Beauly 1 Skye Camanachd 2 | |
06 July 2015 The Skye Camanachd first team came from a goal down to beat Beauly 2-1 in their Marine Harvest National Division match at Braeview Park on Saturday 4 July 2015. Beauly boss Roger Cormack was without experienced full back Jamie MacLennan who started a two game ban following his red card against Kilmallie in the Braeview Park side’s Balliemore Cup semi-final victory a fortnight earlier. Youngster Andrew Morrison also missed this 2.30pm throw up but defender Ryan MacKay returned. Skye Camanachd manager John MacLeod made three changes to the squad which beat Ballachulish in their league encounter at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree three weeks earlier. Alan MacKinnon is free of suspension whilst Neil MacVicar and Danny Morrison also returned to the squad. David MacInnes and John Gillies returned to the second team and Aonghas MacDonald, a last-minute call-up for the Balla’ game, dropped out of the pool of players. Chris MacLennan dropped to the bench as he had been unwell during the week so Iain Murray started in midfield. Sean Stewart gave the home side a 4 minute lead when he placed the ball into the corner of the net, with Marc MacLachlan providing the assist by knocking on a shy from the right. Beauly got have added to their lead during the early period of the match and Skye keeper Iain MacLeod and his defenders had to work hard to keep them out. Skye settled into the match though and Kenny Campbell went close after 12 minutes with Josh Grant palming away his effort. Campbell shot wide of goal 4 minutes later as Skye gained a foot-hold in the game. At the other end, Iain MacLeod made a superb save on 19 minutes and he made another good stop with his feet a minute later. In-between times, Josh Grant again kept out a Kenny Campbell effort. Play continued to swing from end to end and the home side suffered a blow with around 7 first half minutes remaining as Marc MacLachlan limped off with Sandy Elrick replacing him. MacLachlan had a cut knee and his injury will be a concern given that the Balliemore Cup Final against Glasgow Mid Argyll is just a couple of weeks away. Skye’s Jordan Murchison equalised with just 5 first half minutes remaining. Beauly keeper Josh Grant had saved from Kenny Campbell and Murchison took the ball out of the air on the end of his caman, and juggled it past his marker before volleying into the net from the edge of the D to make it 1-1. Sean Stewart had a goal disallowed in the closing stages of the first half by referee Graham Cameron for a kick. Skye keeper Iain MacLeod was called into action a couple of more times as the half drew to a close and he saved well to keep his team on level terms going into the break. The second half was just a minute old when Conor Ross tested goalie MacLeod who turned the ball away at the expense of a corner. Skye defender Ally “Spod” MacLeod was shown a yellow card by referee Graham Cameron for a trip on Sean Stewart. Skye made changes 10 minutes into the second half with Danny Morrison taking over in a straight-swap from Kenny MacLeod and Iain Nicolson replacing Allan MacKinnon. Will Cowie dropped back into midfield with Nicolson joining the attack. Beauly live-wire Sandy Elrick, who was an integral part of the Beauly U17 team which beat Skye Camanachd U17 in the recent MacTavish Juvenile Cup Final, and he forced another Iain MacLeod save early in the second half. The keeper kept the ball out with his feet before the danger was cleared. Skye had their moments too though and Josh Grant did well to keep out a fierce Kenny MacLeod drive on 52 minutes before with Jordan Murchison twice going close shortly after. As the match moved into the final 20 minutes, it became clear that the next goal would be crucial. Jordan Murchison was Skye’s main goal threat and he hit the side-netting before Beauly broke forward and Iain MacLeod made the save of the match to deny Barrie MacDonald. MacDonald went close again with Skye scrambling to clear the ball out of the D after it came off the post. And the winner came for Skye just 6 minutes from time. The move started with good work from Iain Nicolson who found Kenny Campbell on the Skye right. Campbell turned his marker before cutting the ball back to Jordan Murchison and he shot goalwards. Keeper Josh Grant got a foot to the ball but he could only help it into the side-netting and Skye led 2-1. Beauly fought hard to get back in the match but time was against them and Skye saw out the remainder of the match. This was a very hard fought two points for Skye. It was an even contest which could have gone either way. Best for Skye were Neil MacVicar and Steven Morrison in defence whilst Iain Murray and Gilleasbuig MacDonald battled away in midfield. However a tremendous display of goal keeping from Iain MacLeod and some deadly finishing from Jordan Murchison were the main reasons the points went back across the Skye Bridge. The win sends Skye to the top of the table but they have played a game more than second placed Kilmallie who are only a point behind. Kilmallie play their game in hand against Inverness at the Canal Parks this coming Saturday whilst Skye are in Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup action. Beauly from: Josh Grant: Ewen Campbell, Ryan Mackay, Ross Forbes, Conor Cormack: Jack MacDonald, David MacLean, Barrie MacDonald: Calum Morrison, Conor Ross, Sean Stewart, Marc MacLachlan: subs Sandy Elrick, Colin MacDonald. Skye Camanachd from: Iain MacLeod: Steven Morrison, Ally “Spod” MacLeod, Ally MacDonald, Neil MacVicar: Alan MacKinnon, Gilleasbuig MacDonald (captain), Iain Murray: Will Cowie, Kenny Campbell, Jordan Murchison, Kenny MacLeod, subs Danny Morrison, Iain Nicolson, Chris MacLennan Match Referee – Graham Cameron |