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  • Tain Thistle 4-5 Bonar Bridge | Latest News | Tain Thistle AFC
  • Tain Thistle 4-5 Bonar Bridge

    The much anticipated Christmas clash between Tain Thistle and Bonar Bridge produced a nine goal thriller, in what was to be the club's highest scoring game since joining the North Caledonian league in July. Ending 5-4 in favour of the visitors, the game produced three first half penalties, seeing the first half end at 4-1 in Bonar's favour. A tremendous fight back from Thistle, courtesy of Scott Morrison and manager Robbie Ross, both notching their first North Caley goals for the club, made for a nervy final ten minutes as the Bridge held on.<br /><br />Manager Robbie Ross welcomed back Gordon Duff, Scott Morrison and Michael Brand to the side, but made few changes to the lineup who lost 5-2 to Balintore in last week's Graham Jardine Quaich match. New to the side was Russell Lawrie, a striker from Inverness who took his place on the sub's bench for the start of the game.<br /><br />In all too familiar fashion, Thistle found themselves 1-0 down after only two minutes. Gordie Oman hauled Sean Henstridge down on the edge of the box after kick off and referee Mark Dalton made no mistake when he instantly awarded a penalty to Bonar. Calmly, Henstridge knocked the ball past a diving Steve Bannatyne to take the lead for the visitors.<br /><br />Thistle's shape was in question for most of the opening stages as the combined pace and technique of Bonar's forward line had a beleaguered Tain back four chasing shadows. Henstridge was clean through again within minutes and only an outstretched Bannatyne toe was the difference between 1-0 and 2-0. The let off was only temporary however, as on the 6th minute Henstridge worked a one-two with Billy Ferries to make easy work of a shot directly in front of goal.<br /><br />Retaining his place at right back was Andy Murray, but for the Invergordon man the game could not have got off to a worse start, picking up a booking for a badly timed challenge on the wing. On 16 minutes however, Murray's afternoon could very well have ended early when his sweeping challenge on the edge of the box resulted in the second penalty of the afternoon. A lenient Dalton blew the whistle for Henstridge's hat trick, only just over a quarter hour into the match to make it 3-0 for the visitors.<br /><br />Had it not been for Bonar Bridge losing their first choice keeper for the afternoon's festivities, the game could have been over by the half hour mark -- the unsettled David Crombie between the visitor's sticks seemed to be having a day of it, struggling to deal with the few yet accurate crosses from Arron Christie and Scott Morrison; Robbie Ross coming closest to scoring a consolation when his one on one strike flew just wide of Crombie's right hand post.<br /><br />Sensationally, just as Tain seemed to be gaining some semblance of a hope, Paul Cowie's failure to catch Sean Henstridge on the chase and a subsequent grapple between the two resulted in the third penalty award of the afternoon for Bonar Bridge! Assistant referee Keith Middleton attempted to protest the case for Thistle that the resultant corner was sufficient but Dalton's authority won the case, and Bonar's John Dorrian made no mistake with the penalty kick to record an embarassing 4-0 deficit for the home side.<br /><br />Perhaps resting on their laurels too early, Bonar allowed Tain a consolation in the first half when the pressure on Crombie finally paid off. A poorly handled back pass to Crombie left Scott Morrison with the easiest of touches for his first North Caledonian goal for Tain Thistle.<br /><br />The Tain Thistle changing rooms must have played host to a roasting only turkeys should be subjected to at this time of year, as the side came out all guns blazing, now shaping up in an unorthodox 3-3-4, with debutant Russell Lawrie replacing an unlucky Paul Cowie to take up the right side of a four pronged attack. As is the often the case with such a gamble however, Tain were caught on the break at the start of the second half for Sean Henstridge to score his fourth of the day, taking the score to 5-1.<br /><br />The set back did not deter the home side however, as they continued to pile pressure on Crombie and his vulnerable defence. A neat play through the middle put an inspired Morrison through on Crombie once more and with confidence, the wee man stuck away his second of the game to pull the score back to 5-2.<br /><br />The introduction of Colin Burry for Gordie Oman created new avenues of attack and soon enough Thistle were on top of the game. A looping cross from the wing was enough for hard working Robbie Ross to leap as if catapulted above the Bonar defence and launch a bullet header past Crombie. At 5-3, Tain were pulling themselves back and Bonar looked nervy. The nerves showed as within four minutes, Tain had scored again, this time via a sclaff in the box which saw substitute Burry dink the ball underneath a disoriented Crombie.<br /><br />Complimenting the resurgent Tain attack was a steady second half defensive performance; Scott Innes and Gordon Duff doing tremendously well to cut out the offensive threat of Henstridge and Rostock when needed.<br /><br />The 5-4 scoreline made for a very tense final ten minutes, despite Bonar best attempts to fritter the remainder away with tight throw ins and delayed wing play. Thistle could very well have levelled however on 85 minutes when new man Lawrie found himself clean through to Crombie's left - but the towering forward could only hit the woodwork with his powerful strike, much to the onlooking Tain support's dismay.<br /><br />Bonar Bridge will have been relieved to hear the whistle as Tain would have surely found an equaliser. The defeat unfortunately brings 2008 to a close for Thistle, who have found only one win this season.<br /><br />Striker Scott Morrison was pleased with the second half display, despite the final result.<br /><br />"We all gave ourselves a roasting at half time and everybody knew what needed to be done. We were all disappointed with the first half, but the second half showed what we can do."<br /><br />"I'm pleased to have scored the first one. That's all I needed, was to score one and the confidence stems from there."<br /><br />Bonar manager Billy Russell reserved praise for Thistle's fightback, citing the Tain player's resilience. "Even at 4-0 down they kept their heads up and got on with it. All credit to them."<br /><br />Thistle's next game will be January 10th, with the club visiting Golspie Sutherland for what is likely to be the final Top vs Bottom clash of the season.

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