Dunnet left fuming after late call-off

FOUR Caithness sides join two from Easter Ross and one each from Skye and Orkney in the quarter-final of the Highland Amateur Cup.

Acks, John O’Groats and Wick Groats all won through on Saturday while Pentland United were handed a bye after their scheduled opponents called off. The Dunnet side were left fuming when Scott Highland scrubbed on the morning of their scheduled trip.

While United now host defending champions Avoch in the last eight, Scott Highland can expect to face stiff sanctions from the Highland AFA.

Acks prevailed 2-1 after a tense affair against Stornoway United in Ullapool. They were boosted after going in front when a defence-splitting pass from Ryan Begg gave Murray Mackintosh the first opening.

His left-foot strike from distance surprised keeper Gordon Mackenzie as it found the space between him and his left-hand post. The big, powerful isles outfit levelled after a sustained spell of pressure 10 minutes from the interval.

Striker Stewart Munro got onto the end of a lofted through ball to round Gordon Clark and slot into an empty net.

The Caithness men went desperately close with 12 minutes left when Begg found Kuba Koziol whose shot from 12 yards forced a last-ditch save from Mackenzie. The winner came with two minutes remaining when a mistake by Stornoway’s Dave Carty allowed Kyle Innes in on goal. Mackenzie made a block but the ball broke to substitute Graham Bremner who stabbed it home.

John O’Groats faced four erstwhile team-mates when they hosted Tongue United. Marc Keith, James MacMillan, Ally Robertson and Ruraidh Macleod all play for JOG in the county league but turn out for Tongue in the Highland Cup. The north Sutherland men made a lively opening and were still in the contest at half-time when they trailed to Stuart Sinclair snr’s headed goal from a Toby Watts corner.

But two early goals soon after the turnaround from Watts and Grant Budge knocked the stuffing out of the visitors. Watts went on to complete his hat-trick with Euan Jappy also contributing to the 6-0 scoreline.

JOG now feature in an all-Caithness quarter-final versus Groats in Wick.

Despite missing a handful of regulars, George Groat’s men returned from their trip to neutral Alness having secured a 6-3 victory over Westside. Groats went ahead after Alan Sinclair rose to net with a powerful back-post header from Grant MacNab’s corner. The latter then seized on a lazy pass-back to restore the lead after Westside scrambled an equaliser.

A lusty, long-range strike had Westside back level at the break. They would have gone ahead in the first action of the second half had they been able to convert a hotly contested penalty. Andrew Macleod appeared to stop a raging shot with a thigh but the referee ruled he had used a hand. Keeper Graeme Williamson pulled off a cracking save from the spot-kick. Groats went up the field and scored through Kevin Miller.

The Caithness champions then took control with Andy Cumming adding a fine solo effort and Grant MacNab cashing in on a blunder from the Westside keeper to make it 5-2. Sub Derek Shearer increased the lead with a low drive before Westside scored late on.

Staxigoe United crashed out of the tourney at home to Kirkwall Rovers. The Caithness outfit started well and went one up on two minutes.

Good work up the right flank from Paul Gordon ended with his setup being drilled home by Jimmy Budge.

Things took a decided turn for the worse on 20 minutes when John Budge was adjudged to have downed an opponent in the box. The defender was sent off before James Tait netted from the spot. Rovers were reasonably well contained until they went in front two minutes after the interval. Stand-in keeper Ryan Robertson flapped an innocuous cross to give Adam Stanger a tap-in.

Avoch eased through into the quarters with a 3-0 win over Stornoway Athletic while Sleat and Strath won their second successive penalty shoot to progress at the expense of Iochdar Saints. Penalties were also needed in the other game with Muir of Ord Rovers squeezing through against Golspie Stafford after the tie finished 1-1 after extra-time.

Results – John O’Groats 6, Tongue United 0; Muir of Ord Rovers 1, Golspie Stafford 1 (aet Muir won 4-3 on pens); Pentland United wo Scott Highland; Sleat and Strath 3, Iochdar Saints 3 (aet Sleat won on pens); Staxigoe United 1, Kirkwall Rovers 2; Stornoway Athletic 0, Avoch 3; Stornoway United 1, Acks 2: Westside 3, Wick Groats 6. Quarter-final draw (June 30): Thurso Acks v Kirkwall Rovers; Pentland United v Avoch; Sleat and Strath v Muir of Ord Rovers; Wick Groats v John O’Groats.