Lovat Regain Lovat Cup - Lovat 3 Beauly 2 | |
03 January 2016 Lovat regained the Lovat Cup when they came from behind to beat local rivals Beauly 3-2 at Balgate on Saturday 2 January 2016. This was a first Lovat Cup clash in charge for Lovat boss John MacRitchie and he was without defender Drew Howie and forward Lorne MacKay, who were both on holiday, from his 2015 Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup winning side. Greg Matheson was passed fit to play and MacRitchie was boosted by Kevin Bartlett’s decision to stay on at Balgate rather than return to former club Caberfeidh and he was also able to welcome Scotland U21 player Graeme MacMillan back into the squad following his recovery from a broken leg. MacMillan was an unused substitute and he should be ready to make an impact in the Lovat senior side from the start of the new season. Returning Beauly boss Stephen MacLean took over from Roger Cormack during the close season and he previously enjoyed victory in this contest as boss in 2013. MacLean named a young Beauly side which was minus 2015 captain Conor Cormack as rumours persist about a switch to Kinlochshiel, forward Marc MacLachlan and Sean Stewart who is unlikely to play this coming season. Youngsters Sandy Elrick and Robbie Brindle, who did so well for the Beauly U17s and seconds last year, were given a start in attack and their 2015 U17 team-mate Andrew Morrison slotted into defence. Beauly went into this 1pm throw up as Lovat Cup holders and so only required a draw to retain the trophy. Andy MacLean was a late replacement for Archie Ritchie as goal judge. A crowd of over 1,000 shinty supporters saw Lovat start well and Beauly keeper Josh Grant had to be at his best to keep out efforts from Kevin Bartlett and Lewis Tawse. It was Beauly who took the lead on 17 minutes when Conor Ross and Sandy Elrick combined to set up Robbie Brindle. The youngster sent a low, hard strike under the feet of goalkeeper Stuart MacDonald to bag the opener. Sandy Elrick sent a shot over the bar as the holders looked to take the initiative. Lovat pressed hard for a leveller though and both Greg Matheson and Kevin Bartlett went close. However Beauly keeper Josh Grant and defender Andrew Morrison shone as the visitors took a 1-0 lead into the interval although they did lose defender Kenneth MacKenzie with a suspected broken finger. Lovat drew level on 55 minutes. There was a mix-up in the Beauly defence and Lovat’s Kevin Bartlett slipped the ball past Josh Grant and Lewis Tawse slotted the ball by a couple of Beauly defenders on the goal-line into the net to make it 1-1. Lovat went in front on 71 minutes. Referee John Angus Gillies awarded Lovat a penalty when Callum Cruden was felled inside the D. However Josh Grant made a fantastic save above his head with his caman from Kevin Bartlett’s well-struck spot-hit, turning the ball over the bar for a corner. Lovat substitute Euan Ferguson played the resultant corner high across goal and Greg Matheson expertly picked the ball out of the air and slipped it past the keeper into the far corner of the net to make it 2-1. Beauly were not about to relinquish the famous trophy easily though and they equalised just 4 minutes later. Beauly’s David MacLean had pushed forward from midfield and he capitalised on a defensive mistake with a well-executed low shot from just outside the D which nestled in the bottom corner of the net to make it 2-2. At this stage, a draw would have been sufficient for Beauly to retain the trophy. However what followed next was a goal worthy of winning any trophy. Lovat’s Fraser Gallacher missed last year’s Lovat Cup through injury and there just 7 minutes remaining when Gallacher, who had earlier come on minutes earlier for a limping Greg Matheson, crashed an unstoppable 25 yard shot into the roof of the net to make it 3-2 and this proved to be the winner. Beauly, and especially man of the match David MacLean, can consider themselves unlucky to have not to have at least secured the draw which would have retained the Lovat Cup but Stephen MacLean’s young side did enough to show that they will be a force to be reckoned with in the Marine Harvest National Division this coming season. Skye referee John Angus Gillies handled the match well and there was just the one booking; for Lovat’s Callum Cruden following a clash with Barrie MacDonald. Lovat captain Daniel Grieve was presented with the Lovat Cup, originally donated in 1904, by the 16th Lord Lovat, Simon Fraser. Lovat from: Stuart MacDonald; Daniel Grieve (captain), Martin Mainland, Craig Mainland, Michael MacKenzie; Ryan Ferguson, Danny Kelly, Lewis Tawse; Callum Cruden, Gavin MacAulay, Kevin Bartlett, Greg Matheson; subs Scott MacKenzie, Euan Ferguson, Fraser Gallacher, Graeme MacMillan Beauly from: Josh Grant; Andrew Morrison, Kenneth MacKenzie, Ewen Campbell, Calum Morrison; Ross Forbes, David MacLean (captain), Barrie MacDonald; Robbie Brindle, Sandy Elrick, Conor Ross, Jack MacDonald; subs Rory Campbell, Colin MacDonald, Elliot Moir, Iain Broadhead, Ryan MacKay, Jamie MacLennan Match Referee – John Angus Gillies Goal Judges – Andy MacLean, Evan MacRae
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