Lochaber U14s 1 Skye Camanachd U14s 3. | |
31 January 2009 This was a must win game for the Skye youngsters if they were to have any ambition of winning the North Division 1 title this season. Skye made a bright start and they took the lead after seven minutes, Martin Bruce collected the ball in midfield and played it forward to Chris MacLennan. MacLennan played in John Gillies and he neatly slipped the ball past the out-rushing Calum MacDonald in the Lochaber goal. Skye had chances to increase their lead and MacDonald saved well from Martin Bruce and Willie Cowie and John Gillies also came close on two occasions. However Lochaber quickly demonstrated that they were not just there to make up the numbers and they responded with a period of pressure which resulted in a Stewart Calson goal to level the match seven minutes before the break. The Skye players were fired up by a heated half-time team talk from coaches Davie MacVicar and Willie Cowie and they responded by attacking the Lochaber goal straight from the start of the second half. Jordan Murchison blasted in a shot which came off Calum MacDonald’s shoulder with the keeper knowing little about it. There were some great tussles all over the pitch with Skye’s Scott MacLeod and shackling Lochaber’s danger man Stewart Calson and captains Martin Bruce and Brenan MacDonald battling for midfield supremacy. Another enthralling contest was between Lochaber buckshee back Jack Dignan and Skye buckshee forward Jordan Murchison. Dignan limited Murchison’s opportunities in front of goal in the first half but as the game went on, Murchison began to gain the upper hand. Twelve minutes into the second half, a diagonal pass from Chris MacLennan gave Murchison his chance and he didn’t disappoint as he fired a sweet low shot into the net. Skye thought thy had scored again momnts later but referee John Angus Gillies ruled that the ball hadn't crossed the goal line. Just ten minutes later John Gillies played in Jordan Murchison and the youngster sealed the win and the important two points as he shot low past MacDonald to score his second and Skye's third goal. Skye were able to introduce substitutes Calum Gibb, Stuart MacSween and Andrew Grant but Lochaber pressed Skye hard in the closing stages and Skye keeper Ally MacLeod made two great saves to calm the nerves of his team mates and the watching crowd. As well as the players already mentioned, Ian Grant with some impressive clearances and Shaun Hedley were solid in defence and Magnus Burd probably turned in his best performance of the season. Ruairidh Morrison and Mark Mortimer battled hard throughout the match. The final result leaves Skye four points clear of Glenurquhart at the top of North Division 1. However Glenurquhart have two games left to play - at home to Beauly and away to Fort William. Beauly are six points behind Skye and but have three away matches to play - trips to Lochaber, Glenurquart and Fort William. A draw between Glenurquhart and Beauly would make Skye champions. Both Glenurquhart and Beauly have to travel to Skye Camanachd from; Ally MacLeod, Iain Grant, Ruairidh Morrison, Shaun Hedley, Scott Macleod, Magnus Burd, Martin Bruce (captain), Mark Mortimer, Jordan Murchison, Chris MacLennan, Willie Cowie, John Gillies subs Calum Gibb, Stuart MacSween and Andrew Grant
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