Hold the Back Page! Games are coming thick and fast.

Strange how shinty goes: last season we could not buy a win; this year, like buses three come along at once. We have survived two rounds of the Camanachd Cup by the skin of our teeth as a result of 2-1 home wins against Bute and Col-Glen- and a week after having got through in extra time against Col-Glen we managed to defeat Strathglass 5-1 at Blairbeg to help us climb up the table.

The Col-Glen match was a tricky manoeuvre and was undertaken in the absence of brothers Stuart and Ali Mackintosh-away in Ireland at former player Stuart Reid’s wedding. However, it started in great style with an excellent goal for the Glen which hit the net inside the opening minute. Alfie Macleod who had dropped quickly back to the middle of the field fired a quick ball up the middle to full-forward Finlay Robertson. He did the simple thing- met the ball first and played it forward and across to where Charlie Macleod gathered it and fired it past Col-Glen keeper Whyte for the opener.

However, despite that early flash of class, Glenurquhart failed to press home their advantage and gradually the Argyllshire Glen came back into the picture – and to be fair to them they had their chances – a number of which were thwarted by Glenurquhart keeper Iain Macleod. It was too much to hope that Glen would hold on to the end without loss and that was eventually proved to be true when Scott MacVicar evened the match with an equaliser on 60 minutes.

The match stayed tied until the end and then the nail-biting period of the game occurred. Glen did have the edge however and in the end a Daniel Maclean strike in the 106th minute saw the northern Glen progress to the next round of the Camanachd Cup where they will face Newtonmore away at the Eilean.

A well contested game nevertheless and – a worthy win for the Glen made more notable by the fact that keeper Iain Macleod played alongside his two sons Charlie and Alfie for the first time in the Glen first team.

Our Strathdearn experience was not quite so positive though as our second team squad lost out 2-1 to visitors Lovat. Lovat 2nds have in recent years had the upperhand and this was no different with them going into an early 2-0 lead.

 A fine strike by youngster Daniel Van Loon put the Glen back in with a chance but despite a great deal of effort from everyone in a red & black shirt Glen didn’t have enough fire power- and good fortune- to get an equaliser and once more chance the lottery of extra-time.

This brings us to Strathglass in the MOWI National Division. Now the Glasaich are never an easy proposition if only for the fact that they possess a top full back in Josh Fraser and an excellent front man in Penri Jones. Some of their other lads are not bad either- and this week for the first time this season they welcomed back Thomas Maclean at wing-back. Thomas has been away in New Zealand – and the way he played and bolstered up the Strath defence the Glen Treasurer was tempted to break the bank and purchase a ticket to send him back to the Land of the Long White Cloud.

The first quarter of the match was pretty even – and indeed it appeared at times as if Strath were going to get a grip in the midfield because the harder the Glen pushed the more it seemed that the loose balls were breaking to Strath- and the absence of Liam Robertson in the centreline-out with injury-made this scribe for one worry.  He needn’t have bothered: the Glen gradually got to grips with the game and after twenty patient minutes the ball was slipped through to Glen wing-forward Daniel Maclean – and he ran in one on one with Strath keeper Adam Todd and cooly slipped it past the Strath custodian (I can hardly believe I’m writing such cliches) to open the scoring. Ten minutes later Glen full-forward Finlay Robertson doubled the Glen’s advantage (I know-I know. I’ll stop this mangling of the sportswriter’s idiom now). However, let me just say Finlay’s goal was an old fashioned full-forward’s goal-he gathered the ball in turned and fire it past Todd to put the Glen in at half time with a clear but insecure lead.

The second half was memorable and will remain so because of because of a fine hat-trick by Charlie Macleod. Each strike was excellent and with all due respect to Strath keeper Adam Todd there was no way he was getting any of them.

The strikers first goal came courtesy of a low hard corner from Ali Mackintosh- back in the side after a trip to Ireland and showing, so far as this writer could see no ill effects. The ball was quickly controlled and powerfully struck low and hard  into the far corner hitting the post as it passed the helpless keeper.
His second goal saw him drag his defender across the danger zone where he showed  nice skill to turn his opponent creating space and time enough to place a high accurate shot into the top corner.
His third goal followed an excellent ball played across the front of the D. A quick burst of pace left his marker floundering behind him allowing him to strike the ball first time on his back hand into the net for number five.

This success however was based on a sound performance from the rest of the squad particularly the Glen defence and midfield who settled to their task midway through the opening half. By the second half Ally Maclean, Doug Brockie and Sean Brown managed to get on top of their opponents while Alfie Macleod caused damage and created damage every time he got the ball.

In defence Lachie Smith was immense- we expect nothing less-as was Fergus Robertson who plays with understated precision. Tom Edwards continues to impress as does Daniel Maclean who works hard for the full 90.
Unfortunately Glen lost a late goal after Lachie Smith and Doug Brockie were subbed for well deserved rests- but a cameo performance in the final moments of the game from John Barr went down well in the home stand.

 To give some balance it must be said that an injury to Strath defender Sam Cooper-he took a blow on the hand-did not help the visitor’s cause particularly when it forced Strath boss Donald Fraser to pull top scorer Penri Jones back to bolster the defence.

Meanwhile earlier in the day up at the High School pitch the Glen Ladies second string had a 9-0 win over a Kinlochshiel side-albeit one weakened by the fact that several of the Shiel players could not travel though because of a prior engagement.

Glen went in at half time five nil up, Rowan Brockie claiming four strikes and youngster Daisy Ross a single.

The second half saw Amanda MacLennan -returning from injury for her first game of the season-notch up her first goal of the season along with Jessica Crichton while Rowan Brockie netted a further two to bring the full-time score to 9-0. Amanda Maclennan deserves a special mention: she can usually be  found in goals for Glen ladies 1st team and true to form she put in the first half between the sticks on Saturday before moving up front for the second period. Welcome back Amanda though we are not sure that Shiel would fully agree.

 

The under 14s started off with a fine 8-0 win over Newtonmore with goals coming from Liam Patience, Sam Jones, Kaleb Power (2) and David Fraser (4). This was followed up with a 6-2 win away at Beauly with David Fraser again hitting four goals on the night. 

Let’s hope they keep up this level of performance.

Meanwhile the Under 17 squads continue to do well with wins over Inverness (3-2)-scorers Finlay Fraser, Sophie Power and Liam Patience; Strathglass (3-2)- goals Sophie Power and Kaleb Power and Glengarry (4-2)-goals David Fraser and Liam Patience for the Development squad.

The main under 17 squad, current holders of the London Shield, won 4-1 over Kingussie, courtesy of a hat-trick from David Hart and a single for Glenn MacDonald. They followed this up with a  3-0 victory over Lovat with scorers Alfie Macleod and Glenn MacDonald. They then defeated Fort William 6-0 with goals once more from Alfie Macleod and Glenn MacDonald with Caleb Power also on the score sheet.

So far so good-it’s all about taking part in the competitions, isn’t it? Certainly that’s true for the youngsters- but it’s good to win too. Long may it continue.

Thanks for the pics to Julie Macleod, Doddsy’s Photos & Glen Urquhart Shinty Club Facebook page