Newtonmore open gap on chasing pack
Newtonmore have edged clear at the top of the Premier League after a 3-0 win over long time title rivals Fort William.
The Blue and Whites had a comfortable, though at times fiercely contested, win over Fort at the Eilan to go two points clear of Lovat on the same number of games played. They are now three points ahead of both Kyles and Kinlochshiel, though the latter have played a game more.
Kinlochshiel went down 2-1 at Kilmallie, and Lovat managed a draw against Kyles.
’More began their game well, with early pressure on the Fort goal and it was just two minutes in that the visitors’ defence posted notice of intent with a wildly swinging tackle that should have met with instant punishment.
However, the incident went inexplicably unnoticed. The Blue and Whites gradually became more dominant, though Fort still mounted the odd challenge or two. However, home nerves were settled when Danny MacRae crashed home in the 28th minute with a cleanly taken shot from right of centre.
Despite growing pressure on the Garrison side, there was no further scoring in the first half.
The ’More forwards battled not just against resolute defence, but also an at times strong breeze in their faces. After the turn, though, it took only 10 minutes play before MacRae found the time and space to snap a low drive past the Fort keeper to make it 2-0.
Fort’s hopes were finally dashed in the 69th minute when Chris Sellar netted the home side’s third with a low drive from a seemingly impossibly tight angle on the right side, 10 yards out.
Meanwhile, the extraordinary progress of newly promoted Kinlochshiel was dented by a double from John Stewart for Kilmallie at Canal Park, although Finlay MacRae pulled one back.
Lovat, too slipped up, but against tough opposition in the shape of Kyles Athletic.
Lewis Tawse had put Lovat in front in the 61st minute after a goal-less first half, but in the 70th minute, Kyles levelled through Ewen Campbell before Robbie MacLeod put them one up five minutes later. From then on in, Lovat battled hard to recover a point, and Greg Matheson made it all square again in the 80th minute.