheppard to make it all square in the dying stages. John Budge netted the decisive kick as Groats won the shootout 6-5.
"It's not the best way to settle a game," Anderson said. "If you win it's great, if you lose it's not.
"I thought we'd won it in extra time. I felt we were the stronger team in extra time and were the most likely to score.
"However, after we scored we seemed to sit back a bit, invite a bit of pressure on, and it was a great finish by Darren for the equaliser."
Morgan Kennedy had opened the scoring for Staxigoe but Martens headed in to make it one each at half-time.
Sandy Sutherland put Groats in front before Staxigoe turned it round with a header from Kennedy and goal from Ross Davidson as he capitalised on a defensive error.
Martens broke clear to make it 3-3 and take the game into extra time. Martens then looked to have sealed victory for Groats with another well-taken goal before Sheppard's late intervention with a strike from the edge of the box.
Anderson added: "We're playing in fits and starts. We played some really good football in spells, and some not so good. We need to defend better, that's for sure – we can't concede like we're doing just now."
Anderson says Martens is "getting back to his best" after injury problems over a period of more than a year.
"Jonah is class," the manager said. "When he gets running at defenders there are very few better than him in the county, and his finishes were brilliant. He is a really good technical footballer."
Tuesday's cup clash came a week after Staxigoe United had beaten Groats 2-1 in the league.
Staxigoe manager Colin Sinclair said: "I don't think we could have put any more into it. The boys kept going and kept going – they never gave in at all.
"I didn't think we deserved to lose. To be fair, I don't think either team really deserved to lose. As the game went on it was just end to end.
"I can't fault anybody at all for the effort they put in. That's two tough games in two weeks against them.
"It goes to show how far we're coming on now as a team. We're starting to rebuild again, but we've got a good squad of boys there that are turning up every week and it's making a difference.
"I'm delighted with the performance and when it goes to penalties it's a lottery."
Results – Archer Shield: Orkney 2, Caithness 1.
SWF Highlands and Islands League: Clachnacuddin Women 1, Caithness Ladies 8.
Caithness AFA Division Two: Keiss 3, Top Joe's 1; Thurso Pentland 0, Lybster 9; Watten 0, Swifts 2.
Eain Mackintosh Cup, quarter-finals: Castletown 0, High Ormlie Hotspur 2; Wick Groats 4, Staxigoe United 4 (after extra time – Groats won 6-5 on penalties).
Fixtures – Wednesday, June 21 – Eain Mackintosh Cup, quarter-finals: Acks v Keiss; Wick Thistle v Pentland United (both 7.15pm).
Saturday, June 24 – Highland Amateur Cup, third round: Back v Avoch; Carloway v Golspie Stafford (in Ullapool); Clachnacuddin Reserves v Inver; Harris v Lerwick Celtic (in Maryburgh); Lerwick Spurs v High Ormlie Hotspur (in Kirkwall, 12.30pm); Mallaig v Loch Ness; Stromness Athletic v Staxigoe United (noon); Wick Groats v Fortrose and Rosemarkie Union (2pm).
Sunday, June 25 – SWF Highlands and Islands League Cup, semi-final: Caithness v Sutherland (Castletown, 2pm).