Skye Camanachd 0 Lovat 0 | |
16 May 2016 Skye Camanachd and Lovat shared the points following a goalless draw in their Marine Harvest Premiership meeting at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 14 May 2016. Skye boss John MacLeod made a couple of changes to the squad which beat Glenurquhart 1-0 in the Artemis MacAulay Cup seven days earlier. Chris Rose came in for Allan MacKinnon and Aonghas MacDonald replaced David MacInnes. Both Rose and MacDonald started on the bench. Steven Morrison was restored to the starting line-up and Will Cowie made his first senior start of the season following his return from a spell in the States. Iain Murray remained out with a broken finger. Lovat manager John MacRitchie was without Drew Howie who suffered a broken collar-bone in the 2-1 league defeat to Oban Camanachd last weekend and he joined Callum Cruden, Martin Mainland and Graeme MacMillan on the Balgate injury list. Lovat forced a series of early corners without really troubling Skye keeper Jamie Gannon. Skye responded well and Shockie MacLennan sent a bouncing shot goalwards but Lovat keeper Stuart MacDonald saved with his legs. It was a slow start to the match with the tempo strangely short of the usual fare. Stuart MacDonald managed to sweep away a Shockie MacLennan ball into the D for a corner with Jordan Murchison looking to capitalise on any slip-up. It was Skye’s turn to force a number of corners and after the third on 9 minutes, Gilleasbuig MacDonald and Danny Morrison combined to set up a chance for Jordan Murchison but Stuart MacDonald made a good save with his hand. Iain Nicolson shot over the bar soon after. Jamie Gannon saved well with his legs from Euan Ferguson and Kevin Bartlett as the match swung from end-to-end. A Jordan Murchison shot was deflected over the bar after good play from Iain Nicolson with 13 minutes played. Kevin Bartlett flashed a shot across goal on 16 minutes. Danny Morrison came close to giving Skye on 19 minutes when he stretched to hit the ball goalwards from just inside the D after Lovat Scott MacKenzie defender missed Iain Nicolson’s cross from the left. However Stuart MacDonald was again the barrier, making a great save with his right foot to keep the ball out and Skye had to settle for a corner on their left. Jamie Gannon saved well with his feet on 28 minutes and Neil MacVicar played the ball out for a corner. Skye created a chance when Jordan Murchison slipped the ball to Iain Nicolson in space on the Skye right but, with Michael MacKenzie closing him down, Nicolson saw his shot saved with his foot by Stuart MacDonald at the expense of a corner on the Skye right. A Kevin Bartlett shot dipped just over bar after he collected a Lorne MacKay pass following a good Lovat move on 42 minutes. Danny Morrison set up a shooting chance for Jordan Murchison a minute later but Murchison’s strike went wide with Morrison taking a blow to the arm in the lead up. A good run from midfield and shot from Kenny Campbell saw the ball go over the bar. Lovat quickly turned defence to attack as Stuart MacDonald played the resultant goal hit to Euan Ferguson and a passing move involving Lorne MacKay, Greg Matheson and MacKay again with Jamie Gannon blocking the latter’s shot with the ball coming at him and the Skye goalie cleared for a corner. Lovat finished the first half on the attack, forcing a three more corners but the Skye defence stayed firm. Lovat made a chance at the break with Calum MacAulay replacing Euan Ferguson. Kevin Bartlett allowed a ball from the left to run across his body on 50 minutes but Jamie Gannon saved Bartlett’s low shot with his feet and cleared the ball for a corner. Neil MacVicar used his body to block a fierce Lorne MacKay shot on the hour mark. Skye were fortunate that Greg Matheson didn’t connect with a Lorne MacKay ball across goal a minute later with Jamie Gannon racing off his line to narrow the angle. When a Kevin Bartlett ball was flicked on by Lorne MacKay, an instinctive shot on his left side from Greg Matheson went just past Jamie Gannon’s left post on 67 minutes. A Jordan Murchison shot spun wide a couple of minutes later. Chris Rose came on for Danny Morrison on 69 minutes. Will Cowie pushed forward to replace Morrison in attack and Rose slotted into the wing centre position. Michael MacKenzie did well to play the ball out for a corner with Jordan Murchison looking to benefit from any slip-up. Lovat made their second change on 73 minutes when Fraser Gallacher replaced Lewis Tawse. Gallacher joined the attack with Calum MacAulay dropping back to wing centre. Lorne MacKay shot low past Jamie Gannon’s left post with 15 minutes remaining. Aonghas MacDonald took over at full forward at full forward from Iain Nicolson for Skye with 8 minutes to go. Fraser Gallacher almost won the game for Lovat after playing a one-two with Lorne MacKay but his rocket-shot from the left went wide of target with 5 minutes remaining. Referee Martin MacLean, who had a fine game in charge of his first Marine Harvest Premiership match, brought the game to an end after a minute of stoppage time. Lovat had the better chances in the second half however the Skye defence, in which Neil MacVicar and John Gillies were excellent, held out and the points were shared. Skye stay eighth in the league but they have played fewer than any of the other teams in the league. Lovat were well served by Michael MacKenzie and Danny Kelly and the Balgate side climb to fifth in the table, ahead of Kingussie on goal difference, and the sides meet at the Dell this coming Saturday. Skye Camanachd from: Jamie Gannon; Neil MacVicar (captain), John Gillies, Ally MacDonald, Steven Morrison; Will Cowie, Gilleasbuig MacDonald, Kenny Campbell; Jordan Murchison, Danny Morrison, Shockie MacLennan, Iain Nicolson; subs Chris Rose, Aonghas MacDonald, Neil John Campbell Lovat from: Stuart MacDonald; Daniel Grieve, Michael MacKenzie, Scott MacKenzie, Craig Mainland; Ryan Ferguson, Danny Kelly, Lewis Tawse; Kevin Bartlett, Greg Matheson (captain), Euan Ferguson, Lorne MacKay; subs Calum MacAulay, Fraser Gallacher, Mark Kelly Match Referee – Martin MacLean Goal Judges – Donnie Martin, Ross Cowie The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan Scorers Skye Camanachd None Lovat None |