Scottish Hydro Premier Division

Fort William 9-0 Glenorchy

This Scottish Hydro Premier Division fixture away to Fort William is one that Glenorchy will want consigned to the history books after they ended up on the end of what can only be described as a thumping.

The An Aird pitch was in terrific condition for this 2.30pm throw up and the visitors went into the game with somewhat of a renewed sense of optimism after securing their first draw of the season at home to Lovat the previous weekend.

The hosts, as to be expected, created the majority of the early chances and Glenorchy had goalkeeper Graeme MacKechnie to thank for managing some top class saves from Bryan Simpson and Gordie MacKinnon in particluar which drew applause from the crowd.

Glenorchy manager Allan MacKechnie was unable to attend the match so John MacPherson was the man in charge for the day and his plan appeared to be working with Fort getting more and more frustrated at their inability to notch the opener. Although Glen were rarely seen as an attacking force, it had to be remembered they were up against a full-strength Fort William side who have won the last 4 Camanachd Cups.

This impressive resistance was finally broken after 29 minutes courtesy of Fort wing-forward Daniel Stewart who fired an unstoppable strike past MacKechnie. The home support would now have expected the floodgates to open, and this, they duly did to the dismay of the Glen.

Stewart got his, and Fort's, 2nd goal after 38 minutes and Gordie MacKinnon followed that up just 1 minute later to make the scoreline 3-0 to Fort William. The objective now for Glenorchy was to make the interval with no further damage inflicted. This was not to be achieved. Stewart completed a first half hat trick with a low, powerful shot from 20 yards after 43 minutes and MacKinnon got his second right on the half time whistle to make the half time score 5-0 to Fort.

As the sun scorched down on the highland town, Glenorchy coach MacPherson urged his players to remain disciplined and just to go out and start the match at 0-0 and try to win the 2nd half.

As was the case in the opening period, Fort William were the more dangerous side and looked likely to add to the scoresheet. Although, some positional changes for Glenorchy led to Alec MacPherson moving to full centre and Findlay Ross and Kieran MacKay took up the wing centre roles. Scott Livingstone and James Livingstone were both switched to the attack and Grant MacPherson, who was deployed on the wing to curtail the powerful running of Fort's John MacDonald, was moved to half-back.

These changes worked and Glenorchy had efforts through James Livingstone and Scott Livingstone which forced Paul MacKay in the Fort goal into his first real action of the day. But, after 62 minutes had gone that man Gordie MacKinnon reacted quickest to another save from MacKechnie and shot home to complete his hat-trick and make the score 6-0. It was something of a suprise that shinty icon Gary Innes had yet to score for the home side and he finally managed to find a way through after 74 minutes with a long range strike to make it 7-0.

The only Fort forward who hadn't scored was Bryan Simpson and he ended that in some style in 88 minutes when he played 'keepy uppy' while running at full tilt through a dispirted Glen defence at volleyed home the Fort's eighth of the afternoon. There was still time for Innes to add his second of the game with one minute to go to mean the final score was an emphatic 9-0 to the home side.

There was not really an awful lot Glenorchy could take out of this performance and just have to accept that were beaten by the better side on the day and move on. Next up for the Glen is that crucial Scottish Hyrdo Camanachd Cup 2nd round replay away to Lovat with a 12pm start due to the MacTavish Cup Final the same day at Inverness between Fort William and Kingussie.