Dixie Breaks 'Glass Hearts in the Ali Ban

Glenurquhart 6     Strathglass 0

So the headline is rubbish. Maybe it should have been “Hurrah! Hurrah for Dixie!” if that concept didn’t come with its own baggage. However, despite the rubbishness or otherwise of the headline the contest itself was anything but. 

After not having had a competitive game of shinty since March, both these sides put in a fine performance and the general verdict was that it was good to get back to the ancient game. The sad thing about it that this excellent fare was served up to precisely no spectators: Covid rules meant that apart from the players and various appointed officials and members of the press-viz Norman Strachan and Neil Paterson-nobody was allowed to watch the match.

That included the Wing Centre himself, who although he could have wangled an invite to attend on the pretext that this intermittent blog is a bona fide output from the press, he declined to do so. Actually, his good lady declined on his behalf, making it clear he did not need to go and that were he to go there was a good chance that he would be receiving no dinner for the foreseeable. If his grandchildren were not able to come round then ……the script writes itself

Given that it was beef olives from Munro’s of Beauly that were on the menu then there was, as one might say, no contest. Of course, the Wing centre can make his own dinner: he has done it at least twice but he is rubbish at it and to lift another food metaphor, he knows on which side his bread is buttered.

The game went ahead without his presence- but regular WhatsApps from goal judge Billy Macleod and President & Covid Officer Garry Mackintosh kept him apprised of the situation on the ground.

For afficionados of Glen sides of yore it is nice to present the team lines and Glen Boss Paul Mackintosh

It has to be said that the opening 25 minutes showed the Glen’s superiority up front. With eventual Man of the Match Dixie Maclennan leading a youthful front line in which youngster Charlie Macleod, who appears to developing into a potent striker, was outstanding.

Indeed, it was Charlie Macleod who got the game off to a flying start when after a corner on the right conceded after the Glen’s opening attack, the ball was allowed to roll  across the face of goal before the youngster pounced from the left and first timed a sharp low shot past Strath player/manager Allan Macleod who just happens to be his uncle. It just so happened that Allan's brother Iain was in the other goals.

With ‘Glass still slightly shell-shocked from the opener they were to fall further behind when again a Jamie Maclennan corner saw the cross-ball fall to Jed Stoddart whose strike inside fell to Dixie Maclennan and he smashed his shot past Macleod to double the home sides advantage.

A third goal followed swiftly when a long ball up from the centreline from Cameron Bremner found Dixie Maclennan out on the right. He tested away from his marker and fired the ball into the danger zone where two Glen front men were ready to dispatch it- and in the end it was Charlie Macleod who managed to nip his shot in ahead of Jed Stoddart who was equally ready to finish.

The fourth goal saw Dixie Maclennan in a test of strength with veteran  Strath full back Iain MacCallum after Glen switched the ball forward at speed this time following a shy from wing centre Jamie Maclennan  . The ball was then won in midfield by Donnie Maclennan before being swept forward to his brother Dixie thanks to a long hit forward. The Glen full forward gathered the ball and powered his way forward to knock the ball home from close range despite the efforts of visiting keeper Macleod.

                                                  

The next one followed a similar pattern though the ball was fired long up the left from Lewis Macdonald to Maclennan who controlled the ball and drove in on goal past MacCallum before knocking the ball past the advancing Macleod who was bowled over in his attempts to keep the ball out of the net.

The final goal of the day, which came just before half time was again down to Maclennan again picking up the ball on the left and running through this time unchallenged to finish off the Glen’s scoring with his fourth goal of the afternoon. With three  Maclennan brothers in the squad , Dixie was always going to go one better.

Halftime saw the Glen stand down their ace striker Maclennan  and in his absence the Strathglass defence who had up till that time a torrid afternoon began to get more of a grip on the match and the second half was a much more balanced affair. Despite that however ‘Glass goalie Macleod still had to be on his toes to keep out a number of excellent attempts especially from Conor Golabek who tried in vain to get himself on the score sheet from half back.

In the end it was not to be but truthfully any extra goals on the score sheet from Glen would have possibly taken the edge of a game which though competitive was played in an excellent spirit. Matters were also helped by the fact that  referee Bobo Morrison, looking after his first competitive match for some time, kept a firm grip on proceedings , though in truth the players were aware enough of the gravity of the situation and, having had six months without a game,  were keen to be co-operative with all the officials

All in all, the match was a worthwhile exercise and all the effort from both sides to have a Covid-secure match was well rewarded.

Thanks to Neil Paterson for his kindness in allowing us to use his photographs. The socially distanced team shots appear to be a first- but then these two teams were firsts back in 1887. An historic day in deed.

 

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