Post by chanoudom on Feb 11, 2018 1:36:20 GMT -5
Brora Rangers' Scottish Cup fairytale might be over but play
sbo222 Brora bussed it 500 miles for their Scottish Cup adventure as brothers John and James Pickles proved they would go 500 more using every mode of transport available to them.
But the Highland League side fell down at Kilmarnock’s door as three second-half goals denied a dream passage into the last eight.
The brothers from Orkney were on Friday morning’s half-six ferry to Scrabster before driving to Brora to join their team-mates on a five-and-a-half hour bus trip to their pre-match base.
For the boys with the most extraordinary journey, though, it was the most normal of weeks, training Tuesday and Thursday night as usual on the island with Orkney FC away from the media glare.
“If we didn’t enjoy it we wouldn’t do it,” said James, who came off the bench at Rugby Park yesterday, in between rubbing his eyes in the Erskine Bridge Hotel on Friday night after climbing out of bed at 10 past five that morning.
“Plus this is exactly the same as an away league game for us, travelling down on the Friday and not home till a Sunday – we just left a bit earlier than normal. We’re flying back from Edinburgh so we’ll be home for Super Sunday then watch ourselves on Sportscene possibly.”
John nodded off on the boat, James on the bus. “We’ve got a quiz to do now as well,” said John before the pair erupted into laughter when told the prize – Monday night off a training session they don’t go to.
Conveniently the coaches came away victorious. “I’m quite honest enough to say there were no answers given out,” said Rangers manager turned quizmaster Ross Tokely the next morning.
A frantic search was under way a few feet away in the hotel lobby after former chairman John Young lost his tickets only to discover them in the first pocket he emptied.
“The nation has taken us to heart,” said his successor William Powrie, Brora in the last 16 for the first time after dumping East Fife out last month.
“The number of goodwill messages from all around the country, we had a letter from an East Fife supporter in Ireland wishing us well.
“He did point out the time East Fife won the cup it was against Kilmarnock so it is written in the stars. A Norwegian broadcaster was on the phone wanting an interview about the club and what it meant to a tiny coastal village.”
Closer to home BBC flagship footie show Football Focus headed north earlier this week. “To be sandwiched between an article on Man City and Paris St Germain, it is going to be absolutely tremendous for us,” added Powrie.
His hopes of getting it on the telly in the hotel lounge as the players tucked into their pre-match lunch next door were in vain though.
“Oh no, all I’ve done is bugger it up,” he exclaimed before coaching staff then hotel staff were recruited in a doomed bid to find BBC 1 England.
“I’m sure the missus Sarah will have it Sky plussed – it is not often I get on TV,” said Cattachs striker Steven Mackay, who stuck his hand up to be interviewed for the show.
“I’m getting a bit of stick because I’m normally away working but all of a sudden the cameras turn up and I train twice a week for the first time this season,” he laughed.
sbo222
Ross County brought just 43 fans down for last month’s 1-0 defeat at Rugby Park. Brora brought almost 10 times that. “I’m not sure who switched the lights off in Brora today – it’s a tremendous effort from them,” said Tokely.
Among them the boss who bagged their first piece of silverware. “I don’t need to give Ross any advice – he has won the league, I haven’t,” laughed Bobby Duffy, who won the club's first trophy while manager between 1977 and 1986.
Having racked up 1600 miles in the first four rounds, seemingly the team’s driver was keen to pass the magic 2000 mark after missing the A77 turn-off as the Highland League outfit endured a scenic tour of the Ayshire countryside.
The driver’s failure to use sat nat may have irked Tokely given team lines were due in before the bus pulled up at Rugby Park but his side didn’t lose their bearings on the pitch.
Ally MacDonald raised a cheer from the travelling fans when he skinned Aaron Tshibola four minutes in with a cheeky dummy down the left, a sign the Cattachs wouldn’t be fazed.
Joe Malin bundled a cross seven minutes later but Gary Dicker let him off when the ball fell to the Killie midfielder on the 18-yard line, blazing over.
Brora hadn’t shipped a goal in this season's cup and the offside flag made sure Kris Boyd didn’t blemish that streak when he dinked home in 34 minutes.
It only lasted another eight minutes though, an unmarked Tshibola poking home his first Killie goal at the back post after Greg Kiltie’s low ball evaded both the Brora defence and Boyd.
And it was two 13 minutes into the second half, Boyd rattling into the bottom left corner after Dicker’s throughball carved Brora’s defence open.
Eamonn Brophy beat Malin with a rasping 25-yard shot 12 minutes after coming on before Stephen O’Donnell, not to be outdone, made it four when he drilled his first Killie goal low into the corner from distance.
Tokely said: “I was watching the clock – I remember playing here and the clock is not good – and about 36 minutes we dropped off a wee bit, they scored at a good time and got a lift.
“The second goal is a bit sloppy but I can’t give the lads any stick because to a man they were terrific. I wish I could have put all the subs on because they have been with us on the journey as well.” sbo222
But the Highland League side fell down at Kilmarnock’s door as three second-half goals denied a dream passage into the last eight.
The brothers from Orkney were on Friday morning’s half-six ferry to Scrabster before driving to Brora to join their team-mates on a five-and-a-half hour bus trip to their pre-match base.
For the boys with the most extraordinary journey, though, it was the most normal of weeks, training Tuesday and Thursday night as usual on the island with Orkney FC away from the media glare.
“If we didn’t enjoy it we wouldn’t do it,” said James, who came off the bench at Rugby Park yesterday, in between rubbing his eyes in the Erskine Bridge Hotel on Friday night after climbing out of bed at 10 past five that morning.
“Plus this is exactly the same as an away league game for us, travelling down on the Friday and not home till a Sunday – we just left a bit earlier than normal. We’re flying back from Edinburgh so we’ll be home for Super Sunday then watch ourselves on Sportscene possibly.”
John nodded off on the boat, James on the bus. “We’ve got a quiz to do now as well,” said John before the pair erupted into laughter when told the prize – Monday night off a training session they don’t go to.
Conveniently the coaches came away victorious. “I’m quite honest enough to say there were no answers given out,” said Rangers manager turned quizmaster Ross Tokely the next morning.
A frantic search was under way a few feet away in the hotel lobby after former chairman John Young lost his tickets only to discover them in the first pocket he emptied.
“The nation has taken us to heart,” said his successor William Powrie, Brora in the last 16 for the first time after dumping East Fife out last month.
“The number of goodwill messages from all around the country, we had a letter from an East Fife supporter in Ireland wishing us well.
“He did point out the time East Fife won the cup it was against Kilmarnock so it is written in the stars. A Norwegian broadcaster was on the phone wanting an interview about the club and what it meant to a tiny coastal village.”
Closer to home BBC flagship footie show Football Focus headed north earlier this week. “To be sandwiched between an article on Man City and Paris St Germain, it is going to be absolutely tremendous for us,” added Powrie.
His hopes of getting it on the telly in the hotel lounge as the players tucked into their pre-match lunch next door were in vain though.
“Oh no, all I’ve done is bugger it up,” he exclaimed before coaching staff then hotel staff were recruited in a doomed bid to find BBC 1 England.
“I’m sure the missus Sarah will have it Sky plussed – it is not often I get on TV,” said Cattachs striker Steven Mackay, who stuck his hand up to be interviewed for the show.
“I’m getting a bit of stick because I’m normally away working but all of a sudden the cameras turn up and I train twice a week for the first time this season,” he laughed.
sbo222
Ross County brought just 43 fans down for last month’s 1-0 defeat at Rugby Park. Brora brought almost 10 times that. “I’m not sure who switched the lights off in Brora today – it’s a tremendous effort from them,” said Tokely.
Among them the boss who bagged their first piece of silverware. “I don’t need to give Ross any advice – he has won the league, I haven’t,” laughed Bobby Duffy, who won the club's first trophy while manager between 1977 and 1986.
Having racked up 1600 miles in the first four rounds, seemingly the team’s driver was keen to pass the magic 2000 mark after missing the A77 turn-off as the Highland League outfit endured a scenic tour of the Ayshire countryside.
The driver’s failure to use sat nat may have irked Tokely given team lines were due in before the bus pulled up at Rugby Park but his side didn’t lose their bearings on the pitch.
Ally MacDonald raised a cheer from the travelling fans when he skinned Aaron Tshibola four minutes in with a cheeky dummy down the left, a sign the Cattachs wouldn’t be fazed.
Joe Malin bundled a cross seven minutes later but Gary Dicker let him off when the ball fell to the Killie midfielder on the 18-yard line, blazing over.
Brora hadn’t shipped a goal in this season's cup and the offside flag made sure Kris Boyd didn’t blemish that streak when he dinked home in 34 minutes.
It only lasted another eight minutes though, an unmarked Tshibola poking home his first Killie goal at the back post after Greg Kiltie’s low ball evaded both the Brora defence and Boyd.
And it was two 13 minutes into the second half, Boyd rattling into the bottom left corner after Dicker’s throughball carved Brora’s defence open.
Eamonn Brophy beat Malin with a rasping 25-yard shot 12 minutes after coming on before Stephen O’Donnell, not to be outdone, made it four when he drilled his first Killie goal low into the corner from distance.
Tokely said: “I was watching the clock – I remember playing here and the clock is not good – and about 36 minutes we dropped off a wee bit, they scored at a good time and got a lift.
“The second goal is a bit sloppy but I can’t give the lads any stick because to a man they were terrific. I wish I could have put all the subs on because they have been with us on the journey as well.” sbo222