United’s first away trip of the season was the local derby with John O’Groats and a United old boy was to come back and haunt them. Groats is always a particularly difficult ground to visit and conditions on this occasion added to the difficulty with a howling wind travelling down to the pavilion end making football difficult but the home side settled much better and took the lead in less than 5 minutes Stuart Sinclair (snr) netting at the back post from a Martin Sinclair corner for the proverbial dream start. United were reeling at this set-back and scarcely found their rhythm in the opening quarter of an hour. Their first real chance came after 20 mins when neat one touch football saw Jamie Mackenzie lift the ball over the encroaching defence for Nichol who struck the volley first time left footed but the effort flew over. United were starting to get a foot hold in the match now and starting to attack a little more freely but failing to create quality openings James Murray had a decent chance after Begg and Petrie combined but Henderson shovelled the effort round the post. Groats have a reputation for tough uncompromising defending, which they apply very well in general but Sean Munro took it a little far with a rash challenge on Darryn Mackay that on another night could have earned the young defender a red card but on this occasion referee Tait gave him the benefit of the doubt and only produced a yellow. Petrie’s set-pieces given the conditions were proving a good source of opportunities and one from the right saw skipper Michael Steven flash a header from 8 yards over the bar. The general play continued towards the home goal but they were dangerous on the break with Grant Budge the focal point of their attack as ever. Ryan Begg had a half chance with 10 mins left in the half when Petrie’s cross was half cleared to the edge of the box the young midfielder took a touch before driving in a powerful shot that cannoned off Stuart Sinclair (jnr) and Henderson easily retrieved the loose ball. Just minutes before half time United should have been level when yet again Petrie found time and space to lift a cross to the far post picking out Darryn Mackay who instead of knocking back across goal for Nichol elected to go for the near post only succeeded in finding the side net. Yet there was still time for the home side to pass up a great chance when United were caught square at the back and Grant Budge broke the off side line but Garry Macleod recovered brilliantly to make an outstanding last ditch tackle as the striker prepared to pull the trigger.
Half time
John O’Groats 1-0 Pentland United
Heading into the wind and a goal down in Groats is a daunting task but to be fair to United they stuck to their task admirably and should have had a penalty within 5 minutes of the re-start when Darryn Mackay stepped in side the lunging Munro only to be felled by the central defenders outstretched right leg but amazingly referee Tait saw no infringement. United lost a little of their composure in frustration at the decision and it took a while for them to recover but slowly they started to build up momentum again. James Murray top scorer last season really should have squared the match just before the hour mark when Nichol slipped a lovely ball for him clean in on goal but Henderson bravely blocked away the striker’s tame effort. The pressure was building and after surviving another penalty scare the home side finally conceded what appeared to be the weakest shout when Graeme Tait was adjudge to have handled in the box attempting to block a Petrie shot. Skipper Michael Steven assumed the responsibility but Henderson was equal to the effort and parried the ball away to safety as United suffered another blow. As United desperately sought an equaliser they removed Begg and replaced him with Harrold who took up position on the left hand side of the park. Just when it looked as if luck had deserted United they levelled with 15 minutes left and it was all about the brilliant feet work of James Murray who beat two men driving to the bye line for Mark Nichol to tap home his cut back to continue his hot streak in front of goal. Bizarrely the pattern of the game dramatically changed as United became sloppy and poor with their distribution of the ball and Budge served notice with ten minutes left cutting in he rifled a shot in at the near post that Gray got glove on to tip on to the post and away to safety. United then created their final real chance when Murray drove the ball ahead of Mackenzie who burst into the box but his cut back was cleared by Tait. Just when the game seemed to be petering towards a draw Budge hit United with the good old fashioned sucker punch he beat Grant Steven on half way and drove towards the box unchallenged before dinking a ball to the back post that drifted into the top corner to send the home fans into raptures.
Full time
John O’Groats 2-1 Pentland United
M Gray 2. G Steven 3. G Macleod 4. L Sutherland 5. M Steven (C) 6. D Mackay 7. M Petrie 8. J Mackenzie 9. M Nichol 10. J Murray 11. R Begg (L Harrold 66)
Subs not used
G Mackay
J McKechnie
View from the goal
A desperately disappointing display in all honesty we spoke about a range of things before the game but they seemed to be on deaf ears it has to be said. I would say we probably enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and territory but created far too little quality opportunities. It is a set back though, which we will need to recover from quickly as we entertain the undefeated Acks at Ham Park on Monday.