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  • Thurso 4-1 Tain Thistle | Latest News | Tain Thistle AFC
  • Thurso 4-1 Tain Thistle

    As has too often been the case, Tain Thistle found themselves fighting to claw back a heavy deficit in the opening quarter hour of their 200 mile round trip to Thurso. Despite many chances, and domination of a second half of play, the Jags slumped to a 4-1 defeat.<br /><br />With the huge advantage of a blustering wind blowing in their favour, Thurso took a 6th minute lead, courtesy of a simple Michael Petrie header. Before Thistle could regain their composure, the momentum of the wind single handedly carried a Lee MacDougal drive past Barry Nimmons on the 11th minute, to put the St Georges Park men 2-0 ahead.<br /><br />Thurso went 3-0 up just after the quarter hour mark, with Andrew Cummings heading home a corner. The goal was contested by the Thistle bench, as Thurso winger Martin Sinclair sat in an offside position when the set piece was taken, but the protests were waved off by referee Bob Gunn.<br /><br />Just as it seemed things couldn’t get worse, in-form Thistle defender Gordon Duff was forced to leave the field of play with a suspected hamstring strain, leaving manager Robbie Ross with a formation shuffling nightmare. Late call offs and work commitments had forced the Jags manager to make no fewer than three key changes to the side that defeated Alness United, with hometown boys Michael Brand, Martyn Farquhar and Paul Cowie coming in to the side.<br /><br />Thistle assumed a reasonable shape for the remainder of the first half, managing to cope with the wind-assisted attacks of Thurso when required. Despite some increased pressure applied by the visitors, their luck just would not turn, with top scorer Colin Burry coming off with only half an hour played, complaining of nausea.<br /><br />A drastically rearranged Thistle side emerged for the second half with goals in mind. Now with the wind on their side, Tain pushed forward, with midfielder Chris Mailley switching with Michael Brand up front. Thurso keeper Asa Sinclair dealt with a number of Thistle efforts; most notably a Scott Innes long range effort which cannoned off the chest of Sinclair, only to fall into defender Grant Steven’s path for a clearance.<br /><br />Approaching the hour mark, Thurso broke against the sustained pressure of the away side to go two-on-one. In textbook fashion, Martin Sinclair finished a well worked counter attack to put the home side 4-0 ahead. Dejected, Thistle’s fervor turned to frustration as Christie brothers, Arron and Daniel, both saw yellow for dissent.<br /><br />Christie the Elder produced a moment of hope for Tain as they struggled for a consolation, when his mazey run ended with a shot deflected off of Sinclair’s right hand post. The consolation finally came in the 85th minute however, when Michael Brand’s long range curling effort was blown into the top corner, in the classiest of the afternoon’s five goals.<br /><br />Defeat at Thurso leaves Thistle at the bottom of the table, despite a chance to leap above local rivals Bonar Bridge, who along with Alness vs Halkirk, had their visit to Helmsdale postponed due to adverse weather. Defeat for Invergordon at home to Muir of Ord leaves Thistle within 4 points of Invergordon and Alness, while the Jags now sit 6 points behind Thurso.

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