Confident of season ahead — boss

This week saw Dornoch FC finish their pre-season before the start of their annual campaign in the local East Sutherland Summer League. Here, in the first of a weekly column, their coach, Mark McAuley gives us an insight into the league and his role

THE Summer League is played between April and August and, alongside, several associated cups are contested.

Eight Summer League teams take to the fields all across Sutherland, on blustery Saturday afternoons to snowy midweek nights, with refs and teams travelling many miles to attend a game, one of many challenges faced in Highland football.

This season sees three Ross-shire teams join the East Sutherland League — Avoch, Contin and Maryburgh — in addition to the six teams already there, so we now have a league that covers 70 miles of Highland terrain.

Why do we do it? Well, it’s football and we are a footballing nation. I love every aspect of football, whether it be watching our stuttering nation take on the world, or watching an under 10s’ match at a local park.

I may be a big city immigrant but I have taken on the task this year of coaching my local football team. Dornoch FC, are known locally as "The Zeebs", shortened from Zebras, as Dornoch usually wear a black and white stripes kit.

Word spread and the good luck wishes came in, most in a sympathetic manner! How hard can it be, I ask myself? It’s five months of fun, local football.

Well in my naive 23 year old head, that’s what I thought!

I decided that I would share with NT readers the trials and tribulations of my first season at the helm of the thundering zeal (a zeal is a group of zebra! You learn something new every day, even in football).

The first games of the season – all friendlies – quickly rolled in.

We were able to put a tick in the wins column against a youthful Lochinver team in the first game, which we won 2-1 at home. That tick doubled in the second friendly against a stronger Balintore team with a 3-2 victory, also at Dornoch.

As niggling injuries crept into the squad, a somewhat depleted team travelled by bus to Gairloch to complete what we hope will now be an annual game between the sides. But our wins stayed at two and, due to a poor defensive performance, Gairloch were able to run out comfortable winners, 4-1.

Our fourth and final match was played against a local team from the Welfare League, Tain Thistle. With the average age of the Dornoch team just 22, Tain, with their experience, controlled the game and were able to score three times with no reply from Dornoch.

All games proved a great help to me and I look forward to our first league game tomorrow (Saturday) at The Meadows, Dornoch, against Helmsdale United.

I am full of confidence for the season ahead following these initial displays. My management stint with Dornoch is under way, but what lies ahead? You will read it here first!

Fixtures, Saturday, April 13 – 2.30pm – Dornoch City v Helmsdale United; Maryburgh v Brora Wanderers; Lairg Rovers v Contin; Avoch v Golspie Stafford.