Skye Camanachd 5 Lochaber 2 | |
17 March 2015 The Skye Camanachd second team made a winning start to the season, defeating the Lochaber seconds 5-2 in their Marine Harvest North Division 2 meeting at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree on Saturday 14 March 2015. Skye Camanachd second team manager Davie Pringle made six changes to the sixteen man squad which beat Boleskine 5-1 in Skye’s opening league fixture the previous weekend. Out went keeper Iain MacLeod and defenders David Grant, DJ Gilpin and Neil John Campbell as well as forward John MacKenzie. They were replaced by Andrew Banks, Angie MacPherson, Calum Gibb and Chris MacLennan. Defender Ally MacDonald and forward Jordan Murchison were late additions to the squad. Ryan Morrison took over in goal. Lochaber reserve boss John Fraser was without the services of Martin Porter and Ryan Johnstone. However he was able to call upon defender Brennan MacDonald and forward Ben Delaney. Skye referee John MacLeod was a late replacement for Donald MacRae for this 2.30pm throw up. Skye played towards the Struan Road end of the ground in the first half and on a bright day in Portree, they started with the wind at their backs. The Islanders got off to a terrific start and they were in front after just 22 seconds. James Pringle scooped the ball forward from the right of midfield to John Angus MacInnes who was strong in the challenge, holding off his marker and Iain MacLellan lifted a shot high into the net to make it 1-0. Skye appealed for a penalty minutes later when Jordan Murchison appeared to be brought down as he broke down the left, into the D. Iain MacLellan got his and Skye’s second goal of the afternoon after just 10 minutes. John Angus MacInnes collected a Stewart Grant ball and a nice touch took him past Brennan MacDonald. Iain MacLellan met the ball at the back post and he slotted it into the corner of the net to make it 2-0. Iain MacLellan had a chance to complete his hat-trick midway through the half when he collected a John Gilles pass but he pulled the ball wide of target. At the other end, Ben Delaney darted through the Skye defence on 25 minutes and with Ryan Morrison coming off his line to narrow the angle, Delaney slipped the ball just the wrong side of the post. Iain MacLellan shot goalwards following a free-hit a couple of minutes later but Bryn Whittaker saved well with his feet before turning the ball away for a corner. Bryn Whittaker then made a good save with his caman from a Stewart Grant shot which was heading for the top corner of the net. Lochaber made the first change of the match on the half hour mark with Kirsty Delaney replacing Archie Johnstone who seemed to take a knock to the side of the leg. Iain MacLellan did complete his hat-trick on 32 minutes when Stewart Grant played a high ball into the edge of the D and MacLellan cleverly evaded both his marker and the keeper and he placed the ball into the net to make it 3-0. Iain MacLellan was causing the Lochaber defence all sorts of problems and he dribbled towards the goal a couple of minutes later but Bryn Whittaker came off his line to block his progress. Referee John MacLeod consulted with Goal Judge Davie MacVicar before awarding Skye a penalty for a kick inside the D on 35 minutes. There was little complaint from the Lochaber defence and Jordan Murchison took responsibility with the spot-hit. He hit the penalty well enough but Bryn Whittaker made a fantastic save, turning the ball away with his caman above his head. However John Angus MacInnes showed most desire in the resulting goalmouth scramble and he turned the ball into the corner of the net to make it 4-0. Bryn Whittaker saved well with his feet from Jordan Murchison with just a couple of first half minutes remaining. A Murchison shot through a ruck of players was again well saved by Whittaker as the keeper stretched to turn the ball away for a corner with his right foot. Skye continued to press and Whittaker denied John Gillies from the resultant corner. Skye made two changes at the break. Andrew Banks came on at left wing back. Shaun Hedley moved to wing centre and James Pringle came off. Angie MacPherson joined the attack instead of Jordan Murchison. Lochaber defender Brennan MacDonald made an important interception to foil a promising home move involving the Skye forwards on 54 minutes. Skye went 5-0 ahead on 60 minutes when Stewart Grant played a ball in from the right and a turn and shot from John Gillies ended up in the Lochaber net. It was a soft goal for the visitors to lose after making an improved start to the second half. Iain MacLellan finishing in style a couple of minutes later but the goal was ruled out for offside by goal judge Donnie Martin. Skye introduced their final substitute on 64 minutes when Ally MacDonald came off and Calum Gibb joined the midfield. Stewart Grant dropped into defence with Andrew Banks going to full back. John Gilles scooped the ball over the bar on 67 minutes. It was one-way traffic towards the Lochaber goal but Skye couldn’t add to their five goals. James Pringle returned to the field in place of Iain MacLellan on 74 minutes. Just when it seemed as if Skye would see out the closing stages of the match, Lochaber pulled a goal back. Finlay Nicolson was playing good shys into the Skye goal area all afternoon and from one such shy, Shane Latto was able to bundle the ball into the net to make it 5-1 with 79 minutes played. The goal energised Lochaber and Ryan Morrison did well to block an attempt on his goal following another Finlay Nicolson shy a couple of minutes later. The Skye defence looked increasingly unsure since Ally MacDonald’s departure and Ryan Morrison saved from Findlay MacDonald but Lochaber scored again from the resultant corner from the left when Ben Delaney’s first time effort flew into the corner of the net with 5 minutes remaining. James Pringle put a half-chance from the left just wide of target with a couple of minutes remaining. Skye were well served by Ally MacDonald in defence, Shaun Hedley in both defence and then midfield and of course three-goal Iain MacLellan, particularly in the first half. Best for Lochaber were Chris MacRae in defence, Finlay Nicolson in midfield and Ben Delaney in attack whilst keeper Bryn Whittaker made some good saves. Skye Camanachd from: Ryan Morrison: Ally MacDonald, Kyle Pirie, Shaun Hedley, Chris MacLennan: Stewart Grant, David MacInnes (captain), James Pringle: Jordan Murchison, John Gillies, Iain MacLellan, John Angus MacInnes: subs Andrew Banks, Angie MacPherson, Calum Gibb, Marcus Ross Lochaber from: Bryn Whittaker: Brennan MacDonald, Chris MacRae (captain), Danny Delaney, Stuart Matheson: Finlay Nicolson, Ryan Toal, Archie Johnstone: Findlay MacDonald, Philip Fyfe, Shane Latto, Ben Delaney: subs Kirsty Delaney, Ronan Cameron Match Referee – John MacLeod The match balls were sponsored by Nor Dan |