CAFA Fixtures - 16th to 21st June 2007

Saturday 16th June 2007
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Inter-county (seniors and under-18s)
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Orkney v Caithness

Roddy Gray Memorial Cup
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Veterans' seven-a-side competition (Sir George's Park, 12.00).

Monday (7.30): County League, Division One
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Halkirk v Wick Thistle
Thurso Swifts v Thurso Acks

Tuesday (7.30) – Division One
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Thurso Pentland v John O'Groats

Division Two
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Keiss v Ashes
Top Joe's v Lybster


Wednesday (7.30) – Division One
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Thurso Acks v Pentland United
Wick Thistle v Wick Rovers

Thursday (7.30) – Division Two
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FSC v Wick Groats


Regards

Brian Mackay
www.caithnessfootie.co.uk

Halkirk 2 Wick Thistle 1

scores from Saturday.

Saturday 16th June 2007
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Inter-county (seniors and under-18s)
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Orkney 1 v Caithness 1 (Caithness seniors win 5-4 on pens)

Caithness goal by Mark Nicholl

report from www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk

Caithness spot-on in Archer Shield clash
Orkney 1, Caithness 1 (Caithness won 5-4 on penalties)
Published: 20 June, 2007

THE seven-year tenure in Orkney of the Archer Shield ended on Saturday when Caithness prevailed in a penalty shoot-out.

Colin Davidson's clinching spot-kick arrested the longest barren run the mainland side had experienced in the modern era of what is one of the longest-established inter-county tussles in the country.

An opportunist strike from Mark Nichol on 25 minutes was cancelled out before the first turnaround by Brian Garson's well-taken equaliser.

Caithness had the edge throughout and continued to look the more threatening, even after having central defender Graeme Reid red-carded early in the extra-time period.

Caithness manager Stevie Reid was afforded the rare bonus of seeing just about all the squad he selected travelling across the firth.

There were just two changes, with late call-ups for Davidson and Stevie Campbell.

Caithness settled early in the match at Kirkwall's Pickaquoy complex and were unlucky not to take a sixth-minute lead. Lee MacDougall went down the right and delivered a cross which Nigel MacKenzie headed firmly against an upright.

The hard-working visiting "engine room" trio of Gavin Henderson, Scott Begg and Alan Farquhar knitted together well. As well as directing traffic in attack, they hassled and hounded opponents, regularly breaking up attacks and regaining possession.

The opener came from a classic route-one ploy, with Nichol latching on to a monster clearance by keeper Michael Gray. With the home defence's radar down, the Swifts striker raced through to unleash an unstoppable first-time shot past home keeper Dave Leonard.

Caithness could have gone on to double their lead, with Kyle Ross missing the clearest of a number of decent openings.

Orkney were struggling to cope with the hectic tempo and Gray had seen relatively little live action before Orkney equalised after 32 minutes.

A counter-attack down the right did not appear particularly threatening but the ball broke kindly for Garson, who steadied himself before shooting. Gray got a hand to the ball but not enough to keep it out.

Caithness responded with a busy flurry before the interval which saw them win three corners in as many minutes. From one, Reid went close with a powerful header which shaved the top of the crossbar.

Two minutes after the resumption a groin strain saw Graham MacDonald limp off to be replaced by Davidson.

Orkney came more into the contest, with Wayne Monkman increasingly influential. The Kirkwall Hotspurs player was causing problems with his forward surges and he created several half-chances which were wasted.

Caithness went close with a long-range effort from the industrious Henderson.

Begg had got himself embroiled in several feuds and the teenager was wisely removed from the action after being one of several players to pick up bookings.

The caution meted out to Reid was perhaps the least deserved, but it was to prove crucial when he was involved in a full-blooded challenge two minutes into extra time. This time the booking was merited, giving veteran referee Jimmy Leask no option but to show the Swifts defender the red card after the second yellow.

With Henderson dropping back, Caithness dug in to display resilience and determination as they retained the upper hand despite being a man down.

Campbell almost marked his county debut with a goal with his first touch, his header narrowly missing the target. MacDougall also went close when his scissors-kick connection from MacKenzie's assist outfoxed Leonard but flashed just over.

Gray pulled off several good saves, including a heart-stopping last-minute intervention to deny Monkman.

The latter was sent clear and looked set to repeat his trophy-winning display of the previous year but was thwarted by a smother save from the Pentland United goalie.

That ensured the historic trophy would be decided by the dreaded shoot-out.

Garson, Orkney's goalscorer in open play, missed the first kick, sending his effort crashing against the crossbar.

All his colleagues converted, as did Stewart Ross, Henderson, Nichol and MacKenzie for Caithness.

That left Davidson in the limelight and he coped well with the pressure, coolly clipping his kick wide of Leonard into the left corner of the net.

Caithness captain Gray lifted the shield, while Henderson was presented with the man-of-the-match award.

Manager Reid was elated his squad managed to get their hands back on the historic trophy.

He said: "I was delighted with the effort put in by the whole squad.

"I think that overall we had a clear edge on them all over the park, and that was true even when we had to play with a man down for just about all of the extra-time period."

Orkney squad: Leonard, Balfour, Stanger, Flett, Bews, Gray, Keldie, Simpson, Reid, Omand, Scott, Harcus, Groundwater, Garson, Monkman, MacDonald.

Caithness: Gray, Reid, MacDonald (Davidson 48), S. Ross, MacKenzie, Henderson, Begg (Campbell 90), Farquhar, MacDougall, Nichol, K. Ross (Florence 90). Sub not used: Warner.

Referee: J. Leask.

* In the under-18 clash, Orkney retained the Corinthian Cup with a 2-1 victory over their mainland counterparts.

score from tonight

CAFA Division One
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Thurso Acks 1 V Pentland United 2

PU goals from Grant Budge and Willie Inrig