Wick Thistle high on confidence with cup final to look forward to
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Confidence is high in the Wick Thistle camp as they look forward to a Colin Macleod Memorial Cup final against town rivals Wick Groats next month.
The Jags continued their unbeaten start to the campaign with a 2-1 victory over John O'Groats in Tuesday's semi-final at the Upper Bignold.
Thistle player/manager Owen Harrold said: “There's a right good team spirit this year. Everyone is in it together, whereas last year when things maybe weren't going our way we were kind of low on confidence.
"It seemed like we were scrapping for points every week and trying to scrape a win, whereas this year we're high on confidence. It's like chalk and cheese, really.
“Getting to a final in any competition is brilliant, but this is the first one of the season and it's going to be a big one against Wick Groats. They'll be favourites, so we've got nothing really to lose."
The teams meet in a Highland Amateur Cup second-round tie on June 3, followed by the cup final in Castletown the following Saturday.
Kyle Henderson headed the Jags in front with only a couple of minutes played. Martin Sinclair equalised after some great build-up play but Sam Barclay restored Thistle's lead with a wonder strike from about 25 yards around the half-hour mark.
“I think once we scored the second goal we settled down a bit," Harrold said. "There was nothing in the second half – I think both teams cancelled each other out.
"There were a couple of chances here and there but I never thought we were going to give up the lead.
“I wouldn't necessarily say it was comfortable but I thought we just did enough on the night. To be fair, in semi-finals it's just about getting over the line.”
The teams will meet again on Friday in a league game at John O'Groats.
“We'll be missing a few boys," Harrold said. "It'll be another battle.”
John O'Groats co-manager Mark Robertson said: "Every game our squad is getting stronger now. We have not had the best of starts to the campaign due to endless injuries within the squad – if it wasn’t for bad luck we would have no luck at all.
"We have a good few of the lads who are just getting up to fitness now due to injuries from pre-season games, or from some bad injuries from last season.
"We have had to play a lot of guys out of position to just cover roles, but they have played their hearts out and have done what we have asked, every single one of them.
"Hopefully now with getting our squad fit again we can start scoring some goals. Defensively as a unit we have been very good – the majority of our games have been lost by a margin of one goal.
"It is very frustrating for us as managers to watch your men put in the shift they do and then not get anything from the game. But, as usual with John O'Groats, we have a desire and fighting spirit.
"We believe in our squad – they are a great bunch of lads who always give 110 per cent.
"We just need to move forward and take the positives from Tuesday night's tie and take that into Friday's home game against Thistle."
He added: "Well done to Thistle – they played very well and all the best to them in the final."
Results – Alan Farquhar Testimonial: Wick Academy 6, SPL Legends 4.
CAFA Division Two: Keiss 5, Thurso Pentland 0; Swifts 1, Lybster 3; Watten 0, Top Joe's 3.
Colin Macleod Memorial Cup, semi-finals: Pentland United 1, Wick Groats 3; Wick Thistle 2, John O'Groats 1.
Fixtures: Friday, May 26 – CAFA Division One: Castletown v Wick Groats; High Ormlie Hotspur v Pentland United; John O'Groats v Wick Thistle; Staxigoe United v Acks (all 7.15pm).
Monday, May 29 – Division One: Wick Thistle v Castletown. Division Two: Keiss v Lybster; Top Joe's v Swifts; Watten v Thurso Pentland (all 7.30pm).
Tuesday, May 30 – Division One: Acks v John O'Groats; Pentland United v Wick Groats; Staxigoe United v High Ormlie Hotspur (all 7.30pm).
