Lovat 3 Skye Camanachd 2 | |
24 September 2018 Second placed Lovat twice came from behind to deal second bottom Skye Camanachd’s survival chances a blow as they won 3-2 in their 3pm throw up at Balgate on Saturday 22 September 2018. Marc MacLachlan’s knee injury suffered in the last weekend’s Tulloch Homes Camanachd Cup defeat to Newtonmore kept him out whilst captain Lewis Tawse was on his honeymoon. Lorne MacKay was suspended and Drew Howie dropped onto the bench - as he rested a knee injury - where he was joined by Jamie Buchan and Finlay Ogilvie. There were starts for Chris Johnston, Martin Mainland, Bailey MacKay and Thomas Fraser With Skye manager John MacLeod stepping down following the 5-1 defeat to Kingussie a week earlier, his assistants Donnie MacDonald and Iain MacLeod took the side. They were still minus goalie Iain MacLeod so Ryan Morrison continued to deputise. Jordan Murchison remained out but Stewart Grant and John Gillies returned to the starting line-up and Connor Gilpin dropped onto the bench alongside Daniel Morrison and Martin Pringle. Lovat were forced to introduce Drew Howie after Craig Mainland took a heavy knock and had to be withdrawn. Skye went in front on 34 minutes when Ruaraidh MacLeod smashed a waist-high shot from the right into the net. Greg Matheson drew Lovat level on 40 minutes when he was quickly into the D to force the ball over the line after an initial shot squirmed through the keeper’s legs. Will Cowie put Skye back in front on 49 minutes. Lovat keeper Stuart MacDonald got a hand to Cowie’s strike from wide on the right but he couldn’t keep the ball out and it dropped over the line. Ruaraidh MacLeod came close to making it 3-1 on 54 minutes when his shot from wide on the left rattled the keeper’s right post. Lovat’s Callum Cruden played in attack and he made it 2-2 on 64 minutes. Cruden didn’t catch the ball cleanly but it dropped behind the keeper and into the net. Ruaraidh MacLeod looked Skye’s best bet for another goal and he blasted a shot wide on 73 minutes. However Callum Cruden got his second on 79 minutes with what proved to be the winning goal. Skye keeper Ryan Morrison tried to play the ball out for a corner but Greg Matheson nipped in to win possession. Keeper Morrison made a terrific save with his leg to keep out Matheson’s drive but the ball fell kindly for Cruden who dived in to play the ball into the net with one hand on his club. Skye were denied the point they deserved when Stuart MacDonald made a terrific flying save to his left, using his stick to keep out a good shot from Ruaraidh MacLeod with just 4 minutes remaining. The defeat means Skye remain in ninth place on the table, four points behind eighth placed Caberfeidh with the sides having two matches each to go. However Caberfeidh have a significant goal difference advantage so even although the sides meet at Castle Leod this Saturday, the odds are very much stacked against Skye. Lovat from: Stuart MacDonald; Daniel Grieve, Martin Mainland, Chris Johnston, Danny Kelly: Duncan Davidson, Craig Mainland, Bailey MacKay; Callum Cruden (captain), Graeme MacMillan, Thomas Fraser, Greg Matheson: subs Drew Howie, Jamie Buchan, Finlay Ogilvie Skye Camanachd from; Ryan Morrison: Jamie Gillies, Iain Nicolson, James Morrison, John Gillies; Ally “Cleodi” MacLeod, Kenneth Campbell, Stewart Grant: Will Cowie, James Pringle, Ruaraidh MacLeod, Iain MacLellan: subs Daniel Morrison, Martin Pringle, Connor Gilpin Match Referee – Martin MacLean Scorers Lovat Greg Matheson (40) Callum Cruden (64, 79) Skye Camanachd Ruaraidh MacLeod (34) Will Cowie (49) |