Memory Lane – Season 1989 / 90 – Part 30 | |
13 December 2010 North Division 1 Skye Camanachd 1 Kingussie 1 The meeting between Skye Camanachd and Kingussie at the King George V Park was the second game of three consecutive meetings between the sides. It was a crucial clash as the outcome was going to go a long way to decide the title destination as Skye’s defeat in Fort William in their last outing meant Kingussie held a one point advantage going into the game. Both sides had one more match remaining – Skye at home to Beauly and Kingussie away to Newtonmore – and current league form would have the title challengers as favourites to win both games. Heavy overnight rain had left the pitch heavy but that didn’t dampen the spirits of the huge home support who excitedly line the huge pitch. This was a tough uncompromising battle which may not have reached the heights of the previous week’s MacTavish Cup Final between the sides but the outcome showed that there was nothing between the teams. The 1,000 strong Skye support roared with delight after just 4 minutes when John MacRae put the ball in the Kingussie net but the goal was ruled out by referee Brian Watts for an earlier infringement. Willie MacKinnon played a great cross into the King’s penalty area moments later but none of the Skye forwards were able to apply a finishing touch. Kingussie’s first attack saw a Kevin Thain shot flash just past the post. Kingussie enjoyed a sustained period of pressure midway through the first half. Davie Anderson went close with one shot and Skye keeper John “Bodach” MacKenzie made a couple of fine saves from Kevin Thain within a minute to keep the game goalless. It was then Kingussie keeper Iain Anderson’s chance to show his worth when he turned a vicious Andy MacLean shot round the post after the Skye wing centre had run onto a Peter Gordon free hit. Skye wing centres Ally “Stencholl” MacDonald and Andy MacLean then threated the visiting goal but their efforts went just wide of target. The best chance of the first half fell to Kingussie’s Kevin Thain on 39 minutes when he was left in space in front of the Skye goal. He seemed surprised to be presented with such a chance and MacKenzie easily saved his half-hit effort. A massive free hit from Caley MacLean entered the King’s net on the stroke of half time. However as no other Skye player had touched the ball, keeper Anderson sensibly stood aside knowing the goal would not stand Skye pressed from the start of the second half and they came within a whisker of taking the lead when Ian Anderson deflected a crisp Peter Gordon drive off his post and away for a corner. At the other end, Skye keeper John “Bodach” MacKenzie was also kept busy as he stopped shots from both Davie Anderson and Kevin Thain. There was a huge melee in the Kingussie goalmouth on 58 minutes and referee Brian Watts spotted an infringement by a visiting player – a defender seemed to handle the ball - and he awarded Skye a penalty. Kingussie were furious and surrounded the referee in protest. The referee waved aside their protests and Willie Cowie took on the massive responsibility of taking the hit. As the Skye support stood in silence, Cowie fired the penalty low into the net with such force that Anderson had no chance of stopping it. There was a similar melee in the Kingussie goal area moments later and there referee’s whistle blew again but this time Watts awarded the home side a free hit which came to nothing. Kingussie responded and Skye keeper MacKenzie was forced to make a series of saves to keep his side ahead. On one occasion he raced from his goal with Kevin Thain towards the right touchline before clearing the ball to the delight of the crowd. Willie Cowie was doing his best to ensure that Skye scored what would be an all-important second goal. Cowie battled hard to win possession on the left touchline before wriggling into space and unleashing a 20 yard shot which rose just over the bar. With 73 minutes played, and Skye only 17 minutes away from what would have been a first top division title, disaster struck the Islanders! A poorly taken Skye free hit saw Kingussie hit the Islanders on the counter attack. The ball was played up to Davie Anderson and he played in Kevin Thain who found Michael Clark and he left John “Bodach” MacKenzie helpless as he struck a rasping drive into the net to make it 1-1. If the game had been played at a high tempo so far then the closing 17 minutes took on a breath-taking pace. One particularly spikey clash saw Kingussie’s Ross Grant booked for a challenge on John MacRae. Kingussie wisely substituted Grant with Russell Jones coming on in his place. Then MacRae also had his name taken for an indiscretion following yet another stramash in the Kingussie goalmouth. Referee Watts was proving to be the busiest man on the park at this stage as he then booked Kingussie’s Dave Thomson for a foul on MacRae. Skye manager Ross Cowie introduced John Angus Gillies in place of Ally “Stenscholl” MacDonald in a bid to add some extra power to the centre line. Skye made a final push, urged on by the home support. Skye full centre Caley MacLean lofted a huge clearance forward which found Willie Cowie within sight of goal. However Anderson got his caman to Cowie’s drive, turning the ball away for a corner. Referee Watts’ final whistle blew but the drama wasn’t yet over as Kingussie’s Ally Dallas was booked for something he said to the goal judge when leaving the field. It was hard to grudge Kingussie their point in what the early years of a very long period of success for the club. The Skye defence deserve enormous credit for their performance whilst the forwards will have been frustrated to have only managed a goal from the penalty spot. The sides met the following weekend in Portree in the quarter finals of the Camanachd Cup. Skye showed that day how much they were developing as a team as they ran out 3-1 winners on the way to winning shinty’s top prize. |