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Latest News & Updates
Thistle reach Stafford Cup semi with win over Embo
A young Tain side progressed to the semi-finals with a 4-0 win over league newcomers Embo.

There was also a third entity on the pitch playing against both teams in the form of Storm Kathleen, and at certain points she had the upper hand, with referee Ian Ross calling a 5 minute break midway through the second half due to hailstones the size of spark plugs.

Noah Edwards opened the scoring from right back in what was a class performance from the youngster. Scott Macdonald scored his first goal for Tain Thistle just before half time with a cracker from 20 yards.

Youngster Jack Wilson set up John Maclellan for Tains third, before Scott Mac got his second after brilliant work from Robbie Allan. We now look towards our semi final away to Lochinver, date TBD. Well done boys and all the best to Embo going forward. MOTM: Noah Edwards

Tain Thistle will play the Dogs of War Lairg Rovers in the first round of the Highland Amateur Cup on May 11th. This will be our first match in the HA for a good few years, and we look forward to a local derby which is sure to be hotly contested.
Tain Thistle Duck Race results
Congratulations to the ten winners, and a massive thank you to everyone who shared, liked a post, bought a duck for today's Tain Thistle Duck Race.

A huge thank you also to Jock Mackinnon, Stevie Martin, Alex McDonald, Sean McCarthy, Alison McCarthy and of course young Tommy McCarthy for their help with the actual event.

Check our Facebook live posts if you want to see how things unfolded!

10th place #631 - Forrest Skelet

9th place #521 - Andy Mair

8th place #565 - Shane MacLochlainn

7th place #725 - George Murray

6th place #613 - Thomas Peden

5th place #262 - Dan Fahy

4th place #68 - Jamie Skinner

3rd place #194 - Michael As

2nd place #750 - Craig Nimmons

1st PLACE #297 - CHRIS MAY of SOUTHEND ESSEX

All winners will be contacted tomorrow for their prizes. Well done!!
Tain Thistle 5 Inver 3
Tain once again came from behind in front of a big crowd to put to bed Inver and go three points clear today at Tain Links.

An early Inver goal from a corner was cancelled out by two quick fire goals before HT. A Jamie Skinner cross met the head of his younger cousin Aaron Skinner to equalise from a looped header before a left footed strike from Finn As-Chainey after a driving run into the box put Thistle 2-1 up at the break.

The second half began with a flurry of Tain goals as Finn got on the end of a sublime cross field pass from Mikey Grimes. John Maclellan slotted a calm finish inside the box before Alan Duff put the game to bed from a left footed strike to silence the Inver faithful.

Both teams went down to 10 men as Maclellan along with an Inver defender were sent off for violent conduct, before Inver scored two consolation goals.

Picture - The outstanding Aaron Skinner scoring his goal, who was closely pipped by his older cousin Jamie for man of the match (Taken by Scott Macdonald)

Team – Ritchie, Duff, Smith, J.Skinner, As-Chainey, Grimes, Macritchie, A.Skinner, Scott, Maclellan, Hulme. Subs - Ali, Edwards, Knox, Delgado, Martin
Tain Thistle 2 Social Club 1
Tain Thistle returned from the ashes last night, playing their first game since 2019 – and they got off to a victorious start.

In front of a good crowd on a mild Wednesday night at Grant Park, there were several familiar faces on the park as they saw off their Invergordon visitors with goals in either half.

New manager John Maclellan called upon the services of several Thistle stalwarts to put the squad together, such as himself, Johnny Allan, Arron Christie, Alan Duff, Martyn Farquhar, Daniel Christie, Liam Rostock, Andy Durrand and Darran Goller.

There were first time appearances also for youngsters Shadi Ali and Adrian Voigt, who have been playing North Caledonian League football during the winter with Bonar Bridge and St Duthus, respectively. Maclellan also called in defenders Niall Grant and Andy Kellock to make their debuts.

Invergordon Social Club opened the scoring after nine minutes with a goal from Callum Murray.

Thistle were on level pegging a quarter of an hour later when Daniel Christie hit a low strike from 20 yards to beat Stefan Pietrzic in the Social goal.

It was honours even for the majority of the second half but the finale was left to Thistle's record goalscorer, Liam Rostock, who popped up to head home from close range and ultimately win the match for his side.

The win puts Thistle joint top alongside Inver who beat Melvich 5-1 on Saturday. The two winning sides meet at Osprey Park on Saturday, with the winner set to open up an early three point lead at the top of the North West Sutherland League 2 table.

Teams:

Thistle – Allan, Kellock, Grant, A Christie, Duff, Farquhar, Voigt, D Christie, Rostock, Goller, Ali. Subs: Maclellan, Durrand, Shearer

Social – Pietrzic, Mitchell, Macdonald, Morrison, Sangwin, Ross, Henderson, Urquhart, Sutherland, Murray, Keith. Subs: O Campbell, Monaghan, B Campbell, C Macleod, Hossack

Ref – David Ross
Jags off to a 'quacking' start
Tain Thistle got their fundraising efforts off to a 'quacking' start this week.

A first for the Jags - the club were delighted to hold their first ever 'Duck Race' on Thursday night.

Ably assisted by Ally Maclellan, Liam and Abi Rostock, Gordy Mackay and Stuart Morrison of Tain Golf Club, new manager John Maclellan was the MC for event, streaming live on Facebook, as the competition took place.

A sold-out flock of 200 ducks were launched into the river near Tain Golf Course and made their way downstream before crossing the finish line.

The results are in and we are delighted to announce the winners of the first ever Tain Thistle AFC 'Duck Race' fundraiser, hosted by Tain Golf Club.

5th Place - £10 - Will Ross

4th Place - £10 - Rebecca Crawford

3rd Place - £10 - Brian MacAngus

2nd Place - £50 - Lyle Mackay

And topping the pack, congratulations go to our first ever Duck Race winner - Dennis Albott who has won £150, a bottle of Glenmorangie whisky, and a stay for two at the Morangie House Hotel, Tain. Well done Dennis!

John said: "A big thank you to everyone who supported via social media. Now that we have the first one under our belts, we will be looking to do this next year with improvements to make it bigger and better!

"The ducks will now fly south for the winter but we are sure to see them return next spring being heavier, larger and with more of them.

"One last plug for our opening match of the season and first in four years - Wednesday 26th – we welcome Invergordon Social Club FC to Grant Park for a 7pm kick off and we would love to see you there."
Thistle to play in NWS League 2
The return of three amateur teams from Easter Ross and Sutherland has resulted in the creation of a two-tiered league system for this year's North West Sutherland amateur football league.

A total of ten amateur sides registered for this year's competitions – two more than last year – and with an eye on a timely finish, the league have opted for a return to two divisions, a system last used in 2019. Among the new members are 2019 champions, Tain Thistle, who confirmed their participation at the weekend after a last-minute appointment of a new manager.

The Easter Ross side are joined by fellow returnees, Brora Wanderers and Invergordon Social Club.

Reigning league champions Helmsdale United will be joined by last year's top-six placed clubs Golspie, Lairg, Lochbroom and Lochinver in the top tier, while Dornoch City, who finished fourth, have opted to take a year out. Bottom placed sides Inver and Melvich will be joined by the three 'returnees' in the second tier.

Teams will play each other twice in the divisional format, with promotion and relegation in place. Games are expected to kick off on Saturday April 22, with fixures played on Saturdays and occasional midweek dates.

It is anticipated that the teams will also compete for the Stafford Cup at some point during the summer season.
John Mac: Time to give something back
They were, at one time, one of the most decorated amateur football teams in the north. But long-time summer contenders, Tain Thistle, have not kicked a ball in anger since 2019.

Now, as the new season looms, one of the team's former players is setting the wheels in motion for a dramatic revival.

First established in 1997 by Gordon and Pat Burry as a welfare football club, the club competed for many years as members of the now defunct Ross-shire Welfare League.

The club eventually built a reputation as a proving ground for young players from Tain and the surrounding area, with several youngsters, such as Garry Perks, Steven Martin, Liam Rostock and Arron Christie, also finding their feet at Highland League level.

The 'Jags' finally achieved success on the park in 2007 when they won the Pattisons' Challenge Cup, before the club went on to win the Ross-shire Welfare League itself in 2009, and again in 2013.

By the end of the 2010s, they had become the dominant force in the league, with multiple cup successes and three back-to-back league championships (in 2015, 2016 and 2017) to their name.

The collapse of the Ross-shire Welfare FA in 2018 meant that Thistle had to make a switch to amateur status and it was then that they found a home in the North West Sutherland amateur league.

The away days were further flung, but they were able to continue their success – winning the North West Sutherland AFA league title and the Polla Cup in 2018, and the league once more in 2019.

But like many clubs, things came to a standstill during the pandemic. Team manager Tony Farquhar announced his decision to step down in 2021, and when the league resumed competition in 2022, the club opted out of competing.

Fast forward one year and from the ashes, a new hope arises.

This year, the club have appointed a new manager in ex-player, John Maclellan – and he says he is ready to put Tain Thistle back on the summer football map.

The club also confirmed that they have rejoined the North West Sutherland Amateur League for 2023 and will compete in Division 2 of the new set up.

Maclellan, who lives in Edderton and works locally as a PE teacher, believes that it is time for him, and players like him, to give something back.

He said: "So many people over the years have put in so much of their own time and effort running Tain Thistle for teams that I’ve been involved in, and I’m excited about the opportunity to take that on myself and give something back."

The new gaffer, who first played for Thistle at the age of 15, returned to Scotland last summer after six years working in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he played for amateurs Dubai All Stars.

He added: "I’ve got so many good memories of playing for Tain as a schoolboy and being shown the ropes by boys such as Darran Goller and Marty Farquhar. We’ve had a lot of success over the years, and looking back, kicking a ball for Tain and having the craic with the boys is always a part of the year I’ve looked forward to.

"Three years is too long for a club like Tain Thistle to not be competing, and I’m looking forward to helping get the club back where it belongs."

Press article: https://www.ross-shirejournal.co.uk/sport/its-time-to-give-something-back-says-new-manager-of-tain-307771
Stafford Cup Draw for 2020
The first round of the Stafford Cup will be played on Saturday 18th April, with draw having been made as follows:

Lochinver v Dornoch City

Golspie Stafford v Brora Wanderers

Lochbroom v Inver

Melvich v Kinlochbervie

TAIN THISTLE v Embo

Byes - Helmsdale United, Invergordon Social Club & Lairg Rovers

The subsequent rounds shall be played at weekly intervals, allowing only for the prelim. round of the Highland Amateur Cup on April 25th. The first league matches will be played on May 30th.
Jags lift fifth consecutive league title
Despite clinching the title off the park last weekend (due to results elsewhere), the Jags had to wait until full time away to Lochinver to get their hands on the North West Sutherland League championship trophy.

The title win is marks back to back championships since joining the amateur ranks two seasons ago, and their fifth in a row overall, having won the Ross-shire Welfare in 2015, 2016 and 2017 also.

The Jags collected the trophy in style with a 12 goal celebration away to Lochinver at Culag Park. The game finished 9-3 in Tain's favour, with Liam Rostock notching a hat-trick. Darran Goller and Finn As-Chainey chipped in with two goals each, while Robbie Murray and David Mackay also scored.

The Polla Cup remains the only outstanding competition, a one game final due to be played between Thistle and the winners of Division 2, Lairg Rovers.
Golspie Stafford 1 Tain Thistle 4
All the action took place in the first half at Stafford Park, as a late rout before the interval put Thistle out of sight – despite Golspie having taken the lead.

The home side had gone ahead after 20 minutes when Mark Mackenzie worked his way through the Tain defence before finding the bottom corner with a brilliant strike. It took until the 38th minute for Tain to get back in the game though and the goal came from Liam Rostock who levelled with a cute chip over the Golspie stopper.

Finn As-Chainey was next to score, giving Tain the lead with a finish from close range. A Darran Goller double put Thistle on easy street for a quieter second half. They weren’t without their problems, however, as goalkeeper Steven Martin found himself dismissed for an off the ball incident.
Tain Thistle 0 Brora Wanderers 1
Brora Wanderers needed just one goal to humble champions Tain Thistle at the Links today. A first half goal from Jon Campbell, who pounced on a short clearance from the goalkeeper before lobbing the Tain custodian from 30 yards was all that separated the sides at half time.

It could have been 2-0 but a second half penalty for Wanderers was saved well by Will Macrae, and at the other end a foul on the Brora goalkeeper denied Tain their only netbound effort.

In the latter stages, the home side were unlucky not to score with a Finn As-Chainey shot that deflected onto the crossbar as the signs were that it was not going to be their day.

Thistle’s push for an equaliser was against a Brora side who were defending resolutely, and against Tain’s best efforts the Wanderers held on to claim an impressive away win.
Jags ousted by Staxigoe in Highland Amateur Cup
It was to be another first round exit for Tain Thistle in the Highland Amateur Cup, losing 3-1 to Staxigoe United this afternoon.

During an evenly contested first half both keepers were called into action, and on twenty minutes Thistle thought they had broken the deadlock when the ball appeared to have crossed the line – but referee Eric Robertson waved play on.

The Caithness side eventually opened the scoring with 10 minutes of the half left through Martin Banks but within five minutes Darran Goller had equalised. Capitulation followed in the second period as Staxigoe netted twice in the final twenty minutes to put the game beyond Tain.

Staxigoe retook the lead via an unfortunate Paul Cowie own goal and the final goal to make it 3-1 was a second for Banks.
Match Highlights: Melvich v Tain Thistle
Match highlights, courtesy of Darren Manson, Picture House.
Melvich 3 Tain Thistle 5
There were goals aplenty in Melvich in a back and forth affair. Thistle got off to a great start with a goal after just three minutes, when new signing Shaun Kerr headed in from an Arron Christie corner.

Kerr made it 2-0 seven minutes before the break with a good finish from six yards out after David Mackay found the striker inside the box with a cross. As the second half began, Melvich pulled a goal back from a corner kick, Kyle Innes beating Stevie Campbell with a headed effort.

The North Sutherland side must have been taking inspiration from England’s midweek European hopefuls as they proceeded to complete the comeback to make it 2-2 when James Murray nodded home from a corner — and ten minutes later Martyn Cook put the home side ahead with a shot from inside the area to leave Thistle reeling.

Were it not for some good goalkeeping from Campbell, the home side could have extended their lead. But Melvich’s resolve was tested just minutes later when Gordy Mackay was able to sweep the ball home to make it 3-3.

From then on, it was Thistle who showed the metal to retake control when Darran Goller finished from a tight angle to make it 4-3.

There was to be no second Melvich comeback this time though, and with five minutes remaining Goller netted again, this time with a header to wrap up the win.
Jags knocked out of Stafford Cup
In the early kick off at Ferrycroft Park, Lairg Rovers had put three past Thistle after just 20 minutes. Liam Mcleod opened the scoring with a good finish from six yards on the end of a Michael Newlands cross.

Michael Newlands doubled their advantage four minutes later when he pounced on a loose ball and rounded the keeper.

Newlands netted again on twenty minutes getting on the end of a clearance from Craig Ross, but shorty after, Thistle reduced the deficit with a goal following a penalty award for a foul on Finn As-Chainey; Liam Rostock putting away the resultant spot kick.

Lairg remained undettered in their first half assault though, and Adam Mackay added a fourth before the interval, scoring with a neatly hit volley which cannoned in off the post.

Thistle stemmed the tide in the second half and on 55 minutes, Darran Goller reduced the scoreline to 4-2 after rounding the keeper.

The comeback continued as Goller netted again just five minutes later heading home a Cammy Mackintosh cross, leaving just a goal between the sides.

The Jags were given further hope when Craig Ross was red carded with half an hour remaining — but there was to be no equaliser as the home side held on to advance to the semi-final.