ACTION resumed once more this weekend in the Marine Harvest Premiership though the death of Oban Camanachd legend Neil “Nonny” MacInnes occasioned the postponement of his side’s away fixture with Kilmallie.
MacInnes – a two-time winner of the Albert Smith medal for man of the match in Camanachd finals – was an outstanding half-back who captained his side to Camanachd Cup final success over Kingussie in 1996 and also took his place in the Scotland international squad for their annual contests with the Irish Hurlers.
Oban Camanachd’s enforced idleness meant however that Kingussie top the table for the time being after their 2-0 away victory over Lochaber at Spean Bridge.
A cursory glance at the stats shows that Kingussie have based this season’s success on the tightness of an experienced defensive line, which has conceded only one league goal so far in their campaign.
Once again on Saturday they had veteran keeper Craig Dawson to thank for keeping them in the match long enough to be able to launch the attacks which ultimately gave them victory.
Numerous times in the first half alone Dawson frustrated the Lochaber attack, pulling off saves from the likes of Shaun Nicholson and Ryan Johnstone.
The pick of the bunch came from a strike by Lochaber front man Stuart Callison.
He found himself in the clear directly in front of goal and his powerful drive from 25 yards seemed net-bound all the way until Dawson with a last second flick of his caman tipped the ball away to safety.
As is always liable to happen when you don’t take your chances the opposition can cash in, which is what Kingussie did halfway through the first period when Martin Dallas started a move wide on the right, and after some interplay with both Roddy Young and Ryan Borthwick, he was on-hand to fire the ball sweetly past Lochaber keeper Callum MacDonald, who up until that point had hardly seen any action.
Lochaber pushed back to try to retrieve the goal which the balance of play certainly suggested they were worth but again got no change out of a Kingussie backline where James Hutchison and current international Lee Bain were in excellent form.
Kingussie then went on to double their lead just before half-time with another quick goal on the break when a long ball up from midfield by full-centre Rory Macgregor was chased down by Dallas, who tucked it past MacDonald to make it 2-0.
There was no further scoring after the break though Kingussie, given the cushion of a two-goal lead, went on to have more of the game with their quick moving young front men holding up the ball and keeping the pressure off their defenders.
The result now sees Lochaber anchored at the foot of the table without any points despite performing reasonably well in the majority of their outings so far this season. For manager Ally Ferguson the disappointment in his side’s failure to take their chances was palpable.
“I am happy in that we are managing to create chances but we really need to take them,” he said. “All credit to Craig Dawson and the Kingussie lads but at this level we have to be doing better.”
In the remaining Marine Harvest Premiership fixtures Glenurquhart managed a 2-1 home win over neighbours Lovat who led 1-0 at half-time through a Greg Matheson goal.
Second-half goals by James Macpherson and Fraser Heath, however, secured both points for the Glen who stand third in the table just behind Kinlochshiel, who beat Glasgow Mid Argyll 1-0 at Yoker.
In the remaining MacTavish Cup tie Fort William were defeated 2-0 Newtonmore at An Aird.
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