In the far north of Scotland amateur football is a summer sport, and the Highland Amateur Cup is the biggest prize available to these teams. The competition covers a significant geographical area, stretching from the Western Isles to Caithness and from Skye to Orkney, so providing some really interesting match ups between teams from different areas. Today is the first semi-final, and Thurso FC's well appointed Sir George's Park ground, better known locally as The Dammies, is the neutral venue.
Orkney side Kirkwall Thorfinn are the holders of the cup, so it is good to see the MS Hamnavoe on which they have travelled over today making the final approach into Scrabster dead on time, as kick off times in this competition can be very much at the mercy of ferry schedules.
Thorfinn's opponents are Pentland United, always one of the big guns in Caithness amateur football, albeit a little off the pace in this year's league campaign. They are based just along the coast in the village of Dunnet, and are the most frequent winners of this competition, with six titles to their name, the most recent of them just two years ago.
There was little between the teams in a tightly contested first half.
Weatherwise, this was the brightest part of a grey afternoon, but the rain clouds that were to ensure everyone got wet later were already gathering.
Thorfinn make the breakthrough on 37 minutes, Steven Miller firing home from the edge of the penalty area after Pentland are unable to properly clear a corner. However, a competitive half brings five yellow cards, and here Thorfinn centre half Marcus Guthrie incurs the wrath of referee Graham Elder.
However, it was the booking of Paddy Highley that was to prove more crucial, as his 65th minute foul on Pentland substitute Ross Allan brought a second yellow to reduce Thorfinn to ten men. By this time Pentland were already forcing the pace, but they must have feared it was not to be their day when Gary Mackay's shot crashed back off the crossbar. The equaliser finally came on 81 minutes, Tony Farquhar powering home a far post header from Ross Allan's corner.
1-1 it remained at the end of 90 minutes leaving both teams to prepare for extra time.
Pentland are awarded a penalty just four minutes into extra time, but Ross Allan sinks to his knees as his spot kick is pushed wide by Thorfinn keeper Paul Bain.
However, Ross Allan makes amends with a fine individual effort to put his team ahead just after the extra time interval, and with ten men Thorfinn unable to find a response, Pentland add two late goals to give a 4-1 scoreline, James Murray setting up both for Ross Allan and Garry Macleod to apply the finishes.
