Lovat Retain Lovat Cup – Lovat 3 Beauly 1. | |
02 January 2012 Lovat retained the Lovat Cup with a 3-1 win over neighbours Beauly at a wintery Balgate on Monday 2 January 2012. Beauly were seconds away from lifting the 2011 trophy until an injury time Greg Matheson goal gave Lovat a 2-2 and they retained the trophy as holders. Matheson was also to prove a key figure in this clash. Lovat endured a stop-start 2011 Scottish Hydro Premier Division campaign which extended into November. Their players have had a break since then but they recently re-grouped under new manager Allan MacRae to have a couple of recent training sessions to prepare for this New Year clash. The match came too soon for Lovat’s Fraser Gallacher who missed the second half of their season through illness. However Scotland U21 international James MacPherson recovered from a bout of flu to take his place in the home attack. Lorne MacKay started at full centre with Callum Cruden at buckshee back. Drew Howie, who had recently recovered from a serious knee injury, was not risked on the slippery Balgate surface. Beauly have not won the Lovat Cup since 2007 but they have been training hard for this game since their 2011 Marine Harvest North Division 1 programme ended. They were without the presence of the injured Sean Stewart in attack but otherwise, manager Stephen MacLean had a full squad to choose from. Dougie Blaine started at full back and he was given the task of marking Greg Matheson. Veteran Roger Cormack was named as a substitute. A huge crowd gathered for the 1pm throw up as shinty fans across the country took the opportunity to get an out of season shinty fix. Lovat had the first real chance of the game when referee Graham Cameron awarded them a penalty. Greg Matheson had put the ball in the net but goal judge Brian Davis had flagged for an infringement before that. Beauly breathed a sigh of relief as Martin Davidson saved James MacPherson’s effort from the spot. Beauly went on to dominate for the next 20 minutes with full forward Jamie MacLennan heavily involved. However they struggled to get shots on target on the snow-covered pitch and when they did, they found Stuart MacDonald in the Lovat goal to be alert to the danger. Lovat broke forward on 26 minutes and referee Cameron had to sort out a melee 20 yards from the Beauly goal. Cameron seemed to brandish a yellow card or perhaps even two although it was difficult to see who the recipients were in the wintery conditions. When it all settled down, Lovat were awarded the free-hit and the ball was slipped to Greg Matheson who rifled a shot into the net to put the home side 1-0 in front. Beauly’s Barrie MacDonald was booked for speaking out of turn to referee Cameron a minute later and Callum Cruden followed him into the book on 32 minutes as the game threatened to boil over. Connor Ross went close for Beauly 60 seconds earlier when he cut in from the right but Stuart MacDonald blocked his effort at the expense of a corner. Lovat went close to doubling their lead on 44 minutes when a Lorne MacKay ball into the danger area caused problems before Martin Davidson cleared for a corner. Davidson was forced into action again from the corner and he put the ball behind for another corner on the opposite side of the park. This time the ball was cleared up the park before Graham Cameron blew for half time. The snow showers were now becoming more frequent and there were times at the start of the second half where players were struggling to keep their footing and even see the ball. Lovat went 2-0 ahead on 53 minutes. The ball was played in from the right to the edge of the D to James MacPherson. The Scotland U21 international held the ball up before slipping it to the left to Greg Matheson and he shot low into the net to double Lovat’s advantage. Lovat went 3-0 up on 68 minutes when a free-hit was knocked to Euan Ferguson and he gave Martin Davidson no chance as he shot into the net. The conditions were now becoming very difficult and both sets of players deserve great credit for serving up such an entertaining match. Beauly manager Stephen MacLean introduced veteran Roger Cormack in attack in the closing stages of the game but it was Scotland U17 forward Jack MacDonald who had the final say as he scored on 90 minutes to give Beauly some consolation. The 3-1 win gave Allan MacRae a winning start in the Lovat hot-seat and a delighted captain Ryan Ferguson was presented with the 2012 Lovat Cup. |