Skye Camanachd 2 Kilmallie 2. | |
01 August 2010 A last gasp penalty from Kenny Campbell earned Skye Camanachd a 2-2 draw against Kilmallie in their Marine Harvest North Division 1 match at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 31 July 2010. First team manager Aonghas MacDonald made 2 enforced changes to his starting line-up from the win over Beauly the previous week. Neil MacVicar replaced the injured Kerr Gibb in midfield and Allan MacLeod started in attack in place of the unavailable Iain Nicolson. Peter Gordon replaced Willie MacRae on the bench where 16 year old Shaun Hedley was also included for the first time. Kilmallie’s international forward John Stewart returned to the side following his honeymoon and this left the Canal Park men at full strength. Skye created the first chance of the game after 2 minutes when a sweeping move started by full back Steven Morrison, saw Iain Morrison play in Allan MacKinnon, but he tugged his shot wide of the target. A minute later Kilmallie created an even better opportunity but Liam Cameron’s drive rose over the junction between post and crossbar. Kilmallie took the lead on 14 minutes with a well created goal. Martin Stewart took a disputed corner from the right, John Stewart knocked the ball down into the path of Liam MacDonald who slammed the ball into the net. A bursting run from Iain Morrison after 18 minutes created a chance but he passed the ball rather than shooting. Skye leveled on 20 minutes when an Allan Macleod pass got in behind the Kilmallie defence and found Allan MacKinnon who ran free of his marker on the Skye right and netted from a tight angle. A clever overhead flick from John Stewart almost caught out the Skye defence but the ball dropped wide of Jamie Gannon’s left post. Kilmallie regained the lead on 25 minutes when John Stewart ran at the home defence and cracked a 20 yard drive which Jamie Gannon got his left hand to but could not keep out of the net. Skye’s Gilleasbuig MacDonald sent a looping ball forward a couple of minutes later which dropped just past Kevin Toy’s left post. Skye were enjoying most of the pressure as they tried to get on equal terms before the break. Allan MacKinnon shot wide on 29 minutes and 3 minutes later the same player was denied when Kevin Toye rushed from goal to beat him to a through ball. Allan MacLeod was off target and then another Allan MacKinnon drive flashed wide of the goal. The last chance of the first half went to Kilmallie as Mark MacPherson pushed forward but his shot was wide of Jamie Gannon’s goal. A fantastic challenge from Andrew Banks on 53 minutes denied Martin Stewart when the Kilmallie striker was through on goal. Allan MacKinnon neatly turned his marker Martin Graham a couple of minutes later and passed to Danny Morrison who fired past the post. Jamie Gannon saved well from John Stewart on 57 minutes and Andrew Banks cleared the danger at the expense of a shy. Gannon saved again with his feet following a Kilmallie free hit - with the visitors claiming for a penalty for a kick – and the Skye defence managed to scramble the ball away for a corner. Kenny Campbell deflected a Ross Lavin drive for a corner on 64 minutes. Skye were being roared on by the home support as they tried desperately for an equalising goal. Ian Robertson fouled Allan MacLeod on 66 minutes and Kenny Campbell slipped the free-hit to Danny Morrison. However Morrison’s shot went the wrong side of the post. Gilleasbuig MacDonald surged forward on 70 minutes and played in Allan MacKinnon on the Skye left. However MacKinnon opted to pass rather than shoot and his pass into the danger area was intercepted. Good work from Andrew Banks won Skye possession a minute later and he fed Kenny Campbell who dribbled forwarded before being crowded out by the visiting defence. John Stewart required treatment to his neck from Skye medic Dr Wilson Banks on 72 minutes when he was caught in a sandwich between Steven Morrison and Andrew Banks. Jamie Gannon produced the save of the match on 76 minutes from a Michael Rodgers piledriver. Skye Camanachd veteran Peter Gordon came on for the toiling Allan MacLeod on 79 minutes and the 1990 Camanachd Cup winner was immediately involved in the action. Kilmallie’s Liam MacDonald shot wide of the goal on 81 minutes as Kilmallie looked to seal the points. Just when it seemed as if all Skye’s effort’s would be in vain, a sweeping move involving Peter Gordon and Iain Morrison found Kenny Campbell who had his legs taken from him inside the D. Referee Evan MacRae blew for a penalty just a second before Danny Morrison slammed the stray ball into the net. Kenny Campbell dusted himself down and stepped forward to take the hit. The Pairc nan Laoch crowd were hushed, probably mindful of Skye’s recent poor record from the penalty spot, but they needn’t have worried as Campbell fired a shoulder high shot past Kevin Toye to his right to make it 2-2. There was still time for a major scare in the Skye goalmouth before the final whistle. The Skye defence scrambled to clear a Kilmallie attack and with Jamie Gannon on the ground, Kilmallie claimed furiously for a penalty but to no avail. The point keeps Skye in contention in the league and manager Aonghas MacDonald must be pleased with the performances of Shockie MacLennan and Andrew Banks in defence. Their contribution, coupled with the experience of regulars Steven Morrison and John Moir, makes for a much more solid defence than the back line which was torn apart by Inverness 2 weeks ago. Skye Camanachd from; Jamie Gannon, Steven Morrison (captain), John Moir, Andrew Banks, Shockie MacLennan, Neil MacVicar, Kenny Campbell, Gilleasbuig MacDonald, Danny Morrison, Allan MacKinnon, Iain Morrison, Allan MacLeod, (Peter Gordon), subs Martin Bruce, Stewart Grant, Shaun Hedley not used Match Referee – Evan MacRae The match balls are sponsored By Nor-Dan. |