Lovat secure Premier Division status
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LOVAT secured their Premier Division status after a richly deserved 3-2 victory over Kilmallie in Saturday’s Scottish Hydro Premier Division encounter at Canal Parks.
For more shinty news see Tuesday's Inverness Courier
Lovat’s victory means that Oban Camanachd will be relegated unless they can beat Kilmallie by seven clear goals at home on Saturday. That outcome would see Inveraray take the drop into area league shinty.
Lovat were not to be denied though and Ross Lavin’s injury time counter for Kilmallie served only to put an unfair gloss on the scoreline.
Kilmallie striker John Stewart, however, set up a nervy finish when he reduced the leeway in the 74th minute.
It then looked to be all over nine minutes later when Jamie Matheson’s long range effort deceived Kilmallie goalkeeper Kevin Toye.
Lovat dominated matters after that and despite hitting the woodwork twice, Euan Ferguson doubled their advantage one minute after the restart with a superb strike from a narrow angle.
And it was teenager Greg Matheson who gave Lovat the perfect start with a fine 30-yard strike in the second minute. It was Matheson’s 24th goal of the season, but he will not have scored a more precious one in his young career.
However, going into the match against Kilmallie, Lovat knew they required nothing less than a win against the Caol side who had already beaten them twice this season, most recently a 6-2 drubbing in the quarter-final of the Camanachd Cup.
The decision by Gallagher and MacRitchie to step aside was made public in midweek and Saturday’s victory gives the perfect springboard for new boss Allan MacRae as he starts his tenure in charge of the Kiltarlity club.
"It is good to go out on a high and I wish the lads all the best for the future."
"They were under tremendous pressure to do the business, but right from the start they took control and we thoroughly deserved the win.
"It wasn’t the best preparation, but on Saturday the boys proved beyond doubt that they are a Premier Division side," said co-manager Gallagher.
three times already before Saturday.
The build-up to the match, which was originally scheduled for the beginning of September, was also far from ideal, having being postponed
The win ended a tumultuous week for the Balgate club during which their managerial duo of James Gallagher and John MacRitchie confirmed their decision to stand down after seven years in charge. There was also the personal tragedy for striker Fraser Gallagher whose family house in Kiltarlity was destroyed by fire.
