PRESENT champions Kinlochshiel continue to make the early running at the top of the Marine Harvest Premier League. They had to share the points, though, in a 2-2 draw with Oban Camanachd.
Indeed while the match was played at Inverness’s Bught Park, the result can be chalked up as a home point lost since the game was switched at short notice after Shiel’s own pitch at Balmacara was rendered unplayable.
For Kinlochshiel who had been cruising in their earlier Premiership matches, Saturday’s result comes as something of a wake-up call, although manager Johnston Gill was disappointed not to win as the tide turned in favour of his side towards the end.
Earlier on it was a very different story with Oban’s top scorer Andrew MacCuish giving his side the lead with their first attack of the afternoon after a mix-up in the Shiel backline. Confusion between keeper Scott Kennedy and full-back Finlay Macrae left the Oban frontman free to tap the ball home from close range.
Oban doubled their lead in 32 minutes when Craig MacDougall found the top corner of the net with a fierce 15-yard drive after a ball forward from Daniel MacCuish was not dealt with by defender David Falconer.
Before then Shiel had had their own periods of pressure but had found Oban keeper Cameron Sutherland in exceptional form keeping out in particular an excellent strike from Jordan Fraser that deserved a better fate. Eventually however just before the break Sutherland was beaten by an unexpected angled drive from distance by international forward John Macrae.
Gill made some adjustments to the shape of his side for the second half, bringing the experienced Paul Macrae off the bench to fill the full-back role and pushing Finlay Macrae up to the centreline.
The switches began to pay off when the Wester Ross side began to increase their share of possession. The Oban defence held out until the persistence of Shiel’s Jordan Fraser led to the equaliser five minutes from time. Indeed the same player might have clinched both points for his side moments later but a last-ditch intervention from Daniel Cameron kept the ball from entering the Oban net.
While Shiel were stuttering in Inverness, Newtonmore – who have struggled to field a consistent side so far this season – picked up both points at Strathpeffer with a 3-2 victory over Premiership newcomers Caberfeidh.
In a tight, competitive match Caberfeidh went ahead twice with strikes from their under-21 international forward Craig Morrison. Those were then cancelled out by goals from Newtonmore youngster Iain Robinson.
The Badenoch side eventually sealed the game after a solo run from half forward Drew Macdonald which saw him outpace his marker before firing the ball home from just on the D.
Elsewhere, Kingussie also won 2-0 away at bottom side Skye, with all the real action coming in the first half. Kingussie opening the scoring in the 25th minute through teenager Ruaraidh Anderson, who finished from a tight angle after latching on to a long ball. Shortly afterwards, with the Skye backline failing to react to a long shy from Fraser Munro, Rob Macgregor clinched the game with an excellent finish from distance.
In the final Premiership game of the weekend, Lovat defeated Lochaber 3-1 at Spean Bridge thanks to two goals from Marc MacLachlan and one from Greg Matheson.
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