KINGUSSIE took a further step towards winning the Mowi Premier League with a hard-fought 5-4 away win over Caberfeidh at Strathpeffer on Saturday. Coming as it did on the day that main challengers Newtonmore slipped up at home, losing both points to Oban Camanachd, Kingussie now have a three-point breathing space over their Badenoch rivals.

Oban Camanachd, too, are still in the picture but with five games still to play it is something of a tougher ask for them to keep the momentum going until the last day of their season when they are due to face Kyles Athletic away. For Kingussie, though – who last won a Premiership title back in 2009 – the challenge is to keep focused for their final three fixtures.

That is a task manager John Gibson feels is within the grasp of his young squad, most of whom were in primary school when Kings last won a senior championship. “From now on it’s all about the results rather than performance,” he said. “We were good going forward against Cabers, especially in the first half, but for whatever reason we gave away goals at the back.

“To be fair the boys have generally been good defensively until now. However, we are happy with the result and we will put the game behind us and move on.”

Whatever the delight in the Kingussie camp, you have to feel sorry for Caberfeidh full-forward Craig Morrison who hit all four of his team’s goals yet still ended up on the losing side.

Indeed it was Morrison – the Premier League’s current top marksman – who opened the scoring in the ninth minute when his sudden strike from outside the “D” found its way through the legs of Kingussie keeper Rory MacGregor. The goal was a little against the run of play as up until that point the Kingussie frontline had showed some good link-up play, with Caberfeidh keeper Iain McColl having to be at the top of his game to keep out, among other attempts, a drive by Ruaraidh Anderson.

Kingussie levelled after 19 minutes thanks to defender Kieran MacPherson, whose goal from the penalty spot came after front man Roddy Young was fouled inside the box by McColl.

Kingussie went on to dominate the next phase of the game, going 2-1 ahead after 23 minutes when wing-centre Fraser Munro played the ball down the left for Ruaraidh Anderson. The youngster quickly controlled it and swept it across for Young to finish well from just outside the “D”. Minutes later a drive from distance by Savio Genini put Kingussie 3-1 ahead and seemingly in cruise control but carelessness at the back on the half-hour permitted Kevin Bartlett to fire in a shot which came back off the post allowing Morrison to knock home the loose ball and make it 3-2 at the break.

The second half started badly for Kingussie when a quickfire interchange between Bartlett and Morrison saw the latter round defender Robert Mabon to bring the scores level at 3-3. However the visitors dug in and gradually their superior forward play enabled them regain control of the game. With Young and James Falconer doing the spadework, two emphatic finishes from Genini saw Kings’ top scorer claim his hat-trick.

There was still a sting in the tail for Kingussie after 80 minutes when, following a long free-hit forward, Morrison grabbed his fourth goal of the afternoon. Caberfeidh pushed hard for the equaliser but Kingussie, for all their youth, were able to hold on.