Kingussie Veterans Stay On Top | |
03 January 2018 The Kingussie Veterans retained the Bob Sinclair Memorial Trophy with a 3-1 New Year’s Day win over the club’s Young Pups at Market Stance. The game was played in what could be described as “proper shinty conditions” with a dusting of snow and a touch of frost along with a bobbly pitch. This made the old timers feel quite at home but perhaps did not suit the Pups, raised and spoiled on summer shinty, who found it a touch cold. The Kingussie Veterans went into the contest as holders and their forward line of Gary Dallas, John Gibson, Kevin Thain and Ronald Ross looked threatening from the throw up, forcing Young Pups keeper Robert Shiells into a couple of good early saves. It was no great surprise when Ronald Ross opened the scoring after 15 minutes with a low, hard shot into the corner of Shiells’ goal. The Pups midfield of Rory MacGregor, Ryan MacWilliam and Calum Grant began to provide some decent ball for their forwards but the experienced defence of Michael Thain, Iain Borthwick, Garry Munro and Martin Genini proved hard to break down with Savio Genini getting no cuttings from his “old man” whilst Roddy Young, Ruaridh Anderson and James Falconer were unable to find space within the tight confines of the Market Stance football pitch and they rarely troubled Craig Dawson in goals. Both teams regularly used all six substitutes, partly to save the legs but mostly to keep warm, as the temperature dropped further with the mist rolling in off the River Spey. Early in the second half, Kevin Thain found himself in space on the right and he fired an unstoppable shot across keeper Shiells and into the far corner of the net to make it 2-0. The youngsters pulled a goal back when Savio Genini was quickly in to convert a rebound off keeper Craig Dawson but Ronald Ross soon restored the Veterans’ two-goal cushion when he made it 3-1. The Young Pups had the chance to narrow the deficit when they were awarded a penalty, correctly given when keeper Craig Dawson was penalised for a blatant push in the back on Lee Bain inside the box. However Lee Bain could not convert from the spot and the Veterans held on for the win. This was an entertaining game played in front of a large crowd made up of both locals and interested New Year visitors to the Kingussie area. Kingussie stalwart Donnie Grant presented the Bob Sinclair Memorial Trophy to Veterans captain Michael Thain and both sets of players then gathered to enjoy some New Year refreshments. |