Skye Camanachd picked up a good point with a 0-0 draw against Lovat at Balgate in Marine Harvest North Division 2 on Saturday 4 September 2010.
With several of the usual squad players unavailable, Skye Camanachd second team player / manager Davie MacVicar took the opportunity to include 13 year olds Will Cowie and Angie Grant for the first time. U17 player Ian MacPherson was also included.
Stewart Grant was withdrawn from the first team squad to help out and he joined his younger brothers Iain and Angie in the squad.
Defender David Nicolson returned to make his first appearance of the season after a spell playing for Glasgow Mid Argyll.
Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup winners Lovat were also missing key personnel in Alan MacPherson, Jimmy MacKenzie and Jamie Matheson.
With David Grant missing, U17 buckshee back Scott MacLeod captained the side.
Conditions were perfect as the game got underway with Lovat immediately on the offensive. However Skye were first to threaten when a Stewart Grant shot from distance flew just wide of the Lovat goal.
With Lovat’s midfield trio dictating the game their forwards saw plenty of the ball in the opening quarter of an hour but they were unable to break through the Skye rearguard where Ian Grant was proving more than a match for veteran forward Allan MacRae.
The first clear cut chance fell to Skye when Davie MacVicar and Ally MacDonald combined to set up Eoghan Stewart 18 yards from goal. Stewart’s well struck drive was straight at Lovat keeper Chris MacCallum who saved comfortably but at the expense of a corner.
As the Skye forwards began to see more of the ball, they created another opening which saw a Malcolm Moir shot go inches wide of the post.
Up at the other end Skye keeper Michael Nicolson did well to keep out a Michael MacKenzie drive.
Skye then enjoyed a dominant period in the closing quarter of the first half that saw young Lovat keeper MacCallum come to his sides rescue on several occasions.
The first saw him save a superb MacVicar strike with his feet. In doing so MacCallum lost his footing and fell on the ball, but a combination of Stewart and Moir managed to bundle the loose ball over the line and into the Lovat net only to find that referee Robert Morrison had already blown for a penalty.
Malcolm Moir was entrusted with the spot-hit, but his well hit shot went straight at keeper MacCallum who saved with his body before bundling the ball behind for a corner.
As Skye continued to press before half time, keeper MacCallum saved again from MacVicar, MacDonald and Moir.
Skye introduced 13 year old William Cowie for Eoghan Stewart at wing forward for the second half to give the youngster his first experience of second team shinty. Cowie didn’t look out of place, playing in several good cross field balls against the team that that his Grandfather played for with distinction in the 1950s.
Skye were unable to create the same goal scoring opportunities in the second half. The closest they came was when MacVicar was flagged offside from a long Scott Martin free hit, when through on goal, and from an Ally MacDonald screamer that flew just wide from the edge of the D.
Lovat were picking up a lot of the loose balls and began to put Michael Nicolson under some pressure. Lewis Tawse almost opened the scoring midway through the half with a fierce drive that cannoned back of Nicolson’s right hand post.
Nicolson also had to look lively in saving from young Danny Kelly and Connal MacIllechar.
Having used all their substitutes Lovat were reduced to 11 men for the closing 10 minutes when Connal MacIllechar had to leave the field after being struck in the face with the ball.
Skye have not won at Balgate for several seasons and a point against 2 time cup finalists in both 2009 and 2010 has to be seen as a bonus, particularly with a scratch team.
Skye Camanachd from; Michael Nicolson, Iain Grant, David Nicolson, Neil John Campbell, Scott MacLeod, Ally MacLeod, Stewart Grant, Scott Martin, Malcolm Moir, Ally MacDonald, Eoghan Stewart, (Will Cowie), Davie MacVicar, subs Ian MacPherson, Angie Grant not used
Referee – Robert Morrison