Golspie lead the pack as teams prepare for north-west Sutherland league split
Clubs competing in this year’s North-west Sutherland amateur league learned their fate for the post-split phase of the summer season after a weekend of goals galore.
A win for Lochinver at home to Embo secured their place in the top half of the table — with a game to spare.
The top half of the table will feature league leaders and defending champions Golspie Stafford, along with Tain Thistle, Lochbroom, Inver and Lochinver.
The five teams will continue their league season with a new set of four fixtures each, playing each other once more, to determine the destination of this year’s North West Sutherland league championship.
For the bottom half teams — Helmsdale United, Lairg Rovers, Brora Wanderers, Melvich and Embo — a new competition will be started, named League 2, with teams playing each other once in a five-team mini league.
Golspie Stafford reaffirmed their place at the top of the league with an emphatic win in Ullapool.
Lochbroom had no answer to the champions as top league marksman Robbie Murray punished the hosts with four goals.
Goals from Alexander Mackay, Cameron Sutherland and Andy Robinson further heaped misery on the home side as Stafford claimed a decisive 7-2 victory.
Robert Macrae and Kyle Mackenzie notched in reply for the hosts.
At Culag Park, Lochinver shook off an early scare to edge past Embo in a 2-1 win.
A David Bell goal after seven minutes had Embo ahead in the game, before Jake Lockett brought the scores level before half-time.
Lockett, who has been the top marksman for the north-west Sutherland side this season, then grabbed the winner in the second half to secure his side’s place above Helmsdale United in the table.
In Easter Ross, Tain Thistle ran out 7-5 winners in what turned out to be a thrilling game of two halves at Osprey Park.
Inver had been in relentless form from the beginning, finding themselves 4-1 ahead at the interval thanks to doubles from Bruce Urquhart and Alex Mackenzie, with Callum Murray netting Tain’s only reply.
But a flurry of half-time substitutions and a half-time talking to saw Thistle re-emerge a different side and some quick attacking play saw them eventually overturn the deficit.
Goals from Scott Macdonald and a brace from Adrian Voigt brought the scores level before a corner kick met Will Ross for a side footed finish to make it 5-4.
Thistle extended their lead as Voigt notched his hat-trick before Macdonald grabbed his second to make it 7-5. A late consolation for Inver came via Keigan Mackenzie.
Games scheduled for Saturday, July 20:
North-west Sutherland League:
Lochinver v Inver
Tain Thistle v Golspie Stafford (2pm)
Lairg Rovers v Melvich
North-west Sutherland League 2:
Embo v Helmsdale United
