PICTURES: Kingussie top but boss Borthwick feels side yet to hit full gear
Kingussie manager Iain Borthwick feels his side have not yet reached top gear following their 5-2 win over Lovat at the Dell at the weekend.
He said: “Any win against Lovat is welcome as they’re a good team who always give us a hard battle.
“We took our goals well, but I still don’t feel we’ve clicked yet as well as I know we can.”
The Kings remain early Mowi Premiership leaders, and they responded well after falling behind to Marc MacLachlan’s early goal.
It came from a rebound off the keeper from inside the D on the right.
However, Thomas Borthwick soon turned home Savio Genini’s free-hit from the right.
Ruaridh Anderson then scored direct from a corner on the right before Roddy Young added a third, again from a set-piece.
Danny Kelly made it 3-2 with a low strike from left of centre before Ruaridh Anderson went on to complete his hat-trick, first with an emphatic finish high into the net from the left after losing his marker and then turning the ball home from close range.
Kingussie top the table on goal difference, ahead of surprise package Fort William, and they are the two only sides with 100% records at this early stage in the season.
Borthwick commented: “We were a few short on Saturday and I thought our stand-in keeper George Taylor Ramsay did really well.
“I’m also delighted for Ruaridh Anderson, getting his hat-trick and he was always a threat.”
The first Badenoch Derby of the season takes place at the Eilan on Saturday as Newtonmore and Kingussie clash with two Mowi Premiership points, and the local bragging rights, at stake.
With keeper Rory McGregor, Zander Michie and Liam Borthwick already having missed Saturday’s win against Lovat, Kingussie manager Iain Borthwick does not need any more injuries.
He said: “Savio Genini came off on Saturday with a sore hamstring and Cameron Bremner hurt his groin, so both are concerns and we’ll monitor them over the days ahead.
“There’s a lot of work to for us to do this week ahead of Saturday’s game.”
Throw-up is at 3pm.
The Kingussie second team did not have a fixture at the weekend and they are now preparing to host neighbours Newtonmore in the second team derby at the Dell.
This Mowi North Division 1 fixture is a noon throw-up.