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Inver 2-6 Tain Thistle
Robbie Ross made a couple of changes to the side that rounded off Thistle's pre-season, with Kevin Graham dropping to the bench for the returning Darran Goller, while Martyn Farquhar also returned to the starting lineup.<br /><br /><img class="imgright" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/news/data/upimages/inver_vs_tain_web1.jpg">Inver, forced to start with defender Ryan Cowie in goal, found themselves 1-0 down almost instantly thanks to an unfortunate fumble in only the 3rd minute, when Darran Goller ran clean through to blast the first goal of the 2011 Ross-shire Welfare season through the hands of Cowie.<br /><br />The clock had not even reached ten minutes when Thistle's second was tapped home, again by Goller, after a clever piece of individual forward play saw the striker nimbly nick the ball past Cowie for the easiest of finishes.<br /><br />Play seemed to settle in the midfield for the next while as Thistle searched for opportunities on a prone Inver goal, and it was Inver who netted next. Handed a reminder of the goal threat throughout the Inver team, it was former Invergordon Social Club midfielder Scotty Stirling who launched a drive over Ross and into the net to make it 1-2.<br /><br />The goal seemed to give Inver some confidence and before long Ross was forced to make a point blank save, as Russell Ferguson found himself clean through on the Jags goal.<br /><br />Any semblance of doubt over Thistle's grasp on the tie was eliminated on the stroke of half time however when Goller completed his hat-trick thanks to creative play in midfield from Colin Burry; Goller again slotting home through the hands of Cowie.<br /><br />The second half started as the first had ended with Thistle pressurising an Inver defence that were losing an ongoing battle and this time it was Andy Durrand who netted, following a pacey right wing sprint. Cutting in from the right, Durrand easily placed the ball beyond Cowie to make it 4-1.<br /><br />Coming on as a substitute for Burry after the winger had taken a knock, Mark Reid made an instant impact, lashing a volley beyond Cowie at his near post just after the hour to make it 5-1.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="" src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/news/data/upimages/inver_vs_tain_web2.jpg"><br /><br />Making his return to the Ross-shire Welfare scene, former Tain Thistle man David Robertson capitalised on a lapse of concentration in the Jags box to pop a consolation goal home for Inver, but the celebrations were short lived as Durrand did the same at the other end minutes later, stabbing home from 10 yards for his second to make it 6-2.<br /><br />Daniel Christie could well have made it seven with five minutes left on the clock with a free kick just outside the box, but his effort flew over the bar.<br /><br />A man of the match performance from young Ryan Johnston was almost capped off with a goal in the final minutes as the left back careered forward beyond the final line of the Inver but could only shoot over.<br /><br /><b>Team:</b><br />Ross, Cameron, Johnston, Sutherland, A Christie, Brand (Maclellan), D Christie, Farquhar (Graham), Durrand, Burry (Reid), Goller<br /><br /><b>Subs not used:</b><br />C Nimmons, Murray<br /><br /><b>Goals:</b><br />Goller 3, 9, 45, Durrand 48, 81, Reid 68<br /><br /><b>Bookings:</b><br />None<br /><br /><b>Man of the Match:</b><br />Ryan Johnston<br /><br /><b>Match details:</b><br /><a href="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/match.php?id=424">http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=424</a>
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Weekly News Roundup 29/4
A quiet week saw preparations for the weekend's opening competitive fixture of the season commence. Tain Thistle will travel to Portmahomack to meet Inver in the first round of the League Cup this Saturday with a 3pm kick off. Thistle are expected to have a near full squad available for the tie, with Inver also reported to be strong.<br /><br />Thistle's first training session on Monday night past went well with a reasonable turnout. Players and anyone who cares to participate are welcome again this Monday night, 7pm at the Links.<br /><br />Congratulations must go to the senior football team of Tain Royal Academy who secured the Northern Schools League championship last night.<br /><br />Finally, the club raised further club funds following their monthly poker fundraiser on Tuesday night, thanks to the organisation of Bryan Campbell and hosting venue, The Railway Hotel. The committee expects to have another poker event organised for May.
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Stein fails to retain title
Michael Stein fell away despite an early comeback to relinquish his hold on the TTFC poker title last night, with Niall Harkiss snatching a last ditch win from the hands of Bryan Campbell.<br /><br />The standings at the end of the night were:<br /><br />1. Niall Harkiss<br />2. Bryan Campbell<br />3. Peter Foster<br />4. Michael Stein<br />5. Mark Reid<br />6. Gordon Ross<br />7. Louise Johnstone<br />8. Dale Finlayson<br /><br />The night was again a fundraising success thanks to the capable organisation of Bryan Campbell and thanks must go to all who participated and donated to the club.<br /><br /><img border="0" align="none" alt="" src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/news/data/upimages/avatar-pkr.png">
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Maclellan eyes improvement
Tain Thistle will travel twice to Portmahomack to kick off their Ross-shire Welfare league campaign starting this weekend, for a double header sure to send shivers down the spines of Jags supporters. Facing up against their fierce rivals Inver, Thistle could not have envisaged the outcome of their first meeting last May. <br /><br />With three points the aim, Thistle found themselves with a 2-1 lead at the 75 minute mark when referee Keith Middleton was forced to bring the game to a halt after a head knock to Jamie Shepherd. The stoppage turned to postponement soon after the landing of an air ambulance and ironically, the fixture was not replayed until the end of the season; Thistle beating Inver by 4 goals to 1 with the result academic.<br /><br />The four fixtures between those games however saw Inver run out with the spoils on every occasion, first with the winning of the League Cup final in May, thanks to goals from Stuart Wood and Craig McCourt, then again in Pattison cup action at the end of the same month. In June, Inver handed Cordiner Cup holders Thistle a 7-2 drubbing to send them out of their own cup and their other league meeting only days later ended in a equally disappointing 4-1 loss for the Jags.<br /><br />Young striker John Maclellan was among those to score for Thistle in the opening fixture last season only to see his first goal for the club ultimately added to the annuls of unrecorded and abandoned fixtures.<br /><br /><i>"It was quite an introduction to Welfare football. It was a rough game and I was delighted to score in my first game but it all kicked off with the collision and the helicopter and it was a bit mad. I think we'd have held on for the win - we were solid defensively and created more chances than they did."<br /><br />"With the rest of the season, we just never played to our best against them and its something we'll have to do better to beat them. We have better players and hopefully we can show that this season."</i><br /><br />Historically, Tain Thistle have only won thirteen of their forty-five previous competitive meetings with Inver and only four of them have been away from home.<br /><br /><img border="0" align="none" alt="" src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/news/data/upimages/avatar-jmac.jpg">
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Weekly News Roundup 22/4
On the field, Thistle rounded off a satisfactory pre-season with a comfortable win over one of their Ross-shire Welfare league opponents in Cromarty. Goals from Colin Burry, Michael Brand, John Maclellan, Mark Reid and Darran Goller put the Victoria Park men to the sword with a 5-1 win. The result followed a 3-2 defeat against the Smithton Hotel for the Jags as a depleted Thistle XI travelled to Inverness for their friendly meeting this past Saturday.<br /><br />With the friendlies concluded, training for Thistle will now begin on Monday night at 7pm at the Links park.<br /><br />The fixtures for the Ross-shire Welfare league were fully announced this week, with Tain Thistle facing almost an entire season of away games on Saturdays following the random luck of the draw. Thistle's only home 1st round tie, against Inver in the Coronation Cup, will be played on a Monday night to avoid a clash with Tain Gala. At most, Thistle will play a small total of nine home games this season.<br /><br />The next poker fundraiser is scheduled for Tuesday, April 26th this coming week, with a 7.30pm start. Interested parties should contact the club or Bryan Campbell at the St Duthus Hotel.<br /><br />Darran Goller began his road to recovery from a hamstring complaint on Wednesday, playing 20 minutes against Cromarty. The striker scored within moments of being on the park and set up another goal shortly after, showing no effects of injury.<br /><br />Finally, Thistle defender Andy Murray has experienced yet another birthday this week, turning THIRTY-SIX today. Happy birthday Andy.<br /><br /><img border="0" align="none" alt="" src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/news/data/upimages/avatar-training.jpg">