PICTURES: Eleven of the best for ‘unbelievable’ Kingussie
Newly crowned Mowi Premiership champions Kingussie showed no signs of easing up as they thrashed Skye Camanachd 11-1 in their clash at the Dell on Saturday.
This was Kingussie’s final home game of the season and manager Iain Borthwick returned to the dug-out after missing the previous weekend’s title win on Skye.
He was still without skipper Calum Grant, suffering from an ankle injury, whilst James Falconer, Liam Borthwick and James Falconer were also crocked.
Suspension continued to rule out Cameron Bremner and Rory MacKeachan was working but both Lee Bain and George Taylor Ramsay were able to start when it had looked as if they would be ruled out through work commitments.
Youngster Sam Thain started in defence with Macleod Dawson and Jack Nelson on the bench.
Skye full forward Dan MacDonald was sidelined with a hamstring tear joining Sam Macphee and Martin Pringle on the injury list.
Ruaraidh MacLeod and Iain MacInnes were both working whilst Ross MacKinnon was on holiday.
Unlike their sluggish start in Portree the previous week, the Red and Blues were merciless from the start as they launched wave after wave of attacks on the Skye goal.
It only took the the Kings five minutes to break the deadlock when Ruaridh Anderson lost his marker to turn home Roddy Young’s pass from the front of the D.
It was Ruaridh Anderson breaking free again on 15 minutes, shooting over the keeper following a fast move forward for 2-0.
Iain Fraser added the third a minute later, lofting the ball onto the goal from wide on the right and keeper Ryan Morrison misjudged the dropping ball.
Roddy Young made it 4-0 on 20 minutes, scoring from the left when Skye missed the chance to clear their lines.
Lee Bain added his name to the scoresheet on 40 minutes, taking a pass from Thomas Borthwick before running on to finish.
A minute later, Dylan Borthwick made it six of the best by half-time. It was another sweeping move as Borthwick touched Savio Genini’s ball inside before holding off his marker and running into the D to score.
The second half was just a couple of minutes old when Savio Genini added the seventh.
Dylan Borthwick dummied Ruaridh Anderson’s low ball from the left and Genini ran in from the right, taking the ball around the keeper and rolling it over the line.
Dylan Borthwick got his second on 52 minutes, outstripping the Skye defence down the right before slipping the ball by the keeper.
Ruairidh Anderson completed his hat-trick on 64 minutes, sending a lose ball high into the net for 9-0.
Dylan Borthwick was next to notch a hat-trick just 60 seconds later to take Kingussie to double figures when he tucked home Eion Baikie’s low ball from the left to score his 43rd goal of the season.
Referee Jamie MacPherson awarded the Kings a penalty on 82 minutes.
Skye did not deal with Iain Fraser’s hit-in from the left and Ryan Morrison’s swing caught Dylan Borthwick on the ankle inside the D.
Dylan Borthwick missed Kingussie’s last spot-hit and whilst Roddy Young had designs on taking it, keeper Rory McGregor, a regular penalty taker in previous penalty shoot-outs, came forward and he fired low into the net by the keeper’s feet.
Archie Millar’s consolation goal for Skye came with five minutes remaining, squeezing the ball low inside the keeper’s right-hand post from 22 yards out before the final whistle ended Skye’s misery.