The focus returned to the Scottish Hydro Premier Division title race on Saturday 28 August 2010.
With Scottish Hydro Premier Division leaders Newtonmore not in action once again, Peter MacIntyre’s Fort William side took the chance to play their game in hand. They travelled to the Winterton to play an Inveraray side with a 100% home record this season. The Fort were again without injured forwards Bryan Simpson and Drew Ferguson. Gary Innes gave the visitors a 5 minute leader but Inveraray’s Garry MacPherson squared the match on 27 minutes. Neil Andrew put Inveraray ahead after 35 minutes but a goal from Duncan Rodger 5 minutes later ensured the sides went into the break all square. Innes added his second on 50 minutes and Gordie MacKinnon made it 4-2 on 75 minutes. A Grant Griffin goal on 83 minutes ensured a nervy finish for the visitors but Fort William held on to take the points in a 4-3 win. Fort William are now level on points with Newtonmore although the men from the Eilan have a goal difference advantage of 3 goals.
Four goals from Ronald Ross and a Ryan Borthwick hat-trick gave Kingussie a 7-0 win over bottom side Glasgow Mid Argyll at the Dell. The visitors again deployed their six man defence but that didn’t stop Ryan Borthwick giving the King’s an 8 minute lead. Ronald Ross made it 2-0 a couple of minutes later and he went on to complete a first half hat-trick with goals in 29 and 42 minutes. Ross scored his fourth on 55 minutes – the second consecutive Saturday he has bagged 4 goals – and Ryan Borthwick added his second a minute later before going on to complete his hat-trick on 59 minutes. This result means that the King’s stay in the hunt for a Grand Slam whilst Glasgow Mid Argyll are officially relegated to Marine Harvest South Division 1.
Lovat went down 3-0 to Kyles Athletic at Balgate. All the goals came in the second half with Rupert Williamson giving Kyles the lead on 47 minutes. Late goals from Dunkie Kerr on 83 minutes and Robbie MacLeod 2 minutes from time continued Kyles’ good run.
The crucial relegation match at the Meadows, Rothesay between Bute and Oban Camanachd was postponed because of a traffic accident.
The Marine Harvest North Division 1 title race continues to be finely balanced between Lochaber and Kilmallie with the Spean Bridge men maintaining their one point lead at the top of the table following a 4-1 win over Strathglass. Lochaber were without their suspended buckshee back Neil MacDonald. Goals from Shaun Nicolson, Ben Delaney, Alan Knox and Connor Sweeney put the Spean Bridge men 4-0 up before Robert Geddes’ late response from Strathglass.
Second place Kilmallie were in clinical form in front of goal against Skye Camanachd at Canal Parks and ran out 7-1 winners. To read a full report on the match, click on the following link Kilmallie 7 Skye Camanachd 1
Inverness went down 5-2 to Lochcarron at the Bught Park, Inverness. Veteran Ian MacKenzie scored 2 of their goals with Mark Sproule, Finlay Stark and Gregor Cushnie getting the others. Liam Girvan and Reece Munro replied for the home side. Inverness have now completed their league programme 4 points ahead of bottom club Strathglass who still have 3 games to play.
Kinlochshiel were leading Beauly 3-1 at Kirkton with only 15 minutes remaining when heavy rain caused referee Dougie Cameron to abandon the match. The goals that were scored came in the second half. John MacRae put ‘Shiel ahead on 49 minutes and 2 goals in 2 minutes from Keith MacRae on 67 minutes and Gordie MacDonald on 68 minutes put the home side 3-0 in front. David MacLean pulled a goal back for Beauly on 72 minutes but the match was abandoned 3 minutes later by referee Dougie Cameron.
There was one match in Marine Harvest South Division 1 as the bottom two sides, Ballachulish and Inveraray, met at Jubilee Park. Ballachulish were 4-3 winners when the sides met a fortnight ago and they did the double with a 3-2 win in this one. D Robertson scored the only goal of the first half to give Inveraray a 1-0 lead at the break. An Andrew Young goal on 72 minutes squared the match only for Lewis MacNicol to restore the visitor’s advantage on 63 minutes. However Ballachulish were not to be denied and Darren Sutherland made it 2-2 on 75 minutes and David MacPhee got the winner on 78 minutes.
Marine Harvest North Division 2 leaders Glengarry suffered a blow last weekend when they went down 3-0 to Fort William at An Aird but they got back on track this week with a 3-0 win over Beauly at Braeview Park. U17 striker Jack MacDonald put Beauly ahead after just 3 minutes but Glengarry playmaker Steven Cameron scored twice on 20 and 35 minutes to give the visitors a 2-1 first half lead. Matthew Clark sealed the win with a strike 10 minutes from time. Beauly’s Alan Bruce and ‘Garry’s Daniel MacLennan were both sent off by referee Russell Ross.
Craig Dawson and Kevin Thain scored doubles as Kingussie beat Lovat 5-3 in their noon throw up at Balgate. Craig Dawson gave Kingussie the lead on 22 minutes and 2 goals in the closing minutes of the half gave the Kings a comfortable 3-0 lead at the break with Kevin Thain netting on 40 minutes and Dawson adding his second on the stroke of half time. Thain added his second on 53 minutes to make it 4-0 but Lovat gave a much better account of themselves in the second half and James Whyte led their come-back with a goal on 70 minutes. A strike from 12 year old Danny Kelly made it 4-2 with 10 minutes remaining. Connall MacIllechiar looked to have set up an exciting finish when he made it 3-2 on 89 minutes but a goal from Kingussie’s Savio Genini just before the final whistle sealed a 5-3 win.
Resurgent Fort William beat Kinlochshiel 3-0 at An Aird. U17 star Jack Fraser, Michael Slezas and Daniel Stewart got their goals.
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Kilmallie travelled to the Eilan where they went down 8-1 to Newtonmore. Drew MacDonald and Chris Seller both scored hat-tricks for the home side with Conor Jones and Calum Stewart getting the others. Jamie Morrison replied for the visitors.
Glasgow Mid Argyll warmed up for their Bullough Cup Final appearance with a 1-1 draw with Bute at the Meadows, Rothesay in their Marine Harvest South Division 2 clash. Tam McCready scored for Bute and Donald Colville countering for the visitors. This completes the Marine Harvest South Division 2 programme.
With Marine Harvest North Division 3 leaders Aberdeen University not in action, second place Lochaber missed the chance to narrow the gap when they went down 3-1 to third place Caberfeidh at Castle Leod in one of their games in hand. Gary MacLennan scored twice for the home side whilst Ian MacDonald got the other. Scott Knox replied for Lochaber.
Ardnamurchan’s match at Battery Park against Lochcarron was postponed because of travel difficulties.
Lochbroom were awarded the points for their match against Strathglass in Ullapool as the visitors were unable to raise a team.