Lovat look to keep New Year Cup run going over Aird rivals Beauly

Kiltarlity’s Balgate Park hosts the traditional New Year Lovat Cup challenge between Aird rivals Beauly and Lovat takes on Thursday, January 2.

Lovat will be targeting a fifth successive triumph since regaining possession of the silverware in 2016 through a narrow 3–2 win.

Lovat’s status as a Premiership side will see them again go in to this clash as firm favourites with their near neighbours who play in the National Division hoping to upset the odds and take the trophy back to Braeview Park for the first time since 2015.

Each year both clubs make a massive effort to ensure the fixture goes ahead no matter what the weather brings and because of this endeavour, postponements are rare.

If the original venue proves unplayable, the option of switching to the other club’s home pitch is taken as happened in 2018 when patches of ice on a bone hard Balgate rendered the Kiltarlity pitch unplayable, therefore on the morning of the game, the match was switched to Braeview Park despite conditions underfoot at Beauly also being treacherous.

Despite being without top goal scorer Greg Matheson through injury, Lovat retained the silverware in 2019 through a 3–1 win with Graeme MacMillan opening their account in the first minute.

Read more in today's Highland News.

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