The Blue and Whites needed to win, and win well, to have any real credibility as challengers to Kingussie and Fort William, and that they did on Saturday.

Any early match worries for the home support soon dissipated thanks to an early opener from Danny MacRae.

Immediately after, Steven MacDonald flashed a shot narrowly wide as Newtonmore dominated the midfield and they did not have to wait long for their next counter.

Evan Menzies scored a superb goal in the 11th minute running in from the left wing past two defenders to slot home.

However, four minutes later, and very much against the run of play, Glenorchy were thrown an unexpected lifeline when they pulled a goal back.

After a break down the left wing, the ball came to Kieran MacKay and he fired home from close range.

But once again the Eilan side were able to settle nerves. Newtonmore's margin was restored when Danny MacRae, running into the box ahead of his marker, was felled in mid-flight and made no mistake with the resulting penalty.

As the half wore on, 'More's domination continued, with shots going narrowly wide and Macpherson in the Glenorchy goal pulling off several good saves.

But he was helpless when Menzies found himself in space 20 yards out and fired home for Newtonmore's fourth.

Newtonmore could have gone 5-1 up when a neat ball back from Glen MacKintosh fell to Steven MacDonald who lashed home, but the goal was ruled offside.

Into the second half and Newtonmore notched up three quickfire goals. Within two minutes, MacKintosh ran through a ruck of defenders to slot home.

Two minutes later, with the Glen defence in a flat spin, the ball came to MacRae on the left edge of the D to pick his spot and fire home.

Another two minutes after that, Steven MacDonald's determined efforts were finally rewarded with a strong ground shot from 30 yards that eluded the keeper to make it 7-1.

Macpherson pulled off a string of saves as Newtonmore piled on the agony, the best of which was a superb save overhead with the stick from a MacKintosh rocket.

But he was not to be denied and, in the 75th minute, he received a neat pass from substitute David Cheyne and coolly slotted the ball past the advancing keeper.

MacDonald picked up a ball on the right wing in the 81st minute and ran through to slip a neat long pass to MacKintosh who turned his man and forced the ball home to make the final score 9-1.

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this

---