Caithness beaten by league leaders Orkney after disputed equaliser
Caithness Ladies were left to count the cost of a disputed equaliser in their SWF Highlands and Islands League match against Orkney after the leaders came from behind to win 2-1.
The home side opened the scoring in Sunday's encounter at Back Park with a wonder goal from club captain Carly Erridge – a long-range effort after a mazy run from just inside Orkney's half.
The equaliser came in controversial circumstances midway through the second half when Orkney were awarded a drop ball just outside the Caithness area. When the ball was dropped, Karen Jarvie-Fisher kicked it into the net with no-one else getting a touch and the goal was allowed to stand.
A subsequent check established that a goal cannot be scored directly from a dropped ball, but by then the game had restarted.
The islanders went on to grab all three points. A shot from distance was brilliantly saved by 15-year-old Geena Hossack, only for the ball to fall kindly for Katie Rafferty to score.
Head coach Tom McKenna said: “The girls were brilliant. They went 1-0 up in the first half and that [the drop-ball incident] definitely had an impact on the game.
“It was evenly balanced in the second half. We did extremely well and I think a draw would have been a fair result.
“The girls keep progressing, they keep working hard and they're moving forward. They can take a lot of confidence from Sunday's game.”
Player of the match was Hannah Hutson.
This Sunday, Caithness Ladies play Ross and Cromarty in the quarter-finals of the Highlands and Islands League Cup at Castletown (2pm).
SWF Highlands and Islands League results: Buckie 8, Brora Rangers 1; Clachnacuddin 3, Nairn 0; Caithness 1, Orkney 2; Sutherland 3, Ross and Cromarty 0.