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  • Jags advance to Coronation Cup semi final

    For the third time this season, Tain Thistle pushed on to the next round of a cup at the expense of Invergordon Social Club, winning their Mallard Bar Coronation Cup 1st Round tie 6-2 at the Links yesterday. Three changes were made to Wednesday's starting eleven. Arron Christie and Neil MacDonald both returned to the side in place of Chippie Mailley and Daniel Christie, while John Maclellan stepped in for Tony Farquhar up front. Dean Ross also returned to the club and took up a place on the bench.<br /><br />Netting his first goal for the club, Mark Lamont opened the scoring for the Jags after 12 minutes. Running onto a long kick out by John Allan, the former Alness striker hit a side foot volley over the top of Social stopper Jodie Campbell to make it 1-0 to Tain. Lamont could very well have double the lead moments later when a looping cross from Alan Duff met his head, but he directed the ball over the bar. On the half hour mark Tain went 2-0 up, when an Arron Christie corner kick was knocked on to Cammy Mackintosh who rose above Campbell to nod the ball into the net. Just before before the interval, Lamont doubled his tally to make it 3-0 when he slotted home from close range after a low cross from Alan Duff.<br /><br /><img width=95% src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/news/data/upimages/nellie2015.jpg"><br /><br />At half time, injuries forced both teams into making a change, Brian Kennedy replacing Jodie Campbell in goal for Social Club and Martin Smith replacing Neil MacDonald in the Tain midfield. The second half started as the first had ended with Tain in command, and substitute goalkeeper Kennedy was called into action on a couple of occasions, saving from Mark Lamont to prevent the striker's hat-trick. The next goal of the game came for Social Club when Donald Sutherland snuck in behind the Tain defence to dribble round John Allan and slide the ball into the net. Thistle hit back straight away though, scoring within 60 seconds of the restart. From a Cammy Mackintosh cross, John Maclellan headed the ball over Kennedy from close range to make it 4-1. Five minutes later, Alan Duff got his name on the scoresheet with a well placed effort to make it 5-1 before Social hit back again through Ali MacKinnon. The final goal came right on the final whistle as the Jags rounded the scoring off; Sean Scott picking up a neat layoff from Dean Ross to cross for the head of Dave MacGruer, who netted his tenth for the season.<br /><br />The win puts Tain into the semi final of the Coronation Cup, which will be played on Saturday, June 13th. Tain will have to wait to discover who their semi final opponents will be following the postponement of the Alness v Balintore first round match which will now be played on Wednesday.<br /><br /><b>Team:</b><br />Allan, M Farquhar, A Christie, Cameron, Munro (Scott 75), Mackintosh, MacDonald (Smith 46), MacGruer, Duff, Lamont, Maclellan (D Ross 81)<br /><br /><b>Subs not used:</b><br />Cormack, D Christie<br /><br /><b>Goals:</b><br />Lamont 12, 45, Mackintosh 30, Maclellan 75, Duff 80, MacGruer 90

  • Latest News | Tain Thistle AFC
  • Tain Thistle 4 Alness United 0

    A very much changed Jags' eleven made amends for their weekend cup exit tonight, as they welcomed Alness United back to the Links for the second time in five days, this time on league business, and a workmanlike performance saw them run out 4-0 winners.<br /><br />Returning from suspension, John Allan returned between the sticks with Daniel Cormack feeling under the weather. Chippie Mailley stood in for the suspended Arron Christie in the middle of the back three, while Tony Farquhar stepped into the starting lineup in place of Gus Mcdonald. Mark Lamont made his first start, in place of the late arriving Darran Goller, who took up a place on the bench.<br /><br />In the Alness goal, Andrew Maitland was tested a number of times during the first half with the wet conditions causing the ball to spin from his grasp once or twice, but the Jags attack could not capitalise on the corners that followed. Cammy Mackintosh nearly scored from close range with ten minutes of the half left, and with a sizzling drive from 30 yards, Daniel Christie shot wide. The opener came from a set piece two minutes before the break. Capping off an expert first half performance, Craig Munro sent a free kick past Maitland into the top left hand corner of the net to give Tain a 1-0 lead at the interval.<br /><br />Tain continued the second half in the same vein, bossing the game and dictating the pace and after eleven minutes, any fears of a repeat of Saturday's mistakes were put to bed when Craig Munro scored again, with another free kick, this time curling the ball over the Alness wall to deceive the 'keeper in the most stylish of fashions. Soon after, Dave MacGruer made sure of Tain's command with an authoritative strike, powering an effort into the far corner from the edge of the 18 yard box to score his ninth of the season and take his place as the club's top scorer this season. Alan Duff sealed the win with a fourth for the club and his second of the season when he curled a shot over Maitland after a period of sustained pressure which continued into the final twenty minutes. <br /><br />Thistle never looked like relinquishing their four goal lead, and they saw the match out to record their first clean sheet in seven games - a pleasing result - considering tonight's back three were an entirely different trio to those who last kept their opposition out on May 2nd.<br /><br />The win for Thistle puts them in an excellent position at the top of the Ross-shire Welfare league, now 5 points clear of their nearest rivals with 15 points, ahead of Contin, Alness and Invergordon Social Club, who are all jointly placed on 10 points.<br /><br /><b>Team:</b><br />Allan, M Farquhar, Mailley, Cameron, Munro (Maclellan 73), Mackintosh, D Christie (Goller 73), Duff, MacGruer, T Farquhar (Scott 77), Lamont<br /><br /><b>Subs not used:</b><br />Ross, Greenlees<br /><br /><b>Goals:</b><br />Munro 43, 56, MacGruer 63, Duff 68

  • Latest News | Tain Thistle AFC
  • Alness overcome Tain on penalties

    A young Alness United reached their first final of the season yesterday, with a penalty shoot out win over a Tain Thistle side who had run out of ideas after 120 minutes of play in the semi final of the Pattisons' Challenge Cup.<br /><br />Tain took the lead after seventeen minutes. Calum Greenlees scored his first goal for the Jags with a half volley on the edge of the eighteen yard box and moments later Darren Goller hit the post. Tain took their goal advantage in to the second half, but it took the visitors just eight minutes to equalise. Capitalising on a defensive error from a cross, Johnny Bremner pushed the ball home to make it 1-1. Just ten minutes later, substitute James McGroarty twisted and turned before beating Daniel Cormack with a great goal to make it 2-1 to Alness, as Thistle looked all at sea. <br /><br />Some changes towards the end gave Thistle hope as they stemmed the tide and bringing himself on for the last five minutes of normal time, manager Robert Ross nodded a corner on to the back post where prolific scorer Dave MacGruer was on hand to beat Andrew Maitland.<br /><br />A scuffle between Mikey Rae and Arron Christie saw both men dismissed in the 90th minute leaving both teams to play 30 minutes of additional time with ten men. No further goals were scored and the game was settled on penalties. After sixteen kicks, the game finished 5-4 to Alness.<br /><br />The final takes place at the home of Thistle on the Links on June 6th and will be contested between Alness United and Fortrose Union, the latter side having beaten Contin 5-4 in the other semi final.<br /><br /><b>Team:</b><br />Cormack, M Farquhar, A Christie, Cameron (R Ross 85), Munro (Scott 110), Mackintosh, Mailley, Greenlees (Duff 70), MacGruer, D Christie, Goller<br /><br /><b>Sub not used:</b><br />I Ross<br /><br /><b>Goals:</b><br />Greenlees 17, MacGruer 89

  • Latest News | Tain Thistle AFC
  • Pattisons' Cup Final returns to Tain

    Following the Inver Inn's withdrawal of sponsorship for this season's Pattisons' Challenge Cup, the Railway Hotel, originally set to sponsor the Cordiner Cup, have agreed to move their sponsorship to the coveted 120 year old Pattisons' Challenge Cup trophy. The final is scheduled to be contested on Saturday, June 6th and will now be held at the home of Tain Thistle FC, The Links.<br /><br />The Pattisons' Cup was originally donated by brothers Walter and Robert Pattison to The Crown Hotel in 1895. The Crown was a public house in Tain which was the then home of St Duthus Football Club. St Duthus were the first winners of the trophy in 1896, beating Dingwall Victoria United (later known as Ross County) in a cup final replay at the Links. The competition final was contested at the Links every year for many decades thereafter, before the trophy fell into abeyance following the Second World War. It was revived some years later and has been played at Inver under the auspices of the Ross-shire Welfare league for several years.<br /><br /><img width=95% src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/news/data/upimages/Pattison'sSepoy_mutiny1870.jpg">

  • Latest News | Tain Thistle AFC
  • Balintore 1 Tain Thistle 2

    Hard battling saw Thistle win through with only ten men against a Balintore side full of energy tonight. In a game that the Jags may have been happy with just a point, given the 20th minute sending off of their goalkeeper, they took all three points to go two clear at the top of the Maclean Electrical Ross-shire Welfare League table.<br /><br />Balintore started as they meant to go on, winning a corner in the opening minute to put the Thistle rearguard under pressure, but the chance was safely handled by the Tain defence. There were clear signs that the Balintore forward line, in particular Ryan Ross and Terence Brady, were likely to be a threat and a couple of times the pace of Brady caught the visitors by surprise. Tain's persistence in possession saw them test the home side at the other end though, with Gus Mcdonald heading wide at the far post from a corner and Chippie Mailley firing over the bar.<br /><br /><img border="0" align="none" alt="" src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/news/data/upimages/baltytain5-5-15.jpg"><br /><br />The game changed significantly in the 20th minute when John Allan fouled Ryan Ross outside the box. Referee Keith Middleton promptly dismissed the Tain custodian, and substitute goalkeeper Daniel Cormack came on for the unlucky Darran Goller, who was selected to make way for the replacement stopper. With ten men, Thistle's approach changed and up front, Gus Mcdonald was left on his own. The former Balintore forward played the role expertly, holding the ball up and allowing Tain to create several scoring opportunities. Chances fell for both sides as the game raged on, Balintore continuing to run at the Thistle defence and Tain trying their best to counter with the long ball. The opening goal finally came on 44 minutes, when a long Chippie Mailley pass found <b>Gus Mcdonald</b> allowing the tall striker to bear down on goal before cooly slotting the ball past Steven Friel to make 1-0.<br /><br />The look of relief on the face of manager Robert Ross turned to disgust just a minute later when the talented <b>Ryan Ross</b> pounced on a loose ball following a block from Martyn Farquhar before running the by line and slotting the ball across the goal line and in at the far post to beat Daniel Cormack, leaving the scores level at half time.<br /><br />Thistle re-emerged for the second half and quickly asserted their authority, passing the ball better and, while still having to cope with pressure from a tireless Balintore forward line, they assumed control of the match. Daniel Christie and Chippie Mailley both came close with chances and on at least two occasions Friel was forced into a save, first blocking a shot on goal with his legs then tipping another chance onto the bar and over, while at the other end, Daniel Cormack was forced into a save destined for the top corner.<br /><br />A frenetic second half served as great entertainment for those watching the game, however, as time ran out it seemed as though the game may end in a draw. Substitute Mark Lamont made his debut in place of Mcdonald as Thistle tried for a winner, and on 85 minutes the goal finally arrived, thanks to a thumping <b>Dave MacGruer</b> drive sent into the far corner.<br /><br />Tony Farquhar replaced a fatigued Daniel Christie and took up a spot at centre half as Thistle looked to close the game out. Fantastic running and defensive play from Dave Murray in the latter stages was a particular highlight as Thistle held on for win.<br /><br />A draw between Alness United and Contin was enough for Thistle to take a two point lead at the top of the league table, a week ahead of their first league meeting with United. Thistle now face two games in five days against the Alness side, first in the Pattisons' Cup semi final then at home in the league.<br /><br /><b>Team:</b> Allan, M Farquhar, MacDonald, Murray, Munro, Mackintosh, Mailley, Goller (Cormack 21), MacGruer, Mcdonald (Lamont 59), D Christie (T Farquhar 86)<br /><br /><b>Subs not used:</b><br />Greenlees, Cameron<br /><br /><b>Goals:</b><br />Mcdonald 44, MacGruer 85

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