Skye Camanachd 3 Newtonmore 4. | |
26 April 2011 A make-shift Skye Camanachd second team went down to a 4-3 league defeat to Marine Harvest North Division 2 leaders Newtonmore at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 23 April 2011. Assistant manager Murdo Morrison and coach Willie MacRae put the squad together although manager Davie MacVicar was present at the game. The duo were forced to make four changes to the pool which lost to Glengarry in the league the previous weekend. Keeper Ross Graham was unavailable and with Jamie Gannon injured, Donald MacKenzie became the third keeper to play for the Skye seconds in the last three weeks. David Grant and Stewart Grant were on first team duty whilst Iain MacLeod dropped out of the squad. Martin Bruce returned at right wing centre after breaking a bone in his hand in the first team’s defeat to Strathglass on the opening day on the season. Ryan Nicolson also returned at wing back after an absence whilst youngster Mark Mortimer was also included in the starting line-up. Newtonmore were missing forward David Wilde because of work commitments. There was a minute’s silence before the match in memory of Niven MacVicar, brother of Skye manager Davie MacVicar, who passed away earlier in the week. Both sides tried to create openings in the early period of the game and Donald MacKenzie in the Skye goal did well to save from Chris Sellar after 13 minutes. Skye responded and when the ball broke to Daniel Morrison on the right on 18 minutes, he sent a blistering shot just wide of target. Newtonmore made an early substitution taking on Neil Stewart on the right of midfield which allowed his brother Callum Stewart to move forward into attack. The switch paid immediate dividends when a long ball forward from Neil Stewart was palmed away by MacKenzie but Mark MacDonald fired the rebound into the net to put the visitors 1-0 in front. Chris Sellar had a great chance to make it 2-0 on 29 minutes when he collected a ball from the right but his shot blazed over the bar. Skye’s John MacKenzie had to replaced on 37 minutes after being caught just below the eye by a swinging Newtonmore caman. The knock was accidental but it left MacKenzie with 10 stitches to the wound and a suspected fractured cheek-bone. U14 player Andrew Grant came on in his place. Skye were level a couple of minutes later. There seemed little danger when Mark Mortimer collected the ball 25 yards from goal on the Skye right. However the youngster unleashed a blistering shot which flew into the roof of the Newtonmore net to make it 1-1. Newtonmore restored their lead 2 minutes later when a Callum Stewart snap-shot gave MacKenzie no chance and ‘More took their 2-1 advantage into the break. A couple of minutes into the second half, Will Cowie just failed to get on the end of a deep ball from Martin Bruce. A Chis Sellar effort went just the wrong side of the post on 51 minutes. Skye squared the game for the second time on 54 minutes. A terrific reverse pass from Will Cowie set up a chance for Iain MacLellan and he made no mistake to make it 2-2. Donald MacKenzie made a good save from a Mark MacDonald shot on 61 minutes but ‘More’s Ross Aitken kicked the rebound as he played the ball across goal and he was penalised by referee Iain Kennedy who had a good match throughout. Good lead up play from Andrew Grant on 63 minutes created an opportunity for Ally MacLeod who fired in a good shot but couldn’t find the net. Allan MacKinnon and Will Cowie linked up well on 66 minutes with Cowie shooting just wide. However 60 seconds later Skye fell behind for the third time in the game when Callum Stewart expertly picked a Chris Sellar ball out of the air and his rocket shot gave left the Skye keeper helpless. Newtonmore secured a crucial two goal advantage on 70 minutes. The Skye back line should have dealt better with a corner from the right and Callum Stewart nipped in to net his second hat-trick in consecutive Saturdays and put his side 4-2 in front. Willie MacRae came on in place of a tiring Martin Bruce after 75 minutes. Skye pulled a goal back on 79 minutes. Iain MacLellan burst forward past his marker and slipped a neat pass to Will Cowie who swept the ball into the net for his first goal at second team level to make it 4-3 in the visitor’s favour. Mark MacDonald cracked a shot off Donald MacKenzie’s left post on 84 minutes and the ball squirmed to safety. Chris Sellar went close on 88 minutes as ‘More looked to secure the points. However the final chance of the game fell to the Islanders just seconds before the final whistle. Will Cowie played in Allan MacKinnon who released Willie MacRae on the Skye left. MacRae played a great cross into the D but the Skye forwards were just unable to knock the ball into the net. This was a thoroughly entertaining game in which Skye will feel they deserved a share of the points. Iain Grant was a stand-out for the home side and he policed Newtonmore danger-man Ross Aitken well through-out the game. Full centre Blair MacKintosh and hat-trick hero Callum Stewart did well for Newtonmore. The sides meet again on league duty at the Eilan this coming Saturday. That is because the Portree fixture was brought forward as Skye’s original opponents Lovat played their Aberdein Considine Sutherland Cup match against forces side The SCOTS. Skye Camanachd from; Donald MacKenzie, John MacLeod (captain), Ryan Nicolson, Scott MacLeod, Iain Grant, Martin Bruce, Allan MacKinnon, John MacKenzie, Iain MacLellan, Mark Mortimer, Daniel Morrison, Will Cowie subs Andrew Grant, Ally MacLeod, Willie MacRae, Angie Grant, Murdo Morrison Newtonmore from; David Fraser, Michael Fraser, Martin Ivil, Brett Munro, Conor Ross, Calum Binnie, Blair MacKintosh, Callum Stewart, Ross Aitken, Mark MacDonald, (captain), Angus Gray, Chris Sellar subs Liam Mullender, Neil Stewart Match Referee – Iain Kennedy The match balls are sponsored by Nor-Dan |