Lovat 5 Glenurquhart 3 | |
01 August 2012 Lovat beat Glenurquhart 5-3 in an entertaining Marine Harvest North Division 2 meeting at Balgate on Wednesday 1 August 2012. The Glen travelled over the hill without a few regulars including Donald Fraser, Ben Hosie and Jack Hosie whilst Bradley Dixon could only be listed as a substitute because of work commitments. Glenurquhart had most of the early pressure but it was the home side who took the lead on 18 minutes when Fraser Gallacher was given too much space which allowed him to collect a ball from the right and thump it into the net. Indeed Gallacher almost made it 2-0 moments later when he wriggled through the Glen defence but keeper Cameron MacLennan came off his line to make an impressive save. Glenurquhart fought back but they found Jamie Matheson in the home goal up to anything they could throw at him. Lovat almost nicked a second when Rory Campbell forced his way into the D and his shot came off the base of the post. However they did add a second on the stroke off half time when the Glen defence failed to clear a ball into the D and Rory Campbell rolled the ball into the net. Referee John Angus Gillies blew for half-time at the throw up. Lovat made it 3-0 just 60 seconds into the second half when good play from Lewis Tawse on the right saw him find Fraser Gallacher in space and he fired home. Then came the Glenurquhart fight-back, Liam Girvan poked a rebound off the keeper into the net to make it 3-1 on 50 minutes. The Glen then boosted their ranks by introducing Bradley Dixon. The visitors’ second strike on 54 minutes was the goal of the match. The impressive James Hurwood did well in midfield and he found Liam Girvan on the Glen left. Girvan quickly released the ball to Euan Lloyd and he dispatched the ball into the back of the net with the minimum of fuss. Lovat responded and Lewis Tawse won the ball in midfield and he picked out Fraser Gallacher 25 yards from goal. Gallacher cracked a goal-bound effort which was heading for the top corner of the net before Cameron MacLennan brilliantly tipped the ball over the bar. Glenurquhart were level on 58 minutes. Ewan Menzies collected a ball from the left. He turned onto his left side before drilling a 25 yard effort, low into the net to make it 3-3. Parity only lasted 3 minutes though as Lovat regained the initiative Fraser Gallacher collected the ball on the edge of the D to score and complete his hat-trick. Jamie Matheson stooped low to deny Liam Girvan moments later. A Liam Girvan snap-shot rose just over the bar as the Glen fought hard to get back on level terms. They pushed full back Calum Miller into attack and he caused the home defence some problems until Fraser Gallacher was pulled back to nullify his threat. Lovat finished strongly and Cameron MacLennan palmed away a shot from the busy Graham MacMillan. Then a Lovat pass found Graham MacMillan but MacLennan again palmed away his effort. Lovat sealed the points in injury time when Rory Campbell crossed from the right and Lewis Tawse ran in to score to make it 5-3. The win further boosts Lovat’s league position as they go sixth and, with one match remaining, they have ruled out the threat of relegation which seemed so real only a few weeks ago. Glenurquhart’s defeat means that any outside chance they had of catching Newtonmore has gone and the men from the Eilan retain the Marine Harvest North Division 2 title. |