Skye Camanachd 2 Lovat 3 | |
06 June 2013 The Skye Camanachd lost 3-2 to Lovat in their Marine Harvest North Division 2 top of the table clash Lovat at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 1 June 2013. Lovat were 6-0 winners when the sides met at Balgate earlier in the season and they have been the form team in reserve shinty so far this season. Skye Camanachd second team manager Murdo Morrison was without defender Neil John Campbell and forward Alan Palmer whilst Stewart Grant has moved to the USA. However keeper Jamie Gannon returned for this 1pm throw up after missing the last two matches. There was a starting slot at full centre for Scott Martin and Iain MacLellan started on the bench as he was still suffering the effects of an ankle knock. Lovat led Marine Harvest North Division 2 from Skye on goal difference going into the match although Newtonmore sit menacingly in third place with games in hand. The Balgate side have been a revelation since Graeme MacMillan took charge at the start of the season. MacMillan was without playmaker Euan Ferguson who was whilst Danny Kelly was with the first team. The visitors took the lead after 19 minutes and it was former Skye Camanachd player Iain Nicolson who did the damage as he collected a Sam Ferguson shy from the left and fired the ball over Jamie Gannon’s shoulder into the net to make it 1-0. Lovat doubled their lead a couple of minutes later when Fraser Gallacher got on the end of a Conall MacIllechiar corner from the right and he turned and shot low into the Skye net. Skye introduced Chris Rose in an attempt to change their fortunes and they pulled a goal back on 34 minutes when Ally “Burgers” MacLeod swept the ball past Chris MacCallum in the Lovat goal. However with just 60 seconds of the half remaining, Sam Ferguson pulled a Skye goal-hit out of the air and played the ball forward to Fraser Gallacher who crashed a shot high into the Skye net for his second goal of the afternoon. Indeed it could have been worse for Skye as Fraser Gallacher hit the base of the Skye post as Lovat attacked straight from the re-start. The second half followed a similar pattern with Lovat on the attack with visiting keeper Chris MacCallum virtually a spectator. The Skye defence were having trouble clearing their lines and they faced almost constant Lovat pressure. Skye keeper Jamie Gannon made several fantastic saves, especially on a couple of occasions with his hand from Fraser Gallacher and Graeme MacMillan efforts, and had it not been for his performance, the winning margin would have been greater. Angie MacDonald reduced the deficit 3 minutes from time with a trademark turn and shot but the final score was kind on Skye with Lovat pointing to Gannon’s performance as the reason they only won by a single goal. Skye Camanachd from: Jamie Gannon, David Grant (captain), Andrew Banks, Jack Latton, DJ Gilpin, Ally MacDonald, Scott Martin, Magnus Burd, John Angus MacInnes, Ally “Burgers” Macleod, Ally “Cleodi” Macleod, Angie MacDonald, subs Chris Rose, Iain MacLellan, David MacInnes, Steven MacKinnon, Jordan Murchison Lovat from: Chris MacCallum, Jimmy MacKenzie, Thomas Fraser, Andrew Wallace, Tom Collings, Conall MacIllechiar, Martin Bell, Sam Ferguson, Graeme MacMillan, Iain Nicolson, Rory Campbell, Fraser Gallacher, subs Calum Farquharson, Duncan Collings, James White Match Referee – Willie MacRae The match balls were sponsored by Nor-Dan |