Halkirk United FC - Reports, Results & Photos - Season 2009-2010

Port Services Group League - 29/08/09
Dingwall Thistle 4 - 3 Halkirk United

Dingwall Thistle are fancied by many North Caley pundits to be in the shake-up for the title following their return to the league after a 22 year exile.

The Jags, who won the league three times in the 1970s, have a large squad with ex-Ross County defender David Mackay turning out as well as co-managing with Alan Gair.

They have made an impressive start of their PSG campaign, following up an opening day 8-0 blitz of Tain Thistle by getting home by the odd goal in seven against Halkirk on Saturtday.

The Caithness side never lost touch but were ultimately undone by a sloppy couple of minutes after the interval when they shipped two goals to trail 3-1.

The first of these was netted by former Dounreay Workshops striker John MacLeod.

The 21-year-old, who rejoiced in the nickname of Menace in the far north, now lives in Culloden and is proving a potent threat for Thistle.

The visitors were first to threaten with Jags keeper Neil Mackay passing a first minute test as tipped Graham MacDonald's first minute's long-range effort over the bar.

Dingwall took the lead on six minutes when Steven MacLean rose above several defenders to net from Craig Stewart's corner.

Despite playing into the strong wind, Ian MacDonald's men were enjoying plenty of possession and defender Ben Murray almost replied in kind when his header from Luke Sawyer's corner crept over the bar.

Halkirk went close again on 25 minutes when MacDonald and Jimmy Budge set up Chris Sutherland whose attempt on goal produced a full-stretch parry from Neil Mackay.

The threat of an equaliser was realised five minutes from the interval following Stuart Florence's foray upfield.

After claiming a loose ball, he strode forward and pinged a 20 yard daisycutter which scorched into the net just inside the right upright.

The Thistle defence was opened up again three minutes later when Sutherland's shot was beaten away by a defender and Budge's close-in rebound drew an instinctive block from keeper Mackay.

Sutherland was shortly afterwards injured in an unsavoury off-the-ball incident involving defender Colin Maclean.

The winger had been causing no end of problems on the right flank but he struggled thereafter and hirpled off early in the second half.

Neil Mackay was called into action to keep out Colin Sinclair's free-kick before Thistle bagged two in as many minutes.

The visiting defence's radar was down as first MacLeod stole in to put the Jags ahead on 52 minutes and then Gary Urquhart found space to toe-poke a shot past Williamson.

Gavin Henderson was unlucky to see a switcher of a shot rebound off a post before Neil Mackay did well to deny Sawyer.

United eventually broke through on 69 minutes when Mark Munro's corner was headed on by Sawyer for Budge to apply the final touch.

Within a minute, the home side had re-established their two goal lead with Craig Munro's 30 yard piledriver going in off the underside of the crossbar.

Halkirk responded five minutes later when Henderson found space 10 yards out before lashing the ball past Neil Mackay.

Despite bossing the rest of the game, the visitors were unable to conjure up another opening.

Defeat for United, according to manager Ian MacDonald, was rough justice on his troops.

He said: It was really frustrating to watch after we had such a good first half playing against the wind. After losing the early goal, we played some really good football and fully deserved to level. Then, with a couple of minutes of madness, we undid all the hard work. Our backline was playing too high up the pitch and we were punished.

MacDonald believes his side has suffered through an enforced lack of preparation with some players coming straight out of summer football and struggling to live with the faster pace in the NCL.

Dingwall Thistle - N. Mackay, D. Mackay, S. MacLean, MacAllister, C. MacLean, Munro, Wilson, Stuart, Urquhart, MacLeod, A. MacLean. Subs - Bain, Hislop, Manson, Morton and Pirie.

Halkirk - Williamson, Sinclair, Murray, Florence, Davidson, MacDonald, Henderson, Sutherland (Munro 75), Sawyer (MacNab 75), Budge (Cormack 72), Elder.

report provided by Iain Grant

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