IN A dramatic shinty Saturday - even though there were only two fixtures - Newtonmore got their noses ahead of Kyles Athletic for the first time this season, with an irresistible winner-take-all fixture between the two clubs to come on November 19.
Kyles Athletic's home fixture against Inveraray was moved from the unplayable Tighnabruaich pitch to Yoker in Glasgow, and it was relegation threatened Inveraray who raced to a 2-0 lead with goals from Garry MacPherson and Russell MacKinlays.
Five minutes before the turn, however, shell-shocked Kyles had fought back with a goal from Roddy MacDonald. Fifteen minutes into the second period, Robbie MacLeod levelled for Kyles, but a 66th minute penalty taken by Garry MacPherson restored Inveraray's unlikely lead.
In the 71st minute, Roddy MacDonald netted his second to pull the score back to three apiece. Inveraray were desperate to hang on to at least a point from the game, which puts them almost certainly beyond relegation, and they clung on resolutely as Kyles, equally desperate for both points to keep them at the top of the tree, flung everything they had at the Fynesiders. But there was to be no more scoring and Kyles had to settle for the point as Inveraray supporters celebrated.
Meanwhile, Kilmallie's home tie against Newtonmore had been rescheduled for the Dell - a venue that the Newtonmore team were delighted with, and Glen MacKintosh, playing at full forward, netted the opener in the sixth minute with a well struck ground shot to the Kilmallie keeper's left.
Seconds later, MacKintosh powered his way back into the Kilmallie area and only a superbly timed tackle from the Kilmallie full back prevented a second.
By now, Newtonmore were well on top, with several shots coming in, including a Danny MacRae screamer that rattled against the post. Kevin Toye in the Kilmallie goal was kept very busy, pulling off several good saves.
In the 20th minute, Ackie MacRae powered down the Newtonmore right wing to the edge of the D and cut the ball back to MacKintosh on a forty five degree angle just outside the area on the left side and the full forward made no mistake to put Newtonmore 2-0 ahead.
Newtonmore began the day level on points with Kyles, but with an inferior goal difference by six, so the home support was looking for a hatful from the forward line to close the gap. As it turned out, despite several more chances, and good saves from Toye, the score resolutely remained at 2-0 at the turn, though MacKintosh could have had a hat-trick in the 32nd minute but the ball slid past the far post.
Danny MacRae let fly with a rocket from a tight angle, and only the very best of reaction stick saves from Toye kept the ball out - though the interests of self preservation undoubtedly played a part.
After the turn, Newtonmore continued as they had left off, but it was the 70th minute before the home side finally struck again, after a string of good saves from Toye.
Danny MacRae sent a cross low in front of the keeper that was missed by two Kilmallie defenders and, on the far side of the D, the ball came to Stephen MacDonald, who gleefully closed in to knock it home. Three minutes later, MacKintosh got his hat-trick after David Cheyne, who had come on as a sub minutes before, cut the ball back for MacKintosh to drill home from the left on the penalty spot to make it 4-0.
News was now filtering through of Kyles' little difficulty down in Glasgow as the crowd egged on the team for more.
Four minutes later, it was David Cheyne's turn to get on the scoresheet after a fierce shot from John Mackenzie on the left side was well saved by Toye, but popped out just in front of Cheyne, who had the simplest of opportunities to slide the ball home.
On 82 minutes, Cheyne looked to have scored with a rising shot heading like a missile toward the top of the net, but a superb save from Toye deflected the ball for a corner. Finally, in the dying moments of the game, Danny MacRae latched onto a loose ball, drilling it home for number six.
As the final whistle went, Newtonmore were delighted to find themselves level on goal difference and a point ahead of Kyles, and in the box seat for the title.
