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  • Join the Tain Thistle Supporters Club

    The Tain Thistle Supporters Club has been relaunched, with all-new online benefits for club members. <br /><br />For as little as around eight pence a day, you can show your support for the Jags, while also benefiting from online features such as never before seen web galleries of matches over the past five years, electronic versions of classic match programmes and a monthly newsletter to your mailbox.<br /><br />Club members will also have the honour of being named as the sponsor of one of our man of the match awards for the current season!<br /><br />So, sign up now, by visiting <a href="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/sc.php">http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/sc.php</a> and spread the word!

  • Latest News | Tain Thistle AFC
  • Thistle knocked out of Pattison Cup

    A windy afternoon at the Recreation Grounds saw the Jags suffer their first defeat of the season yesterday, as they were KO'd in the final minutes of a gritty encounter by league leaders Invergordon Social Club.<br /><br />Daniel Christie was the only casualty following an eventful midweek thrashing of Balintore, with the midfielder dropping out of the squad on Saturday morning. The Pattison Cup semi-final was to be Thistle's ninth game in the space of just over four weeks, and signs of burnout were certainly evident as the Jags, who ripped Balintore apart only days prior, struggled to move out of first gear.<br /><br />Many of Invergordon Social Club's older players have returned to the side this season, and their experience is vastly evident; the defence limiting the freedom of Messrs Goller, Durrand and Burry during a stubborn first half. <br /><br />Martyn Farquhar however, who has had an eye for goal for most of the season, will surely be disappointed not to have tested Wilde, failing to pull the trigger on two occasions when he found himself through on goal.<br /><br /><img border="0" align="none" alt="" src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/newstest/data/upimages/socialtain22.jpg"><br /><br />It was Thistle who had the first near miss of the game however with a Colin Burry corner, the winger rattling Wilde's crossbar after his cross looped in with the assistance of a strong wind.<br /><br />At the other end, chances were also few and far between and it took a free kick in the middle of the park to finally make the difference just minutes before half time. With the ball sent into a packed box, it was Chris Graham for the Social Club who found himself in enough space to stab the ball home for a 1-0 lead.<br /><br />The tide turned in Social's favour thereafter and the home side began to pressure Thistle for a second, but thanks to resolute defending from Arron Christie and Kyle Oliver, the flow of attacks was stemmed. The next goal in fact came for the Jags, largely against the run of play.<br /><br />Substitute John Maclellan, who replaced Brian Cameron with a quarter hour left on the clock, showed determination in beating his man on the right wing, before cutting inside the box to nick the ball between the legs of Wilde at his near post for a stunning equalizer. The goal makes it four goals in four games for the striker who is certainly attracting attention as a game changer.<br /><br />Celebrations were short lived however as former Jags' defender Keith Dingwall broke Thistle hearts with a headed goal, restoring Social's lead within minutes of the leveller.<br /><br />Any chances of a Thistle comeback were swiftly killed off in the dying stages when referee Billy Murray took exception to Andy Durrand's frustration following a controversial penalty denial, as he dismissed the mild mannered winger for using strong language. Bookings followed for Farquhar and Burry, during a heated exchange as the Jags protested Durrand's sending off.<br /><br />With the game's competitive element firmly in the gutter, it was down to Thistle stopper Steven Wemyss to prevent further goals for Social, pulling off a tremendous one-on-one save before stopping a long range effort at the end of time.<br /><br />The result hands the Jags their first defeat of the season after an unbeaten run unmatched by any previous Tain Thistle side. As we head into June, Thistle's players and coaching staff can look back on what was, on the whole, a very successful month in May.<br /><br /><b>Team:</b><br />Wemyss, Sutherland, Johnston (Graham), Oliver, A Christie, Cameron (Maclellan), Farquhar, Brand, Durrand, Burry, Goller<br /><br /><b>Subs not used:</b><br />D Nimmons, Stainke<br /><br /><b>Goals:</b><br />Maclellan 78<br /><br /><b>Bookings:</b><br />Farquhar, Burry<br /><br /><b>Red Cards:</b><br />Durrand<br /><br /><b>Man of the Match:</b><br />Arron Christie<br /><br /><b>Match details:</b><br /><a href="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=451">http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=451</a><br /><br /><b>Match gallery:</b><br /><a href="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/media.php?dir=2011/05.28%20vs.%20Social%20Club">http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/media.php?dir=2011/05.28%20vs.%20Social%20Club</a><br /><br />In other semi final, Inver were handed yet another heavy defeat, this time at the hands of Balintore, who bounced back from a midweek embarrassment to beat their Seaboard rivals by 5 goals to nil.<br /><br />Invergordon Social Club and Balintore will now meet at Portmahomack in the Pattison Cup final, this Saturday, June 4th.

  • Latest News | Tain Thistle AFC
  • One from the Past: Tain oust Invergordon in Pattison semi

    Below is an excerpt from the North Star in 1920, who report on a Pattison Cup semi final game played between Tain St Duthus and Invergordon on Saturday, February 21st, 1920. The teams were as follows:<br /><br /><b>Tain St Duthus</b><br />W Munro, W Macleod, T Macleod, R Earl, A Macleod, W B Dunnett, J G Holmes, D J H Mitchell, D Mackay, G Findlay, W Ross<br /><br />Scorers:<br />D Mackay 44, Macintyre o.g., D J H Mitchell<br /><br /><b>Invergordon</b><br />Lyon, Lennington, Macintyre, Woodley, Woods, Lamb, Black, Taylor, Spiers, Macvinish, Maclean<br /><br />Scorers:<br />W Munro o.g. 3<br /><br />Referee - Mr S Mair, Inverness<br /><br />On the day, Tain secured a 3-1 win and went on to beat Alness in the final. Here's hoping for a similar result this Saturday!<br /><br /><img border="0" align="none" alt="" src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/newstest/data/upimages/oldexcerpt.jpg">

  • Latest News | Tain Thistle AFC
  • Tain Thistle 7-3 Balintore

    Tain Thistle showed footballing superiority tonight, with the lion's share in a ten goal thriller at Grant Park. A first ever hat-trick from Andy Durrand was supported by goals from Daniel Christie, Kyle Oliver, Martyn Farquhar and John Maclellan as the Jags cruised to victory against rivals Balintore.<br /><br />Michael Brand returned to the side who secured a late victory at Dingwall on Saturday, with Andrew Sutherland dropping onto the bench. Messrs Joe Stainke and Kevin Graham also returned to the fold, named as substitutes for what would be Thistle's second home game of the season, having played the other six away.<br /><br />With the Grant Park pitch rolled and lined, looking in a much fitter condition than a fortnight prior, Thistle gave Balintore a quick reminder of the passing football that had won them the League Cup earlier in the month; Colin Burry and Daniel Christie both firing off-target.<br /><br />The quick feet of the Jags paid off on thirteen minutes as Christie finished a beautiful chain of passing, slotting past Henderson with ease, and there were only seventeen on the clock, when Kyle Oliver netted another headed effort from a Colin Burry corner to make it 2-0.<br /><br />Balintore began to crumble, and before long they were 3-0 down as Andy Durrand slammed an effort home following a failed clearance by Stainke.<br /><br />It looked as though Balintore may have pulled a goal back shortly after, as Wemyss was beaten at the other end, but the scorer had been adjudged to been in an offside position. On the counter, the pace of Durrand outran the Balintore defence and it was left to Henderson to stop the winger, felling him after being nutmegged. A penalty award followed without question but to the amazement of Thistle and the relief of Balintore, Henderson escaped with only a yellow card. With confidence, Durrand stepped up to take his reward, sending Henderson the wrong way to make it 4-0.<br /><br /><img align="none" alt="" src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/newstest/data/upimages/kylesalmonoliver.jpg"><br /><br />At the other end, another penalty award followed for what appeared to be a very soft collision that saw Powell hit the ground on the edge of the box. Thistle's confident stopper was up to the challenge however. Killing off Balintore's hopes of a first half lifeline, Steven Wemyss saved Cowie's spot kick before sending the ball clear to the defence.<br /><br />The Jags rounded off a near perfect first half with a fifth goal a few minutes from the break, when Martyn Farquhar netted his sixth of the season from close range.<br /><br />The Balintore men benefited from a half time break and hit back with a goal moments after kick off, as Cowie found Bell at the far post for the young gull to push a close effort home.<br /><br />But only minutes after, Durrand completed his hat-trick to make it a very comfortable 6-1 for the home side, drilling a Goller cutback beyond Henderson for his seventh of the campaign.<br /><br />After a prolonged spell of inactivity due to a fallen net, Balintore capitalized on poor concentration to find the net following a corner, Macdonald the scorer, but again Thistle were undeterred. On 85 minutes, substitute John Maclellan made it 7-2, turning a shot into the net for his third goal in as many games.<br /><br />The final touch of the game fell to Balintore's Macdonald as the towering striker headed beyond Wemyss in the dying embers of the game to reduce the score to 7-3, and the game ended at just that.<br /><br /><b>Team:</b><br />Wemyss, Cameron, Johnston (Sutherland), Oliver, A Christie, Farquhar, Brand (Stainke), Burry (Maclellan), Durrand, Goller, D Christie<br /><br /><b>Subs not used:</b><br />D Nimmons, Graham<br /><br /><b>Goals:</b><br />D Christie 13, Oliver 17, Durrand 20, pen 35, 50, Farquhar 41, Maclellan 85<br /><br /><b>Booked:</b><br />Goller, A Christie<br /><br /><b>Man of the Match:</b><br />Andy Durrand<br /><br /><b>Match details:</b><br /><a href="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=432">http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=432</a><br /><br /><b>Match gallery:</b><br /><a href="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/media.php?dir=2011/05.25%20vs.%20Balintore">http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/media.php?dir=2011/05.25%20vs.%20Balintore</a><br /><br />Elsewhere in the league, Dingwall Vertex lifted themselves off the bottom of the league by beating Inver 3-2 at Portmahomack thanks to goals from Ally Smith, Joffy Bowen and Ryan Reid. Invergordon Social Club came back from 1-0 down to beat Cromarty at Victoria Park and the game between Ross-shire Club and Alness Athletic was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.<br /><br />Next week's league fixtures for Wednesday, June 1st:<br /><br />Balintore v Inver<br />Tain Thistle v Ross-shire Club<br />Invergordon Social Club v Alness Athletic<br />Dingwall Vertex v Cromarty<br /><br />All with a 7.30pm kick off.

  • Latest News | Tain Thistle AFC
  • Ross-shire Club 1-2 Tain Thistle

    Tain Thistle overcame a stubborn Ross-shire Club with two late goals to reach the semi final of the Pattison Cup, after being 1-0 down for the majority of the game. <br /><br />Michael Brand, Dave Nimmons, Robbie Ross, Kevin Graham, Joe Stainke and Michael Stein were all missing from the side on a typically wet day in Dingwall, where Tain were on top for most of the game, but failed to create real chances. <br /><br />They started brightly, passing the ball around well and threatening to take the lead, Daniel Christie coming close with a free-kick. However Tain’s best chance of opening the scoring came when the away side were awarded a penalty, after a foul on Darren Goller. However a great save from the Ross Club keeper denied Martyn Farquhar. <br /><br />Five minutes later, Tain paid the price, as a cross into the box was headed in by Cammy Bell, a goal which looked suspiciously offside. It stayed the same until half time and beyond, as after the break, Tain took control of the game, piling the pressure on the home defence, but to no avail, the closest chances falling to the relentless Ryan Johnston and another Daniel Christie free kick. <br /><br />The former was replaced by John Maclellan near the end of the game, as Brian Cameron moved into midfield to impose himself. Minutes from the end, a defensive mistake allowed Maclellan to score the equalizer. <br /><br />Moments later, a short corner came to Farquhar, who delivered a fantastic cross for Kyle Oliver to glance home with his head brilliantly. Tain's back line defended superbly to see out the result, and send Tain into the semi finals of another trophy, despite a less than impressive performance.<br /><br />Match report by John Maclellan<br /><br /><b>Team:</b><br />Wemyss, Cameron, Johnston (Maclellan), Sutherland, A Christie, Oliver, Durrand, Burry, Farquhar, D Christie, Goller<br /><br /><b>Subs not used:</b><br />C Nimmons, Mackintosh<br /><br /><b>Goals:</b><br />Maclellan 88, Oliver 90<br /><br /><b>Booked:</b><br />D Christie, Goller<br /><br /><b>Man of the Match:</b><br />Kyle Oliver<br /><br /><b>Match details:</b><br /><a href="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=431">http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=431</a><br /><br />In the other semi finals, Inver made easy work of Cromarty at Victoria Park, scoring two early goals to eventually win 3-0. Balintore emerged as Inver's opponents for the semi final in a week's time, following a more convincing 3-0 win at home to Dingwall Vertex. Meanwhile, Tain Thistle's semi final opponents were decided when Invergordon Social Club easily disposed of Alness Athletic at the defeated side's Academy Park.<br /><br />The semi finals will take place one week from today, with a 3pm kick off.

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