LEAGUE MATCH 28th June 2003

UNITED LEAVE IT LATE

Helmsdale United and Dornoch City meet at the Couper Park last Saturday and United got the win they needed to keep their league title hopes alive, but only just as they left it late to score the goal which could be very vital to them.

Dornoch who have had a few heavy defeats this season started the game determined not to give away any cheap goals. They did this very well by closing down United and playing some good football at times. However United eventually settled into the game and started to dominate by forcing the Dornoch defence into conceding several corners. United didn’t really capitalize from these corners and where short of ideas on how to break through what was a determined Dornoch defence.

United’s best effort on goal came midway through the first half when a 25 yard shot from Andrew Cairns rattled the Dornoch crossbar. Dornoch struggled to put the United defence under any sort of pressure. They did however have a couple of good goal scoring opportunities when they hit United on the break, but their forwards showed a lack of composure in front of goal.

United very nearly took the lead seconds before the halftime whistle when there was a frantic goalmouth scramble, but United couldn’t get the ball past Russell MacKenzie in the Dornoch goal who was having an inspired game.

The second half followed the same pattern of play as the first half, with United applying lots of pressure on the Dornoch goal and the Dornoch defenders putting in last ditch tackles and MacKenzie pulling off save after save to give United numerous corners.

As the game went on, United began to run out of ideas and they started to rely on long range shooting. John MacAulay had two decent efforts on goal, but MacKenzie saved well. In the 80th minute United’s Nicky Denoon came out of defence with the ball and he fired in an excellent 35-yard drive, which was once again saved superbly by the Dornoch keeper.

Just when it looked like Dornoch were going to hold out for the draw and ruin any chance United had of winning the league, United eventually got the goal they deserved. United’s winner came when in the 87th minute when they won yet another corner. From the corner Steven Henderson rose above the Dornoch defence and from six yards out he headed the ball over the goal line, but only just. The goal came with great relief to the United team and supporters as only a win would do to keep their league title hope alive.

UNITED SET UP EXCITING LEAGUE FINISH

Helmsdale United traveled away to Lairg last Saturday to play in what was a must win league game for both sides. United managed to pull off a 3-2 victory, which was tremendous considering they were nearly forced to start the game with ten men, however they managed to field eleven players but had no substitutes to rely on.

Both teams started the game brightly and the Lairg forward line looked very dangerous at times. However it was United which were carving out the better chances with MacPherson, Cowie and Whitehead coming close on several occasions.

The missed chances from United proved costly, as it was Lairg who took the lead midway through the first half. The goal came from a cross from the right hand side, which found the unmarked Kenny Fraser who finished well from ten yards out.

United responded immediately and almost equalized straight away when a MacPherson cross found Billy Cowie at the back post and his header which was heading for the top corner was brilliantly saved by Mark James Airey in the Lairg goal.

United did equalize in the 27th minute when William Cowie linked up well with Whitehead to create space for himself on the right wing. Cowie’s excellent cross found MacPherson in the six yard box, who stabbed the ball home to make the score 1-1.

United’s good play soon had them ahead in the 35th minute when a good team passing move was finished off by Jamie MacPherson. MacPherson twisted and turned inside the box to create a shooting opportunity, which he took full advantage off when he skillfully placed the ball in the bottom right hand corner of the net to score his second goal of the game.

Lairg tried in vain to get an equalizer before half time, but a strong United defence managed to keep the lively Lairg forwards out, to send United in at the break 2-1 ahead.

United started the second half strongly and soon started to create some half chances. The best of which being a Malcolm Cowie header and an excellent curling shoot, which went inches over the bar, from the veteran William Cowie.

Ten minutes into the second half Lairg had a good opportunity to equalise when the ball fell to Jamie Morrison, but his volley was superbly held by Steven Munro in the United goal. Shortly after that scare United extended their lead when a MacPherson header set up Billy Cowie who’s coolly lobbed finish from 15 yards out put United 3-1 up.

United then were content to defend their lead and they did that very well as Lairg struggled to create any real chances. However they did get a goal with four minutes remaining, when Calumn MacLeod smashed in a 25-yard volley which gave Munro in the United goal no chance.

That goal set up a nervous last few minutes for a tiring United team, but they held out for the 3-2 victory, which sees them climb level at the top of the table with the rest of the title contenders. United next play Dornoch who they have already beaten twice this season, but United will have to be at their best if they want the win that they will need.

UNITED BACK IN THE HUNT FOR LEAGUE TITLE

EMBO 2:6 HELMSDALE UTD

Helmsdale United traveled to Embo last Saturday for a must win league game, if they were to have any chance of holding onto their league title. They did just that in a very entertaining game which they won 6-2 to take all three points back to the Dale.

United were always on top in this game and applied pressure to the Embo defence by playing some good football. Embo however did have a couple of early opportunities to take the lead, but a combination of poor finishing and good goalkeeping from Steven Munro in the United goal kept the game goalless.

United nearly took the lead in the tenth minute, when Billy Cowie broke through the Embo defence and his effort hit the post. Soon after United should have been ahead when a free kick was floated into the back post and Graham Grant missed a free header, which if he had connected with the ball he would have certainly given United the lead.

Eventually the pressure being applied to the Embo defence by United’s good play paid off and a Billy Cowie strike from the edge of the box found the bottom right hand corner of the net to make it 1-0 for United on the half hour mark.

United soon made it two nil when in the 37th minute Darren MacRae found space in the Embo penalty area, where he powered in an excellent finish from 10 yards out.

After the second goal Embo started to apply pressure on the United defence in order to get themselves back into the game, but United’s defence held strong and went in at the half time interval two goals up.

United started the second half brightly and wanted to kill off any remaining challenge Embo had to offer. United duly did this and scored two goals on the opening five minutes of the second half.

United’s third goal came after Cowie played in youngster Alexander Sutherland who showed great composure to finish from twelve yards out. United’s fourth goal came after a Steven Henderson header which was heading goal wards was deflected in by the head of an Embo defender.

After going four goals ahead United seemed to switch off and let Embo play some football. Embo soon punished United for this when after a good passing move, Embo forward Jones finished well to pull a goal back for Embo in the 55th minute.

That Embo goal seemed to spark new life back into the United team and they soon got themselves back into the game by creating numerous chances. United soon regained their four goal advantage when in the 60th minute United striker Billy Cowie broke clear of the Embo defence and he coolly rounded the Embo goalkeeper Craig MacKay to score his second and United’s fifth goal.

United’s sixth and final goal came in the 76th minute, when United substitute Paul Whitehead tapped the ball into the Embo goal from three yards out after and good passing move involving Cowie and Henderson.

Embo finished the scoring off when in the dying minutes of the game Jamie Shepherd scored what was only a late consolation goal. United could have had more goals in this game had their forwards shown more composure in their finishing. However United were very happy with the victory which sees them back in the hunt for the league title.