HIGHLAND AMATEUR  CUP 2003

Results & Fixtures & Match Reports

HIGHLAND AMATEUR CUP 3rd Round   Sat 7th June 2003

ACKS KNOCK OUT UNITED

THUSRO ACKS 3:0 HELMSDALE UTD

Helmsdale United travelled over the ord to play another tough away amateur tie in Caithness. This time their opponents were Thurso Acks who are currently df

HIGHLAND AMATEUR CUP 2nd Round   Sat 17th May 2003

UNITED EASE INTO NEXT ROUND

HELMSDALE UTD 4:0 DORNOCH CITY

HIGHLAND AMATEUR  CUP 2002

Results & Fixtures & Match Reports

HIGHLAND AMATEUR CUP 2nd Round   Sat 18th May 2002

The Highland Amateur Cup saw a big 2nd round shock when the much fancied Helmsdale United fell at the hands of Caithness second division side Ashes. Lairg Rovers also went down to last years champions Wick Thistle, but on a brighter note Golspie Stafford went through beating Kinlochbervie 10-0 and there was also good wins for Dornoch City and Embo, so Sutherland will be represented in the next round.

ASHES 2:1 HELMSDALE UTD

Helmsdale United went into the game as much fancied favourites to return home with a place in the third round secured, but their hosts had other ideas and went on to complete a memorable victory.

Helmsdale started well and chances but it was obvious that it was going to one of those days as everything they hit towards goal always seemed to find an Ashes player in the right position on the goal line to clear. Ashes took the lead after they took an early free kick and as it got played into the box United only cleared to the edge of the area, for an Ashes attacker to shoot home from 18 yards. Then the unthinkable happened Helmsdale went two down the Ashes winger sent an unstoppable volley into the top corner to send the home in at the break 2-0 ahead. The second half saw Helmsdale push forward but their luck was not in on the day and all the muster was solitary Billy Cowie effort. The Helmsdale United c/o managers Hector Mackay and Willie Cowie both agreed that it was not one off Helmsdale’s best days and a lot of credit must be given to Ashes for the way they doggedly held on to secure a place in the third round.

HIGHLAND AMATEUR CUP 2nd Round   Sat 8th June 2002

Harlequin Bar 1:2 Golspie Stafford

Golspie Stafford made the trip to the City of Inverness to play their top side Harlequin Bar, a hard game was forecast for the Sutherland side, and they weren’t disappointed. Stafford took the lead early through Walter Mackay a went in at half time one goal up. Harlequin equalised midway through the second half, but Golspie regained the lead through Stephen Macleod almost immediately. Golspie Stafford held out for an excellent win which sees them progress to the last sixteen where they will face a trip to Castletown.

Embo 0:1 Pentland United

Pentland United came to Embo carrying a huge reputation in the Highland Amateur Cup, as previous winners, as recently as two years ago, they were strong favorites to win this tie.

Embo started brightly and were soon on the attack, they came very close on several occasions, Embo were making all the running in the early stages as their illustrious opponents were finding the going tough.  The home team closed down their opponents at every opportunity and set up probing attacks of their own, the half time whistle came with score line 0-0. Pentland started strongly in the second half and were rewarded by going into a one goal lead which was enough to give them victory. Embo can take a lot of credit out of their performance and have enhanced their reputation this season as they are showing great form of late.

Culloden Portland 2:1 Dornoch City

Dornoch City also were in the Capital on Saturday where they played Culloden Portland, but lost out to an injury time winner. Dornoch City turned out without several first team players. The first half was very even, but Culloden Portland took the lead early in the second half. Dornoch left it until the final minute to equalise, when Robbie Gilanders knocked the ball back to Charlie Forbes who scored and looked like securing a draw, but deep into injury time Culloden got their second to put Dornoch out of the cup. This was an unfortunate defeat for Dornoch City but the players that turned up give their all and went down bravely.

HIGHLAND AMATEUR CUP 3rd Round   Sat 29th June 2002

Castletown 1:2 Golspie Stafford

Golspie Stafford have reached the quarter final stage of the Highland Amateur cup after their excellent 2-1 away win in Castletown.

Stafford had the early pressure, but they lost their center half Stuart Cowie with a hamstring injury. This did not deter them and they took the lead after ten minutes when Darren Pullen made a run down the left and played a 1-2 with Stephen Macleod and laid the ball of to Walter Mackay, who back heeled into Pullen’s path who crossed for Sandy Grant to volley home. Pullen and Macleod linked up to set up Mackay whose shot grazed the outside of the post. Castletown were playing the long ball and the Stafford defence, were soaking up the pressure comfortably. One long ball eventually paid off, as the ball went wide, and from the cross Pullen cleared of the line but the rebound was hammered home. Castletown were level for only five minutes when Stafford regained the lead, MacKay and Macleod were again causing havoc down the left, and from MacKay's cross Pullen headed home to give Golspie a 2-1 half time lead. The second half was a fiercely fought midfield battle, with Stafford having the best of the chances, the nearest Castletown came to scoring was a shot that was well tipped over by Austin Mackay in the visitors goal. Pullen came close to increasing Stafford’s lead when his 35 yard free kick cannoned back of the post. This was a tremendous result for Golspie Stafford and they now march onto the quarter finals where they now play Avoch at home on Saturday 20^th July.

HIGHLAND AMATEUR CUP Quarter Final   Sat 20th July 2002

Golspie Stafford 4:0 Avoch

The Golspie Stafford Highland Amateur dream lives on, thanks to a very professional performance against a strong Avoch team on paper, Darren Pullen was one of the hero’s with a spectacular hat trick, and Walter Mackay notched the other to give Stafford a well deserved 4-0 thrashing of their more fancied opponents in front of a large and enthusiastic home support.

Avoch went into this game as favorites and were very strong in their line up including a few players from Golspie Sutherland, Invergordon and Alness, as well as ex highland league players.

The game started very nervously for Stafford and they were finding it hard to put any sort of attack together, but were closing down their opponents very quickly, which led to a scrappy opening period. Avoch were enjoying the bulk of possession but found they were not going to get things as easy as they first thought. Stafford scored with their first real chance, when Darren Pullen beat a defender at the edge of the box and unleashed an unstoppable shot across the keeper into the top corner from the angle of the 18 yard box. Avoch kept prodding at the Stafford defence but every time the Golspie back four had the right answer and Austin Mackay, who was celebrating his 21^st birthday was having a relatively quite day between the sticks. With chances at a minimum for Avoch, Stafford started to grow in confidence and were starting to set up attacks of their own. With six minutes of the first half left and everybody commenting on how a half time 1-0 lead was a good result, Walter Mackay had other ideas and after playing a 1-2 with Stephen Macleod, worked some space for himself and fired a rocket into the keepers right hand top corner to give Stafford a well deserved 2-0 half time lead.

Both teams took the field with same line ups for the start of the second half, and Avoch started to show their quality, by playing some nice football, but without the final product, and for the next twenty minutes kept Stafford pinned in their own half, but down to the last man Stafford stood firm and over came everything Avoch threw at them, Austin Mackay made his first real save when he gathered a Robbie MacDougal header low down, the last quarter of the tie saw both teams fighting for the midfield superiority, MacDougal got on the end of a cross but his close range effort was well saved by Mackay in goal to keep Stafford’s two goal cushion. Golspie’s young sub Liam Sutherland found himself clear and one on one with the keeper but the keeper came out on top. Then with only ten minutes left Darren Pullen finished of the tie, when he turned home a cross from 12 yards with the help of a deflection, and send the home support into raptures, and five minutes later the same player smashed home his hat trick and went of on a celebratory run. At the final whistle a huge roar went up from the home support for their hero’s who all performed with grit and determination and of course the skill, and scored two brilliant first half goals which was the corner stone of this historic result, it was good to see players and supporters from other Sutherland teams supporting and rooting for a Golspie Stafford win. We hope they now believe that the Highland Amateur cup can come back to Sutherland for the first time ever and get past the semi finals and into the final and make history for Golspie Stafford and Sutherland Football.