Matheson Mows Down Beauly | |
03 January 2018 Lovat retained the Lovat Cup as four-goal Greg Matheson gave them a convincing 4-0 victory over Beauly at Braeview Park on Tuesday 2 January 2018. The match was originally scheduled for Lovat’s Balgate home but a frozen pitch led to a venue switch down the road to Beauly’s ground. Conditions underfoot were difficult for the players who kept the gathering of shinty supporters from across the country entertained throughout the 90 minutes. Lovat went into this 1pm throw up as holders having won the previous year’s encounter 5-2 at Braeview Park. Lovat were also favourites having finished third in the Marine Harvest Premiership last season whilst Beauly ended the year in fifth spot in the Marine Harvest National Division. However Lovat Cup games have been known to go against form and Beauly had been training hard for this encounter. Both sides had absentees in attack as Beauly were missing Conor Ross whilst Lovat’s Calum MacAulay was also unavailable. The hosts made a composed start to the game and an early Jack MacDonald shot went wide of goal. When a ball across goal reached Greg Matheson, his strike from the left tested Beauly keeper Josh Grant but he turned the ball away at the expense of a corner. Marc MacLachlan tried to flick a Greg Matheson ball on target but his effort went harmlessly past the post. Both defences remained on top and the match stayed on level terms until 37 minutes. Marc MacLachlan controlled the ball on the Lovat left. MacLachlan, playing against his former club, then drifted the ball in on target. Beauly keeper Josh Grant stretched to turn MacLachlan’s effort away with his caman. Beauly looked to clear but Greg Matheson won possession and he played a one-two with Duncan Davidson before running to the right, steadying himself and crashing the ball into the net to open the scoring. Despite the setback, Beauly remained in contention and Sean Stewart went close but was foiled by Lovat custodian Stuart MacDonald. With the rain coming down, Lovat’s Lewis Tawse gave the crowd something to cheer about with a great run forward from midfield juggling the ball on his caman, but the Beauly defence cleared the danger. However Lovat scored a second goal just a couple of minutes before half-time to take a firm grip of the match. This was a superb solo effort from Greg Matheson who tracked back into the middle of the park where he dispossessed Barrie MacDonald on the Beauly left. Matheson then went on a surging run forward, cutting infield before blasting a blistering back-hand drive into the top corner of the net to make it 2-0 at the break. Greg Matheson completed his hat-trick 10 minutes after the restart. Lorne MacKay played in a corner from the Lovat left to the back post where Matheson had lost his marker. The Lovat top scorer flicked the ball in the air before striking the dropping ball. His left-sided shot took a bounce past the keeper and the Balgate side had one hand on the trophy. The quality of the four Lovat goals was something to behold and Matheson’s fourth strike was no exception. Marc MacLachlan’s initial shot, following a free-hit, was deflected onto the Lovat right wing. Matheson was first to the ball and he held off a challenge before squeezing a low, back-hand drive between keeper Josh Grant and his left post to make it 4-0. Marc MacLachlan forced the ball into the Beauly net but it was ruled out for offside. Greg Matheson then won possession and pushed forward before playing a weighted pass to Marc MacLachlan on the right. MacLachlan beat his marker but his low shot came off Josh Grant’s left post and the keeper scrambled the ball away for a corner. Referee Martin MacLean brought proceedings to an end and it was fitting that it was Lovat captain Greg Matheson who was presented with the Lovat Cup by the 16th Lord Lovat Simon Fraser. The Scotland forward has been a key player in this fixture in recent years and he was the main difference between the sides. Lovat’s Lewis Tawse can also be pleased with his performance as can Beauly’s Josh Grant. |