The Skye Camanachd Ladies turned in a great performance to beat Strathglass Ladies 8-1 in their WCA Marine Harvest North Division 2 meeting at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 13 October 2012.
With the game taking placing during the holiday period, Skye were without several players for this 1.30pm throw up including Kristen MacBeth, Sophie Tinney, Anna MacDonald, Marie MacKinnon and Jenny Morrison.
Strathglass included Hazel Hunter who captained the North U8 side to victory over the South U18 last weekend. Skye’s Ilana Paterson, Ros Lamond and Caitlin MacLean also played in that game.
The weather was very favourable and the Pairc nan Laoch pitch easily passed a Saturday morning pitch inspection so there was no need to switch the match to the Portree High School all-weather pitch which had been put on stand-by.
The Scotland Ladies management team of Sarah Corrigall and Laura MacKay were present to cast their eyes over proceedings and they witnessed a very entertaining game. They would have been particularly interested in Skye’s Lorna MacRae and Lucy MacLeod of Strathglass who are both part of the international party who travel to Claire in a fortnight.
Skye attacked from the throw up and they took the lead after 5 minutes when Lorna MacRae collected the ball at the edge of the D and fired home to make it 1-0.
Strathglass quickly fought back and they levelled after 8 minutes when Hazel Hunter latched onto a corner from the right and spun past her marker before scooping the ball into the net. It was a composed finish which made it 1-1.
However Skye regained the lead within 60 seconds. Caitlin MacLean won the ball from the throw up and Lorna MacRae fed Jenna Beaton who battled with Strath defender Eilidh Fraser and keeper Sarah Pincock before forcing the ball over the line to make it 2-1.
Skye went 3-1 up on 12 minutes. Caitlin MacLean won possession in midfield and found Jenna Beaton who held off her marker to score.
Strathglass were still in the game though and Hazel Hunter broke down the right before bringing out a fine save from Ilana Paterson who then cleared the ball for a corner.
Skye almost increased their lead a minute later. Annemarie MacRae broke up a Strathglass attack and passed to Jenna Beaton who had come deep to collect possession. Beaton played in her strike partner Lorna MacRae and her 25 yard drive was stopped by keeper Sarah Pincock and Caitlin MacLean put the rebound just the wrong side of the post.
Skye’s fourth goal involved some good build up play as Emma Gordon, on her debut for the side, picked up a pass from Annemarie MacRae and beat her marker before slipping the ball to Jenna Beaton. Lorna MacRae darted into space to collect Beaton’s pass and she netted to make it 4-1.
Ilana Paterson made a confident save with her feet from Lucy MacLeod on 20 minutes and the Skye keeper cleared the ball before the Strathglass attack could threaten.
Then it was Sarah Pincock’s turn to display her goalkeeping skills as she made a terrific save from a 20 yard Lorna MacRae drive on 26 minutes.
Skye then scored two goals in the space of two minutes to effectively win the game. First a Caitlin MacLean pass found Jenna Beaton on the Skye left. Beaton sent a great cross into the danger-area where Lorna MacRae got ahead of her marker to complete her hat-trick and make it 5-1.
Lorna MacRae was on target again a minute later when she gathered the ball in midfield before scoring her fourth and Skye’s sixth goal of the game.
Strathglass didn’t let their heads drop though and Hazel Hunter lost her marker on 31 minutes and it took a superb point-blank save with her feet from Ilana Paterson to prevent the visitors reducing the deficit.
The Skye keeper was called upon again on the stroke of half-time as she had to deflect a Laura Fraser ball into the D away for a corner.
Skye lost defender Annemarie MacRae 5 minutes into the second half when she had to go off with a wrist injury. Nicolle MacRae, who had appeared as a rolling substitute in the first half, came on in her place.
Hazel Hunter came close to pulling a goal back a minute later when she beat two players but shot into the side-netting.
Skye added another well worked goal 14 minutes into the second half. Lorna MacRae took a pass from Ros Lamond and sprinted up the right wing and her cross was turned into the net by Jenna Beaton, who was almost on the goal line to make it 7-1.
Ilana Paterson made a great save above her head from a Morgan Redpath shot 3 minutes later but when Paterson saved with her foot from the rebound, she was adjudged to have kicked the ball and referee Will Cowie awarded Strathglass a penalty. Hazel Hunter hit the penalty well enough but her rising shot was straight at keeper Paterson who was brave enough to make the save with her face. Fortunately she was wearing a helmet and visor.
Skye went straight back up the other end of the park and Sarah Pincock made a good stop from a Jenna Beaton effort.
It took an impressive double save from Ilana Paterson to twice foil Strathglass forward Hazel Hunter 21 minutes into the second half. Substitute Helen Cromarty won the ball and swept it to Hazel Hunter but Paterson kept her effort out and then saved again from Hunter as she fired the rebound on target.
A Lorna MacRae corner 5 minutes later caused panic in the visiting defence. However Sarah Pincock made a good double stop from Jenna Beaton before clearing the ball for a corner.
Ros Lamond played the resultant corner short to Jenna Beaton and she crossed for Lorna MacRae who bulleted the ball into the net to make it 8-1 and notch her fifth goal of the afternoon.
Lorna MacRae turned her marker and burst through on goal 4 minutes from time but Sarah Pincock made another good save.
This was a good win for Skye and the winning margin could have been greater had it not been for some fine goalkeeping from Sarah Pincock. Strathglass forward Hazel Hunter was always a threat to the Skye defence.
Lorna MacRae and Jenna Beaton were their usual prolific selves up front for Skye but they were ably assisted by Caitlin MacLean who dominated the centre line in the first half. Ros Lamond, Korri Henderson, Emma Gordon and Nicole MacRae all played their part in the win and Annemarie MacRae adds strength to the side and she will be a real asset if she is available to play on a regular basis. Ilana Paterson also deserves mention for a string of super saves, including an unorthodox stop from the penalty.
Skye travel to Cannich to play Strathglass on their own pitch next weekend and they won’t need reminding that they lost 6-2 when they were there in cup action earlier in the season. However this result will give them great confidence going into that game.
Skye Camanachd Ladies from; Ilana Paterson, Ros Lamond (captain), Annemarie MacRae, Korri Henderson, Caitlin MacLean, Emma Gordon, Lorna MacRae, Jenna Beaton, sub Nicole MacRae
Strathglass Ladies from; Sarah Pincock, Eilidh Fraser, Laura Fraser, Lucy MacLeod, Morgan Redpath, Shannon Birnie, Hazel Hunter, Helen Cromarty, sub Sasha Pincock
Match Referee – Will Cowie
The match balls are sponsored by Nor-Dan
Picture of Lorna MacRae courtesy of Iain Smith