Wick Thistle 'going in right direction' after draw with champions on opening night
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Player/manager Owen Harrold believes Wick Thistle's 2-2 draw with Pentland United is proof that the Jags are moving in the right direction.
Thistle flirted with relegation from Caithness AFA Division One last summer, retaining their top-flight status with a play-off victory over Swifts. But Kyle Henderson's late equaliser – his second of the game – secured a share of the points with the county champions as the new campaign kicked off on Tuesday night.
Henderson had put the Jags ahead at the Upper Bignold after a quarter of an hour but the Stabbies led at the break following a double by James Murray, the second coming from the penalty spot.
Harrold said: "It was a great point for us and it was fully deserved in my opinion. Pentland United have been the best team up here for a number of years and it shows we're going in the right direction as a club by getting this result – and we possibly could have nicked all three points in the end.
"We have been working hard during pre-season by trying to improve the areas where we let ourselves down in the last campaign and it’s great to see progress on the park. The lads were superb from start to finish."
Honours were even at Morrison Park too as High Ormlie Hotspur and Castletown drew 1-1. Stuart Campbell's first-half opener for Spurs was cancelled out by Michael Smith.
Kai Cameron's early goal was enough to give Watten a 1-0 away victory over Thurso Pentland.
A waterlogged pitch caused the postponement of the John O'Groats v Staxigoe United game scheduled for Wednesday.
Caithness AFA results from Tuesday – Division One: High Ormlie Hotspur 1, Castletown 1; Wick Thistle 2, Pentland United 2. Division Two: Thurso Pentland 0, Watten 1.
Fixtures (all 6.30pm): Wednesday, April 12 – Division One: Wick Groats v Acks. Division Two: Top Joe’s v Swifts.
Friday, April 14 – Division Two: Lybster v Keiss.
Monday, April 17 – Division One: High Ormlie Hotspur v John O’Groats. Division Two: Swifts v Watten.
Tuesday, April 18 – Division One: Staxigoe United v Wick Groats. Division Two: Lybster v Thurso Pentland; Top Joe’s v Keiss.
Wednesday, April 19 – Division One: Acks v Wick Thistle; Castletown v Pentland United.
