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WATCH - Loch Ness celebrate winning North Caledonian League for first time


By Will Clark

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CHAMPIONS Loch Ness rounded off their North Caledonian League campaign in style as they lifted the title after thrashing Alness United 8–0 in the final game of the season.

The Fortrose based club, who only entered the North Caledonian League in 2020 after playing in the Inverness and District Amateur League for 20 years, have won the league for the first time in their history.

Loch Ness dominated the league this season, winning 20 of their 24 matches on their way to securing the title, as they lifted the trophy at King George V Park at Fortrose on Saturday afternoon.

Loch Ness FC win the North Caledonian League 2023. Picture: James Mackenzie.
Loch Ness FC win the North Caledonian League 2023. Picture: James Mackenzie.

Last season, Loch Ness had a dominant start to the campaign, but suffered a loss of form towards the end of the season which cost them the title to Invergordon.

Captain Conor MacPhee says the squad were determined not to let that happen again.

Loch Ness FC win the North Caledonian League 2023. Picture: James Mackenzie.
Loch Ness FC win the North Caledonian League 2023. Picture: James Mackenzie.

He says winning the title was a proud moment for everyone at the club, saying their hard work and dedication has been rewarded.

"It has been tremendous, after last year it would have been easy for us to throw the towel in and not have a good season.

"But the characters that we have got, we came back and the proof is in the pudding.
"When the Golspie games came around and we suffered back to back defeats, it would have been easy to think it was going to happen again.

"But the boys rallied round and got the job done.

"Early doors we set the pace that we were the team to beat. It turned out the way we thought it would, it was always going to be ours in the end result."

Loch Ness FC win the North Caledonian League 2023. Picture: James Mackenzie.
Loch Ness FC win the North Caledonian League 2023. Picture: James Mackenzie.

MacPhee opened the scoring for Loch Ness after just seven minutes with Shane Harkness and Allan MacPhee finding the net to give them a 3-0 lead at half time.

Loch Ness stamped their authority in the second half with Calum Neil scoring on the hour mark and Phil MacDonald finding the net from the right wing to make it 5-0.

Allan MacPhee then scored twice inbetween a strike from Liam Taylor to complete his hat-trick in a ruthless performance.

Conor MacPhee said it was truly a champions performance on trophy presentation day.

"Anything can happen in a one-off game. We have been relentless in the last couple of weeks to get ourselves over the line.

"It wasn't a result that we expected, but we thought we were going to do some damage."
As North Caledonian League champions, Loch Ness also qualify for the Scottish Cup next season.

Loch Ness FC win the North Caledonian League 2023. Picture: James Mackenzie.
Loch Ness FC win the North Caledonian League 2023. Picture: James Mackenzie.

MacPhee says that is a challenge which motivated the team to win the league and is looking forward to taking part in the competition next season.

"It is something that we have spoke about since the start of the year," admitted MacPhee.

"To play down south or to get a good home fixture would be brilliant and we want to see what we can do."

Loch Ness FC win the North Caledonian League 2023. Picture: James Mackenzie.
Loch Ness FC win the North Caledonian League 2023. Picture: James Mackenzie.

The league title is the first trophy Loch Ness have won since entering the North Caledonian League.

MacPhee says as well as defending the league title next season, he wants to fill up the trophy cabinet with success in the North Caledonian Cup and Football Times Cup too.

"The treble is the goal," said MacPhee, looking ahead to next season.

"It might sound egotistical, but we have a good squad and good attitude, the treble is what we are aiming for, that is the only way we can go from this."


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