Skye Camanachd went down 5-1 to Lochaber in their Marine Harvest North Division 2 meeting at Spean Bridge on Saturday 20 August 2011.
Skye manager Davie MacVicar made seven changes from the side which beat Kinlochshiel 6-2 in Portree the previous weekend. Neil MacVicar, Iain Grant, Allan MacKinnon, Darryl Macintosh, Ally MacDonald, Jordan Murchison and Danny Morrison were on first team duty. However Martin Bruce returned from injury and he started on the bench with Angie Grant. There were starting places for Magnus Burd, Ally MacLeod, Neil John Campbell, who returned following a long lay-off, and youngster Ruairidh Morrison.
Lochaber showed their intent early on when a Keith Neville shot brought a smart save from Skye keeper John MacLeod as early as the third minute.
Four minutes later Lochaber opened the scoring when Pat Toal drifted in unchallenged from the left wing and fired a low drive that John MacLeod initially saved but he was unable to prevent Keith Neville from scoring with the rebound.
Skye's first shot on goal came when Will Cowie found Magnus Burd with a quick free hit but Burd was denied by a fine save by Callum MacDonald in the Lochaber goal.
Lochaber had the upper hand at this stage and they were unlucky not to go further ahead when a Scott Knox drive came thumping back off John MacLeod’s left hand post.
Skye manager Davie MacVicar made an early change replacing forward Magnus Burd with Martin Bruce.
Skye drew level on the half hour mark in rather fortuitous circumstances when a long ball from Iain Nicolson on the halfway line deceived Callum MacDonald in the Lochaber goal and crept in at his left hand post to make it 1-1.
Parity didn’t last long however as Lochaber scored a second goal on 40 minutes after a spell of intense pressure. With the Skye defence on the back foot John MacLeod pulled off fine saves from Neville and Scott Knox before he was beaten for a second time by a crisp drive from Scott Knox from 15 yards.
Lochaber started the second half with the wind at their back intent on scoring more goals. With just 60 seconds gone, Ryan Nicolson played the ball upfield to Scott Knox who turned his marker with ease before thumping the ball into the roof of the Skye net from 18 yards.
Two minutes later Lochaber were awarded a penalty by referee Evan MacRae when full back David Grant was penalised for a lunging challenge on Neville where he actually cleared the ball. Scott Knox assumed the responsibility intent on completing his hat-trick, but MacLeod saved comfortably and cleared the danger to keep Skye in the game.
Skye then enjoyed their best spell of the game as the game ebbed and flowed. A surging run from midfield by Iain Nicolson brought another smart save from Callum MacDonald in the Lochaber goal.
Play quickly returned to the Skye end of the field where John MacLeod pulled off a fine save from a Keith Neville rocket shot.
As Skye tried to force a way back into the game; MacDonald pulled off another fine save from Will Cowie.
Minutes later Martin Bruce played the ball into the path of Iain Nicolson who was again denied by Callum MacDonald in the Lochaber goal.
The Skye team wilted in the heat of the Lochaber sun in the final half hour and Neville added a fourth goal on 65 minutes after good work by Allan Knox.
Skye lost young defender Ruairidh Morrison with a leg injury.
The scoring was completed in 77 minutes by young substitute Duncan MacKinnon who fired past MacLeod from 20 yards.
This was a disappointing result against a Lochaber team who had been outplayed in Portree but hopefully this will serve as a lesson for what was a very young Skye team.
Skye Camanachd from; John MacLeod (captain), David Grant, Ruairidh Morrison, Neil John Campbell, Scott MacLeod, Ally MacLeod, Iain Nicolson, Stewart Grant, Paul MacKinnon, Will Cowie, Ian MacLellan, Magnus Burd subs Martin Bruce, Mark Mortimer, Angie MacPherson
Lochaber from; to follow
Match Referee – Evan MacRae