Ninth win in 11 years for Stafford
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GOLSPIE Stafford won the Stafford Cup for the ninth time in 11 years when they defeated Lairg Rovers 3-0 in this year’s final at Stafford Park last Saturday.
The holders got off to a flying start when Aaron Sutherland got on the end of a Shane Sutherland cross to knock the ball into the net from around the penalty spot.
Shane Sutherland doubled the lead in the 25th minute when he cut in from the left flank to score a fine solo effort.
Stafford secured the silverware on the hour mark when Iain Innes converted from the penalty spot after Leon Urquhart was fouled in the box. In the Brora Rangers FC league, Brora Wanderers moved three points clear of Dornoch City in second place after they defeated the latter 3-1 at School Park on Saturday.
After an evenly contested goal-less first half, Cameron Hook gave City the lead with a clinical finish after good work from Thomas Smith.
But Wanderers were back on level terms shortly afterwards when Joe Sutherland netted after Scott Miller supplied the final ball. Miller got on the score sheet himself when he headed home after a long throw-in from Craig Sutherland picked him out.Sutherland made sure of the points for Wanderers with a late goal.
Last Wednesday night, Golspie Stafford made it five league wins out of five with a 4-2 victory over Embo at Stafford Park.
Embo started brightly and they created a couple of early openings and Garrick Taylor was not far away with a shot which flashed past the upright.
But it was Stafford who took the lead in the sixth minute when Shane Sutherland burst through the Embo defence to net a typically opportunist goal.
The young Embo side, with five under-18 players in their line-up, kept their heads and after a good spell of pressure they were back on level terms when Taylor found the back of the net in the 35th minute.
Stafford restored their lead in the 52nd minute from the penalty spot after a hand ball was spotted in the box.
Shane Sutherland made no mistake from 12 yards.
Embo bounced back six minutes later when David Munro headed home a Craig MacKay free kick for his third goal in four matches.
The outcome was in the balance but in the 75th minute Stafford broke upfield and Stafford’s George Jones made it 3-2 when he rounded the Embo keeper to score.
Stafford substitute, Calum MacKay, making his first appearance of the season, marked his return with goal number four in the 88th minute.
There will be no matches this weekend due to RockNess.
Fixtures – Wednesday, June 13 – Couper Cup semi-finals – Lairg Rovers v Golspie Stafford; Dornoch City v Brora Wanderers.
