Winning Start For New Regime - Skye Camanachd 6 Beauly 0 | |
03 March 2014 Skye Camanachd first team manager John MacLeod and his backroom team made a winning start to their Marine Harvest North Division 1 campaign when they beat the Beauly second team 6-0 at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 1 Match 2014. Steven Morrison, Kenny Campbell and Ally “Spod” MacLeod came into the Skye squad which lost to Glenurquhart in a pre-season friendly a fortnight earlier. Aonghas MacDonald was a late replacement in goal for Jamie Gannon who had flu. Beauly have yet to appoint a permanent second team manager and former first team co-manager Iain Morrison took charge of the side. His squad must have been the youngest in recent memory to play the Skye first team. No fewer than eleven of their players were still eligible to play for the club’s U17 side and five 15 year olds started the game with another three filling the substitutes’ bench. There was a change of referee with Calum Girvan replacing Archie Ritchie who was unwell. There was a minutes silence at the start of the game in memory of Skye Camanachd stalwart John “the Caley” Nicolson. This was the first competitive match involving the Islanders since one of their greatest servants passed away. This was the only game to go ahead on the west coast and underfoot conditions were heavy following the recent rain. Skye pressed forward from the throw up and they went close on a couple of occasions before taking the lead on 6 minutes. Will Cowie put Ryan Tillman under pressure following a cross from the right and the Skye youngster was credited with the final touch as the ball diverted past Josh Grant. Will Cowie got his and Skye’s second on 20 minutes when he made space before firing low through a ruck of players. Keeper Grant tried to get a foot to the ball but he was unable to keep it out of the net. Skye went 3-0 up on 24 minutes with the pick of the afternoon’s goals. Kenny Campbell drifted out to the left to collect possession. Campbell looked up and spotted wing centre Allan MacKinnon bursting forward. MacKinnon got on the end of Campbell’s cross and he blasted the ball into the roof of the net from the tightest of angles to make it 3-0. Skye’s Will Cowie completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot on 27 minutes. Referee Calum Girvan had little option but to point to the spot when Beauly full back Martin Davidson unnecessarily barged Kenny Campbell inside the D. Cowie confidently crashed the penalty into the back of the net, giving Josh Grant no chance of keeping the ball out. There had been a bit of niggle between Martin Davidson and Kenny Campbell and matters boiled over on 34 minutes when Davidson caught Campbell below the knee. Referee Girvan opted for a yellow card when the outcome could have been worse for the Beauly man. Campbell had to leave the park for treatment before later returning to the field of play. Skye could have added to their first half tally but some wasteful finishing and a couple of fine saves from Josh Grant meant they had to settle for a 4-0 interval lead. Both teams headed for the changing rooms at the break for some respite from the constant rain. Beauly came more in to the game in the second half, without really threatening Aonghas MacDonald in the Skye goal. Skye seemed to lose some of their first half thrust and it took the introduction of the three substitutes, with Shockie MacLennan also pushing forward join the attack, to get them back on track. Indeed MacLennan had just taken over at full forward when he released a perfectly timed pass into the path of Jordan Murchison and he stroked the ball home to make it 5-0 with 70 minutes played. Just sixty seconds later, it was 6-0 and this time Shockie MacLennan was on target as he lost his marker before slotting the ball low past Josh Grant. Best for Beauly were keeper Josh Grant, Ryan Tillman in defence, Neil Brindle in midfield and Calum Morrison who was influential when he moved to full centre. Young forwards Sandy Elrick and Robbie Brindle also showed promise and they will benefit from the experience of playing at this level. Skye put in a competent team performance. Will Cowie made his mark with a hat-trick whilst Shockie MacLennan was rarely troubled at the back and he added something to the attack when he pushed forward late in the game. Allan MacKinnon always showed endeavour and it was always encouraging to see him push forward from midfield. It was also good to see Chris Rose back in the side following a long period on the sidelines through injury. Next up for Skye is a meeting with league leaders Strathglass at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 8 March 2014. Skye Camanachd from: Aonghas MacDonald, Steven Morrison, Ally MacDonald, David Grant, Shockie MacLennan, Allan MacKinnon, Chris Rose, Gilleasbuig MacDonald, Will Cowie, Danny Morrison, Jordan Murchison, Kenny Campbell, subs Neil MacVicar, Iain Murray, Ally “Spod” MacLeod Beauly from: Josh Grant, Martin Davidson, Iain Rankin, Andrew Morrison, Ryan Tillman (captain), Ruairidh Fraser, Neil Brindle, Craig Rankin, Sandy Elrick, Robbie Brindle, Calum Morrison, Angus Renwick, subs Liam Eaton, Daniel Lamont, Lee Dunbar Match Referee – Calum Girvan The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan |