DAY	NUMBER	WINNER
01/04/12	25	Scott Begg
02/04/12	86	Karen More
03/04/12	26	Hamish Paterson
04/04/12	42	Reiss Reid
05/04/12	89	James Campbell
06/04/12	52	Kyle Mackay
07/04/12	96	Hutch/Malky
08/04/12	69	Derek Richardson
09/04/12	48	Henny/Jocky
10/04/12	37	John Cormack
11/04/12	100	Michael Petrie (Snr)
12/04/12	99	Graeme Mackay
13/04/12	85	Terry Mackay
14/04/12	28	Stewart Fraser
15/04/12	49	Jean Mackay
16/04/12	17	Walter Mann
17/04/12	79	John Paterson
18/04/12	78	Raymond Taylor
19/04/12	84	Robbie Fraser
20/04/12	91	Theresa Mackay
21/04/12	97	Angus Campbell
22/04/12	83	Ali Elder
23/04/12	93	Robert Jack
24/04/12	49	Jean Mackay
25/04/12	27	Karl Drummond
26/04/12	3	Darren Malcolm
27/04/12	43	Scott Davidson
28/04/12	76	Molly McGregor
29/04/12	94	Carolyn Swanson
30/04/12	29	Graeme Warner

DRAW DATE: 28/04/12 DRAWN BY: PUNTER`S IN THE COMM BAR

Mark Nichol – 10 (1 hat-trick)
James Murray – 4
Marc McGregor – 4
Lucasz Gerazel – 4
Michael Petrie – 2
Liam Bremner – 2
Lewis Harrold – 1
Gregg Shearer – 1
Jamie MacKenzie – 1
Chris Wann – 1
Graham MacNab – 1
Ryan Begg – 1

DRAW DATE: 30/03/12                                                            DRAWN BY: PUNTERS IN TOP JOE`S

Dingwall Thistle 3 v Thurso 2 – report by Iain Grant

The Vikings’ underwhelming North Caley season ground to a halt on Saturday when they lost out in the semi-final of the Jock Mackay Memorial Cup.

The Jags completed a hat-trick of wins over their north rivals though they had to battle back from going two behind in the opening quarter-of-an-hour.

Thurso manager Stevie Reid beforehand implored his side to rid themselves of their recent costly habit of gifting their opponents avoidable early goals.

The boot was on the other foot on Saturday though Dingwall hit back immediately after conceding the second.

In an incident-packed second half which saw two Vikings and one Jags player red-carded, a Craig Stuart double clinched the home side’s place in the final versus Clach.

Garry MacLeod’s debut and Shaun Forbes’ return produced yet another defensive combination for Thurso for whom two late call-offs meant Reid and his assistant Ross Sutherland were forced to provide emergency back-up on the bench.

Both were relieved not to be pressed into service on an afternoon when the unseasonally high temperature was matched by a high-tempo and occasionally fiery contest.

Graham MacNab, playing in a central midfield role, was involved in both of Thurso’s goals.

On six minutes, his prompt found James Murray with space on the left corner of the penalty box.

The striker bided his time as he faced Steven Hyslop, waiting for the keeper to commit himself before dinking the ball over him into then net.

MacNab’s surge triggered the move from which his side got further joy on 14 minutes.

He fed Mark MacGregor who promptly squared to Murray who lashed the ball past a helpless Hyslop.

From the kick-off, the Vikings’ defensive frailty, which has dogged them all season, came back to haunt them.

An innocuous-looking punt caused confusion between MacLeod and keeper Asa Sinclair.

With the sweeper waiting in vain for the keeper to claim it, Stuart Mackay nipped in and was upended by MacLeod as he raced into the box. The resultant penalty was coolly converted by Paul Gair.

Both sides had several half-chances in the remainder of the half in which the visitors had the edge in the possession stakes.

Within two minutes of the turnaround, Thistle were level.

Gair’s free-kick found Stuart unmarked and the smallest man in the pitch rose to send a looping header over Sinclair into the far top corner.

Thurso almost retook the lead when Lee Elder looked asset to connect with a through-ball only to be denied as Hyslop came out to make a save smother-save.

Both sides were left short-handed after Michael Petrie and Martin MacAllister clashed around the hour-mark.

Petrie’s late tackle prompted the Dingwall man to angrily raise his hands and push the Vikings midfielder.

Ref John Bicknell showed red to both with Petrie perhaps likely to have escaped with a caution but for MacAllister’s petulance.

What proved the winner on 67 minutes stemmed from another Gair free-kick.

His delivery was not properly cleared and Stuart was able to prod the ball home from close range.

Thurso ended with nine men when MacNab’s second caution for two fouls saw him dismissed.

Keeper Sinclair kept them in with a shout when he blocked, first with his feet and then a hand, when Stuart Mackay twice bore down on him.

The Vikings camp were incensed three minutes from time when sub Martin Sinclair was scythed down in the penalty box as he ran through on goal.

Mr Bicknell was unsighted and his nearside assistant saw nothing amiss.

Manager Reid was left to reflect on a frustrating end to what has been a difficult campaign.

It was disappointing we were not able to end the season with a final,” he said.

“There’s been a fine margin in a lot of the games that we’ve lost.

“Defensively, we’ve been switching off at crucial moments and that has cost us dear.”

He said Saturday’s game was evenly balanced and he believed his side should have had more reward for their first half showing.

He also remains aggrieved at the late penalty controversy. “That was as much a stone-stone-waller as I’ve seen.”

This season was always going to be tough for Thurso given the loss of the spine of the side which anchored the side to a clutch of honours over the past decade or so.

But Reid sees potential in the side to come good. He said: “It’s been really encouraging to see the young boys like Chris Wann and Ryan Begg come through and Marc MacGregor has done exceptionally well in his first year. “Lucas (Gerazel) is also a big find.”

Dingwall Thistle – Hyslop, McBain, Bain, MacAllister, Pirie, Wilson, Miller (MacDonald 60), P. Gair, Stuart, Urquhart. S. Mackay. Subs (unused) – Mackay, A. Gair and O’Connor.

Thurso – A. Sinclair, Manson, MacLeod, S. Sinclair, Forbes, Petrie,Wann, MacNab, Murray, MacGregor, Elder (M. Sinclair 62). Subs (unused) – Sutherland and Reid.

Ref – Mr J. Bicknell.

Thurso 1 v Muir of Ord Rovers 2 – report from Iain Grant

The Vikings were unable to sign off their North Caley League campaign with a victory against title-chasers Muir.

The visitors prevailed to keep alive their championship hopes though they had to endure a nervy climax before securing the three points.

Such a tense finale seemed improbable as Muir took a firm hold of the contest midway through the first half.

When they were awarded a penalty while two goals to the good, the outlook looked decidedly bleak for the home outfit.

But they were thrown a lifeline when veteran defender John Skinner skied the spot-kick at the changing room end.

Within minutes, Thurso’s Polish marksman Lucas Gerazel struck to put his side right back in the mix.

There was little between the sides in terms of possession and territory after the break but the Vikings’ continued challenge was sustained to the death as a result of a man-of-the-match display by keeper Asa Sinclair.

Thurso started with yet another rearguard, with Sean Stewart and Kyle Ross coming in for the injured Lewis Harrold and unavailable Shaun Forbes.

The enforced changes contributed to a hesitant opening which Muir exploited to conjure up a clutch of openings in the opening period.

Right winger Eddie Fuller was a particular threat with his jinking runs and dangerous deliveries from wide out.

A mistake by Ross on four minutes led to Daryl Henderson bearing down on keeper Sinclair who was not required thanks to a block from the back-tracking Stuart Sinclair.

Two minutes later, Muir went in front when Ewan Dance’s powerful header at the far post from Fuller’s driven cross gave keeper Sinclair no chance.

At the other end, MacNab netted after a classic piece of hold-up play from Gerazel but the former had strayed just offside before the ball was played through to him.

Fuller almost created a replica of the first goal on 18 minutes when he scooted past Stewart before crafting a centre which Gillies MacKenzie was a hairbreadth way from what would have been a scoring connection.

Asa Sinclair made his first important intervention on 22 minutes when he got the merest of touches needed to turn Kevin Leitch’s snap-shot behind.

Muir went two up on 28 minutes when the home defence was posted missing as Kevin Fraser was allowed to drive forward almost to the edge of the penalty box before squaring to Dance.

The striker coolly committed keeper Sinclair before side-footing the ball into the gaping net.

Dance went close with a header before his side was given a golden chance to effectively seal the contest.

But Skinner fluffed his lines after Stuart Sinclair’s late tackle in the box on the quicksilver Fuller.

The miss was magnified on 38 minutes when Gerazel’s header from Lee Elder’s centre went over the line before Davie Brennan hacked clear.

He was cautioned for his over-vigorous protest with Elder and Fraser joining him in ref Graham Elder’s book before the interval.

Thurso started the second half in determined mood and Gerazel came within a whisker of the equaliser when his header from Michael Petrie’s assist eluded keeper Bob Rose only to come back off the face of the crossbar.

Thurso may have seen at least as much of the ball after the turnaround but Muir continued to show the greater goal threat.

MacKenzie should perhaps have done better than head into the side-net after his late run was picked out by the evergreen Davie Ross.

MacKenzie then fired just over before keeper Sinclair got down well to foil Dance.

The keeper went on to throw himself to his left to parry Fraser’s vicious strike and then again thwarted Dance’s hat-trick when he turned the striker’s 20 yarder past his near post.

Dance was out of luck once more when his header from a corner found the junction of the bar and the left upright.

On 75 minutes, the home keeper continued his heroics, this time spreading himself to block from the inrushing Fraser.

The roll-call of Muir chances makes it sound like an one-sided affair, which it wasn’t.

But, for all their possession, Thurso were unable to seriously trouble a flint-like defence, commanded by old stagers Brennan and Skinner.

The last action in the Muir box came two minutes from time when Rose bravely took a steepling cross, under serious pressure from sub Martin Sinclair.

A good-tempered second period brought just one more booking for Thurso’s Chris Wann.

Home manager Stevie Reid said: “Once again, we paid the price for getting off to a horrendous start.

“The goals we conceded were soft and we got a major break when they missed the penalty.

“We then battled our way back into the game and I thought the second half was pretty even.”

Thurso – A. Sinclair, Manson, Stewart, S. Sinclair, Ross, Petrie,Miller (Wares 67), Wann, Garazel, MacNab, Elder (M. Sinclair 61).

Muir of Ord Rovers – Rose, Geegan, Leitch, Skinner, Brennan, Ross, Fuller, Fraser, Dance, Henderson (Farquhar 77), MacKenzie (Calvert 80). Sub (unused) – MacGruer.

Ref – Mr G. Elder.

Saturday’s defeat at King George V Park extended Thurso’s run of thin pickings on the road in North Caley action this season.

Michael Sanderson’s opener followed by a brace from Shane Sutherland topped Lukas Garazel’s leveller and young sub Mark MacGregor’s late strike to consign the Vikings to their sixth defeat in eight away outings.

They recovered after a low-key opening to play their part in an entertaining tussle and perhaps deserved to return north with some reward.

Golspie are on a good run with this win putting them third, with just too much to do to make up ground on Halkirk United and Muir of Ord Rovers.

The home side forged in front on 13 minutes when Tommy Campbell’s cutback from near the bye-line was met first-time by Sanderson whose crisp left side-foot flashed past keeper Asa Sinclair.

The lead lasted all of two minutes by when Gerazel netted with a powerful header from Lee Elder’s well-flighted corner.

The Polish striker again proved his worth with some crafty hold-up play and links and his aerial prowess.

There was little to choose between the sides for the remainder of the half when neither keeper came under serious threat.

Stuart Sinclair marred an otherwise sound display in the middle of defence when he upended Shane Sutherland in the penalty box soon after the turnaround.

Sutherland dusted himself down before converting the spot-kick.

MacGregor went desperately close to an equaliser when his overhead kick wrongfooted stand-in keeper Gordon MacRae only to come back off a post.

Thurso continued to show up well with Graham MacNab – out for most of the season through injury — impressing in his new role in the centre of midfield.

But their efforts went unrewarded and they found themselves 3-1 down with 12 minutes remaining.

Shane Sutherland grabbed his second when he demonstrated close control in chesting down a deep cross before dispatching a firm right-foot volley past Sinclair.

Thurso again responded within two minutes when Gerazel did the donkey work to allow MacGregor to fire home his fifth of the season from six yards.

Golspie spent the remainder of the match on defensive mode though persistent Thurso pressure produced no more than a couple of half-chances.

Manager Stevie Reid said his side had played out a script which had been all to familiar this campaign.

He said: “I wasn’t too happy about the first half performance when I thought some of our players were just going through the motions.

“We were much better after the break and it was nip and tuck before they got their third goal.

“Even then, we worked to get one back and we finished very strongly but just couldn’t force the equaliser.”

Reid believed his side were worthy of at least a point in a match, played on a heavy pitch.

He said: “I thought that overall we competed well against a decent, experienced Golspie side.

“Graeme showed what we have been missing for most of the season while Lukas again proved a real handful up front for us.”

Golspie Sutherland – MacRae, McKernie (A. Smith 7), J. Smith, J. Sutherland, Mailley, (Henstridge 65), Sanderson, A. Sutherland, Campbell, Kerr (Pullen 80), Grant, S. Sutherland. Sub (Unused) – MacKenzie.

Thurso – A. Sinclair, Manson, Harrold (Sutherland 75), S. Sinclair, Forbes, Wann (Wares 70), MacNab, Petrie, Gerazel, Murray, Elder (MacGregor 68).

Ref – Mr J. Nicolson.

Next Vikings match – Thurso v Muir of Ord Rovers in The North Caledonian League on Saturday 17th of March 2012 with a 2.30 p.m kick-off

A pumped-up second half display by the Vikings failed to salvage the

terminal early damage inflicted upon them in Saturday’s tussle at Jubilee Park.

Shell-shocked after shipping three goals within 18 minutes, Thurso’s porous outfield defence came perilously close to falling further behind.

They were baled out by several last-ditch stops from keeper Asa Sinclair before their Polish striker Lukas Gerazel gave them hope when he marked his first start with a goal close to the interval.

Thurso went on to seize the initiative with a more attacking formation after the break putting their hosts firmly on the back foot.

They passed up several inviting opportunist before Gerazel popped up to net his second with a minute left.

Dingwall proceeded to snatch a fourth and seal this Football Times quarter-final tie, which also counted for North Caley League points.

The Jags took less than a minute to grab the opener with Paul Gair’s pass picking out Gary Urquhart’s unopposed spurt into the box.

Urquhart, who was to prove a menacing presence on the right flank, picked his moment to guide the ball past Sinclair.

Thurso responded with a sparky sequence involving Gerazel, James Murray and Ryan Begg which ended with Lee Elder’s angled strike drifting narrowly past the far post.

Thistle proceeded to sting the Vikings with two goals in as many minutes.

On 16 minutes, Martin MacLean was given licence to roam down the right and Stuart Mackay rose to head MacLean’s deep cross past keeper Sinclair.

Thurso were still absorbing that setback when they conceded again .

A loose pass gave MacLean a clear sight of goal 20 yards out and his measured 20 yarder went in off the inside of the left post.

Thurso’s defence was thereafter all at sea and Dingwall eagerly pressed forward in expectation rather than hope of further reward,

Mackay’s half-volley from Iain Wilson’s deep cross required a goal-line block from keeper Sinclair.

Stevie Pirie then cannoned back off the face of the crossbar on 26 minutes before Sinclair was to the fore again when he kept out Craig Stuart’s attempt from Urquhart’s set-up.

The same pair combined but this time Stuart’s headed effort lacked power and was easily pouched by Sinclair.

Thurso survived and found a way back into the contest on 38 minutes when Murray threaded a pass through for Garazel who outmuscled his marker before planting a firm shot behind Steven Hyslop.

The Jags would have restored their three goal advantage had Mackay managed to find a way past Sinclair after being put in the clear.

Thistle’s brio was soon to dissipate as they faced a new challenge after their opponents changed to a 4-2-4 formation.

Having barely troubled Hyslop before the interval, the keeper was kept on his toes throughout the second half.

He was called into emergency action on 56 minutes when Lewis Harrold’s free-kick was headed on by Murray to Michael Petrie whose hook-shot was parried to safety by the keeper.

Ref John Bickham then turned deaf ears to penalty claims at either end, with Pirie appearing to handle near the penalty spot before Stuart went down in the box after a tangle with Derek Manson.

Manson’s composed debut would have been memorable had he managed to connect from close in to Gerazel’s head-on from another Harrold free-kick on 65 minutes.

The 28-year-old Pole’s dominance in the air unsettled the home defence and he was soon setting up another clear opening for Elder who was unable to find the target with a close-in header.

The pressure was maintained, with Marc MacGregor and Murray going close with headers, before Sinclair had to look lively to turn a Mackay effort behind.

Gerazel’s headed finish from Petrie’s corner came with one minute of normal time and five minutes of injury-time left.

But just as they prepared to mount a final blitz, Thistle promptly effectively killed the contest.

MacLean’s stinging shot from just outside the interval was palmed out by Sinclair and sub Darren Gollar was quickest to react, prodding home from four yards.

There was still time for drama at the other end when Martyn MacAllister’s abortive pass-back led to Hyslop felling Murray as the striker raced into the box.

Hyslop was duly red-carded though officials adjudged the foul was committed outside the box.

The free-kick came to naught though sub Martin Sinclair went close

with the final action when his stooped header flashed wide.

Dingwall Thistle – Hyslop, Wilson, Bain ( MacDonald 62), MacAllister, Pirie, MacBean, Urquhart, Gair, Stuart (Gollar 88), MacLean, Mackay. Subs (unused) – Dorrian, Godwin and Manson.

Thurso – A. Sinclair, Manson, Harrold (Sutherland 82), S. Sinclair, Forbes, G. MacGregor, Petrie, Begg (M. MacGregor 60), Garazel, Murray, Elder (M. Sinclair 86).

Ref – Mr J. Bicknell

Dingwall Thistle 4 V Thurso 2 with both of The Vikings goals from Polish striker Lukas Gerazel. This match also doubled for league points.

Next match is away to Golspie in the league this Saturday with a 2 p.m kick-off