Inveraray 3 Newtonmore 5. | |
22 November 2009 Newtonmore go 2 points clear at the top of the Scottish Hydro Premier Division following their 5-3 win over Inveraray at Balgate on Saturday 21 November 2009. The match was subject to 2 venue changes after the Winterton was ruled unplayable. The match was initially switched to Yoker, Glasgow but that too proved unplayable so the game eventually took place at Lovat’s Balgate pitch. This exciting tussle was a throw back to the days of winter shinty. The match was played on a cold, crisp afternoon with a blast of heavy rain thrown in during the last 15 minutes. However there was plenty action and commitment on the field of play keep the large support warm, many who had traveled from across the country to watch this one. In fact it was one of the few shinty matches to have 3 ends! There was the Inveraray end for all the hardy soles who had travelled north for the game. There was the Newtonmore end who traveled from Badenoch to cheer on their favourites. There was also the Kingussie end as Jimmy Gow and several of his players traveled to Balgate after a Saturday morning training session to learn what task would lie ahead of them in their final fixture. Inveraray were without Graeme MacPherson who was unavailable and he could have started in goal. Newtonmore missed the suspended Scott Campbell and David Cheyne who is abroad. However Glen MacKintosh returned after illness and he was pushed forward into the attack. Scottish international Paul MacArthur took over the full centre role where he turned in an impressive performance as did Owen Fraser in MacArthur’s wing centre position. The challenge to Newtonmore was primarily to win the game but also hopefully score enough goals to put some pressure on Kingussie in their final match and they started the game in determined fashion. Following a couple of early threats on the Inveraray goal, ‘More took the lead. The Inveraray defence paid the price for standing off the Newtonmore forwards and Danny MacRae took advantage as he swiveled and fired the ball past Chris Crawford into the net. However Newtonmore were shocked after 10 minutes when hesitancy in their defence allowed Inveraray’s Grant Griffen to slot home the equaliser. The men from the Eilan responded though and set siege on the Inveraray goal. They were awarded a free hit on the right after 21 minutes for a shove on the back. Paul MacArthur played the ball into the danger area and found Glen MacKintosh who took one touch before blasting the ball into the net. ‘More almost made it 3-1 just a minute later when the impressive Danny MacRae was involved in a goal mouth scramble. On 32 minutes, Evan Menzies burst through on goal but his shot was well saved by Crawford. However the keepers clearance landed at the feet of Glen MacKintosh who had time to pick his spot and give Newtonmore a 3-1 lead. This should have been the cue for Newtonmore to press home their advantage and do some damage to Kingussie’s goal difference advantage. Fraser MacKintosh was mopping up most things in the ‘More defence, although one clearance brought a tear to the eye of his manager Norman MacArthur, as it hit him in a rather painful area! Rather than increase their advantage, Newtonmore found themselves under pressure in the closing minutes of the first half. Inveraray’s Scott Robertson saw his shot on target blocked by a Newtonmore defender on the goal line on 37 minutes at the expense of a corner. Michael Ritchie reacted well to save an effort from the corner. Inveraray pulled a goal back on 41 minutes when Scott Robertson pounced first to stab the ball past Ritchie as the keeper tried to clear the ball. Inveraray then ensured that they went into he break on level terms when Grant Griffen found space in front of goal and he made no mistake as he lashed the ball past Ritchie to make it 3-3. Newtonmore restored their lead 10 minutes into the second period when the Inveraray defence failed to cleared their lines and Glen MacKintosh to full advantage to complete his hat-trick and make it 4-3. Inveraray had a great chance to equalise just 4 minutes later when Scott Robertson was played in one-on-one with Michael Ritchie. However his shot took the merest deflection off the keeper for a corner. This was a turning point as 10 minutes later as Evan Menzies accepted a poor clearance by the Inveraray defence and promptly made it 5-3. Newtonmore then piled pressure on the Inveraray goal. However a combination of some great blocks from an Inveraray defence well marshaled by Andrew MacMurdo and some wayward shooting meant there was no further score. Inveraray put up a great fight but remain on 11 points. This leaves them 2 points ahead of Newtonmore have reduced Kingussie’s goal difference advantage to just 2 goals. The permutations are now quite simple. If Kingussie beat Kyles Athletic on 5 December 2009, they will be champions once again. Any other result will take the title and the mother of all parties to the Eilan. |