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  • Tain Thistle 0-7 Thurso | Latest News | Tain Thistle AFC
  • Tain Thistle 0-7 Thurso

    It was a simple case of night and day at Grant Park this afternoon. With no resemblance other than the bright white strips of the same Tain Thistle who battled for 90 minutes at Sir Georges Park in September, a dominant Thurso destroyed the Grant Park men by 7 goals to nil in miserable conditions.<br /><br />At their weakest with call offs and absences, Thistle boss John Oliver handed a first team debut to 17 year old Martin Smith, while Andy Murray also made his first start of the season. Trialist Ian Bartlett stepped in between the sticks as a total of six first team regulars, namely Ashley Mills, Paul Austin, Gordy Oman, Russell Lawrie, Martyn Farquhar and Ali Matheson made up the absentee list, giving Thistle their biggest challenge of the season to date.<br /><br />Thistle seemed to get off to a decent start in the dreech, wet and windy conditions as Daniel Christie found himself with a chance to score, putting the ball just wide after good forward play from Darran Goller. The start was weathered quickly however, as Thurso began their pursuit of an opener. The forward line of Nichol, MacDougall and Mackenzie enjoyed an inventive ten minute spell, wreaking havoc on the Thistle goal, before taking a 1-0 lead. A cross into the Thistle box went unmet by the oncoming Bartlett, as the ball was gently knocked beyond him into the net.<br /><br />Thistle looked as though they might form a fightback but any semblance of chance was quickly eradicated when returnee Andy Murray, already booked for an earlier challenge, shoved a Thurso forward in the eighteen yard box. Referee Graham Elder pointed to the spot and Thurso's Mark Nichol made no mistake with the penalty; Murray escaping with only a warning.<br /><br />2-0 down, Thistle's young forward pairing of Darran Goller and Martin Smith tried but struggled to make any impact in the first half. In fact, it was winger Daniel Christie who was the only man to find the target in the first period, rattling the crossbar with a free kick ten minutes before the break.<br /><br />Thurso made the second half seem somewhat academic however with a third first half goal, Thistle again caught sleeping at the back for a simple tap in.<br /><br />The second half initially brought a further two goals for Thurso, taking the score to 5-0 but will make the headlines more for the cards issued to both sides. The half saw no fewer than five yellow and two red cards, with Thistle's Darran Goller the first to be dismissed for shoving Martin Sutherland. Sutherland, who saw yellow for his trouble was sent off immediately after, as he had already been booked for an altercation with Martin Smith ten minutes prior.<br /><br />With 20 men left on the park, Thurso netted a further two goals, first from the spot following an Arron Christie infringement and again two minutes later.<br /><br />The hugely disappointing defeat surprisingly does not alter Thistle's current league position; the Jags men remaining in 6th place as Thurso march ahead in 1st. In other league action, Golspie came back from a 1-0 deficit to beat Balintore 2-1. Meanwhile, Muir of Ord secured the first silverware of the season, beating Halkirk by 2 goals to 1 to win the Lindsays of Golspie North Caledonian Cup.<br /><br /><b>Team:</b><br />Bartlett, Durrand, Murray (Sutherland), Mackay, Morrison, K Oliver, D Christie, Mailley, Goller, Smith, A Christie<br /><br /><b>Subs not used:</b><br />D Oliver<br /><br /><b>Booked:</b><br />Murray, Mackay<br /><br /><b>Sent Off:</b><br />Goller<br /><br /><b>Match details:</b><br /><a href="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=266">http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=266</a>

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