Brora Wanderers boss lauds young side after 10-goal demolition of Embo
Brora Wanderers manager Owen Maclennan has hailed his side’s investment in youth after they hit double figures against bottom-placed Embo.
On Saturday, the Wandies shrugged off a lacklustre first half performance to come out fully concentrated with eight second half strikes to pick up their first points of the 2025 season.
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Maclennan says placing faith in youngsters has been their “main aim” since reforming the team.
“Most of these younger lads had only ever played school football, so it’s been good to give them the chance to play at a good level.
“It’s important that we can get as many of them as we can playing each year.
“Among them are two local boys Roane Campbell and Joe Burd, who played for St Duthus under-16s this past winter.
“We also have young John Hooker from Thurso, who plays for Wick under 18s. John came off the bench to score two in his debut, so we’re delighted for him.”
Wanderers got off the mark after just five minutes on Saturday with a goal from Charlie Dunbar, before veteran forward Scott Miller doubled their advantage.
David Bell hit back for Embo – not once but twice, netting his second after Ruben Aitchison had restored Brora’s two-goal lead to make it 3-2 at the interval.
The floodgates opened at the start of the second half though when Luke Ainsworth struck twice either side of a second for Miller to take the score to 6-2.
Calum Finlayson was next to notch for the home side, before Ainsworth completed his hat-trick.
A late double for 17-year-old John Hooker and a goal from Ruben Aitchison took the overall score to 10-2, rounding off a dominant win for Brora.
At Ferrycroft Park, champions Tain Thistle put themselves in pole position with a 3-1 win over Lairg Rovers.
Callum Murray set the Tain side on their way with the opening goal after the visitors had hit the post twice during the first half, tucking home a cross from Scott MacIver.
A free kick handed Lairg a way back into the game with Zaine Villa doing the needful for Rovers, but on 66 minutes Thistle restored their advantage when Liam Smith struck from range to make it 2-1.
Murray was the man to wrap up the points late in the game with his second and Tain’s third.
History was made late in the game when substitute Mason Martin took to the field as the club’s youngest ever player - at 14 years and seven months old.
The win was marred by a horror injury to the Jags’ Callum Morrison, who was later assessed as having suffered torn ligaments in his knee.
Golspie Stafford kept up their 100 per cent start to the campaign with a 5-3 win over a much improved Melvich side.
An evenly contested first half saw the sides trade blows with Golspie leading 3-2 at the interval, but the home side’s strength shone through.
Cameron Sutherland was the star of the show, notching a hat-trick, while Adam Sutherland and Robbie Murray were also on target.
Melvich’s Kieran MacGregor, James Mackintosh and Harvey Labor netted in reply.
In the other game of the day, Helmsdale United and Lochinver shared the points in a 1-1 draw.
Kevin Cairns opened the scorer for United in the first half before player-manager Ally Macleod found the net for home side.
There was no scoring in the second half, but Lochinver will feel as though they game got away from them, having had a goal disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper.
On Friday night, the match between Dornoch City and Inver, switched to the former’s home ground at short notice, ended after 23 minutes when referee Leslie West decided that it could not continue.
The home side turned up for the match with just eight players and after they were reduced to seven, West called time on the game.
Inver were 13-0 up at the time of the game being called off.
The North West Sutherland AFA have since confirmed that Dornoch City have been removed from the league competition, with results involving the club having been expunged from the record.
