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  • Thistle fall short in League Cup Final | Latest News | Tain Thistle AFC
  • Thistle fall short in League Cup Final

    It was not to be for Robert Ross's free scoring Tain Thistle side as they lost by the narrowest of margins to a Fortrose & Rosemarkie Union team filled with fight and determination, in the Union Tavern League Cup Final yesterday. Having played a big part during the first round and semi final matches, Chippie Mailley missed out through injury, while the league's top goalscorer Gus Mcdonald was also noted as absent for Thistle. Nevertheless, Tain named a strong sixteen and hopes were high among the travelling Jags support that they could secure their first League Cup trophy since 2011.<br /><br /><img class="imgleft" src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/news/data/upimages/lcf2015.jpg">The teams had met just four days prior in the Ross-shire Welfare League, and on that evening, Tain ran out 3-1 winners following a tightly contested game. The MET Office had forecast clear skies and some sun, but frequent showers before the game were leaving those who forgot to bring a satisfactory jacket to the game ruing their decision!<br /><br />Neither side gained a foothold during the early stages of the first half, as both teams looked as though they were content to have a repeat of Wednesday's league game with plenty of challenges in the midfield keeping referee Barry Stuart busy. <br /><br />Liam Rostock had the first shot on goal after fifteen minutes with an effort on the turn which Fortrose custodian Martin Smith held with ease. Jordan Knight was first to offer a shot for Fortrose when he bore down on Daniel Cormack, but the Tain stopper closed the angle and blocked the Union forward's attempt on goal. Neither defence looked to give up any ground in the moments that followed though, and the chances were few and far between during the first half hour.<br /> <br />A poorly defended corner kick led to the opener on 35 minutes, and it was for the hosts. Lewis Graizer, a consistent threat at set pieces, sent the ball into the box and <b>Aaron Henderson</b> met the chance, sending it past Daniel Cormack. <br /><br />At half time, Ross took his side into the King George V pavilion to regroup, while the Fortrose men gathered at their touchline. It took Tain just five minutes of the second half to show that the half time talk had worked. From an Arron Christie corner kick, his fifth of the game, Liam Rostock headed down towards goal and approaching the goal line, <b>Daniel Christie</b> turned the ball past Smith and into the net. <br /><br /><img border="0" align="none" alt="" src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/news/data/upimages/lcf2015a1.jpg"><br /><br /><img border="0" align="none" alt="" src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/news/data/upimages/lcf2015a2.jpg"><br /><br />It looked as though Tain had fired themselves into the lead with a free kick just moments later. Neil MacDonald beat Smith with his curling effort but the ball careered off the underside of the bar down towards goal, and unfortunately for Thistle, it was cleared to safety by an alert Fortrose defence. Minutes later, Robert Ross was calling for a red card to be issued when it appeared that Dave MacGruer was denied a goal scoring opportunity by the last defender, but no card was shown, despite the free kick award.<br /><br /><img border="0" align="none" alt="" src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/news/data/upimages/lcf2015b1.jpg"><br /><br />It all went wrong for Tain just after the hour mark. Taking a wrong turn on an already unforgiving surface, Mikey Dunnett went down with an ankle injury on the edge of his own eighteen yard box. Play was stopped so that he could leave the field for treatment, but on attempting a return it became obvious he couldn't continue. Just two minutes later, after bursting up the right wing, Liam Rostock pulled up with what appeared to be a hamstring problem. The two enforced substitutions had Thistle all over the place and just two minutes later, a Lewis Graizer free kick was powered past Daniel Cormack by <b>Rhys Shewan</b> with a header to put his side back in front. A game that was beginning to look as though it was turning in the Jags' favour now presented them with an uphill task.<br /><br />Both teams were forced to compete with less than consistent weather, as players and supporters were offered rain, sleet and a hail shower during the latter part of the second half. Fortrose were containing well as Thistle pushed for an equaliser, but the plaudits were left for their goalkeeper, Martin Smith. A flurry of corner kicks for the Jags heaped pressure on a backs-to-the-wall Union defence, and with each effort, Smith was up to the task, collecting high balls and organising. <br /><br /><img border="0" align="none" alt="" src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/news/data/upimages/lcf2015b.jpg"><br /><br />Neil MacDonald had no better luck with another free kick with a quarter hour left, this time sending his 20 yard effort over the bar. Dave MacGruer then came close with ten minutes left when a long MacDonald pass found the left midfield man, but his shot rolled wide. <br /><br />With five minutes remaining, Smith's defence were left standing, as Alan Duff headed towards goal from close range with the type of chance that would normally have been net bound. Were it not for the heroics of Smith, who produced a tremendous save, the game could have been headed for extra time. A last attack for Tain, deep into stoppage time, saw Daniel Cormack almost notch as he cantered a hundred yards forward for another Tain corner, but again Smith was up to the challenge, and Fortrose Union held out to win their second League Cup trophy in three years.<br /><br /><img border="0" align="none" alt="" src="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/news/data/upimages/lcf2015c.jpg"><br /><br /><b>Team:</b> Cormack, Dunnett (M Farquhar 61), A Christie, Murray, MacDonald, Munro, Mackintosh, MacGruer, Duff, Rostock (Goller 63), D Christie<br /><br /><b>Subs not used:</b> T Farquhar, Greenlees, Smith<br /><br /><b>Goal:</b> D Christie 50

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