Loch Ness FC make debut in senior football in friendly match against Highland League outfit Strathspey Thistle ahead of North Caledonian League bow
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Loch Ness FC took a historic first dive into senior football on Saturday with a friendly against Highland League opposition.
The former Inverness amateurs, preparing for an October 17 baptism in the North Caledonian Football League, went down narrowly to Strathspey Thistle in Grantown with only an unlucky Stephen Macdonald own goal separating the sides.
After more than six months without a match, manager Shane Carling was impressed by how well his team gelled and competed with opponents from a higher level.
Carling’s team will now travel to face Forres Mechanics in a second friendly tonight, before playing Lossiemouth on Saturday and Golspie and Nairn County reserves before the big kick off.
Carling said: “It was a good game for us. There wasn’t really anything much between the two teams and neither created too many chances.
“It was more about getting valuable minutes on the park than the result for me. It has been a long time since anyone got to kick a ball in a match situation.
“But I was really pleased by how our boys held their shape and how well they did.
“We’ve been training hard, twice a week, since July 18, but you can train all you like – there’s nothing like a game.
“We worked well as a unit, considering we hadn’t played together for so long.”
Loch Ness, who drew national TV spotlight and international social media interest on launching their Nessie-themed kit, start the league campaign at home to Scourie.
Read the full edition of today's Highland News here.
