Marine Harvest South Division One

Glenorchy 5-1 Kilmory

Glenorchy entertained Lochgilphead-based side Kilmory in South Division One action on Saturday as the sides met for the first time this season with Glen lying in 3rd position and Kilmory a further 2 points behind in 4th.

When both teams arrived at the pitch they were gobsmacked at the pace with which the grass had grown since the last fixture here. So, this prompted the gaffer for the afternoon, in Allan MacKechnie's absence, John MacPherson to improvise with a van and a lawnmower and scooted about over the surface whilst the warm-ups were completed.

The home side made 2 changes from the previous week's side that faced Oban Camanachd with Kieran MacKay and Duncan MacDougall returning with Lorne Brown and Scott Livingstone starting from the bench. It was also the first time this season the Glen had managed 5 substitutes with a full squad which resulted in a role as goal judge for the flamboyant Steven 'JT' Turner, but more of him later....

Glen captain Findlay Ross won the toss and proceeded to disturb matters by making Glenorchy shoot towards their favoured Mart end goals in the opening period. With the wind at their backs Glen started by far the better side and created numerous chances with the forwardline of Kieran MacKay, Duncan Smith, James Livingstone and Grant MacPherson, who had switched from his usual full back berth, just failing to make the net bulge.

Stevie Gilmour in the Kilmory goal was also in good form with a great from Grant MacPherson with his feet before a great ball from MacKay teed up Smith but he dragged his shot wide of target. A great bustling run down the line by Livingstone engineered a shooting chance for MacKay but his effort flew just over the top as the pressure became relentless.

It was a physical encounter between the sides!

James Livingstone was then unceremoniously dumped to the deck on the edge of the dee which resulted in a booking for the Kilmory defender but from the free hit Grant MacPherson's shot was just off target.

Then came Turner's moment of controversy when a floated ball across the dee from Sandy Leiper appeared to be clearly kicked by the Kilmory defender but the referee, Neil Ferguson and Turner dismissed the claims and compounded matters by awarding a goal-hit!

Just 5 minutes later however Glen did take the lead and it was in some style too as Grant MacPherson collected the ball ahead of his marker and flicked the ball into the air then unleashed a volley which flew into the net for one of the best goals ever seen in Dalmally which made it 1-0 to the hosts.

The home side made a change in the immediate aftermath of this goal with Sandy Leiper's place on the wing being taken by Scott Livingstone who joined skipper Ross and John McNulty across the middle of the park.

Kilmory were not posing at all and Glen keeper Andy Smith and his backline of Duncan MacDougall, Alec MacPherson, Fulton Ronald and Scott McKillop comfortably winning their respective battles. Glen nearly doubled their advantage when MacKay let fly from far out on the wing but his drive whistled just past when it had appeared netbound.

There was to be no further scoring in the opening period and half-time came with Glen leading 1-0 but believing, and rightly so, that the margin of the lead should have been much more. Coach MacPherson was pleased with the way his side was playing and told his strikers to shoot more often instead of that extra pass and then the goals would eventually come.

However, the start to the second half for the Glen could not have been much worse beacuse straight from the throw up Alex Cunningham latched onto a through ball and was one-on-one with Smith and slipped the ball under and into the net as both players collided with an almighty thump which left them both flat out and the scoreline now 1-1.

The Glen's reply to this was almost immediate as they took the lead on 51 minutes when Scott Livingstone received the ball far out on the right wing, then took one touch and lashed home from 35 yards for another contender for goal of the season to make it 2-1 to Glen.

Glenorchy were back in their rhythm by now and were beginning to create havoc for the Kilmory rearguard again and then Kieran MacKay picked the ball up in front of goal 16 yards out and fired a low daisy cutter past Gilmour and into the net to make it 3-1.

The visitors responded to these setbacks and rattled the woodwork ,with Smith helpless, through Alex Cunningham again as they searched for a route back into the match.

This route was to be blocked off however when Glen were awarded a penalty after 63 minutes when Duncan Smith was taken out by a defender and young John Mcnulty assumed the duties and fired high into the net to make it 4-1 and very much plain sailing for Glen now.

Referee Ferguson had no hesitation in pointing to the spot after Duncan Smith was felled in the D.

Lorne Brown and John Sartain were then introduced into the forwardline in place of Livingstone and Smith. Brown's impact was immediate as he showed good stickwork to create some space then slipped the ball into the net via the post to put Glen 5-1 ahead with 25 minutes still to play.

Brown then tried to emulate Duncan Smith's notorious diving exploits but he hasn't quite mastered it yet as his appeal was turned away following a dodgy looking tackle. Scott Livingstone fired another long range howitzer just wide after great work from Ronald and Ross to release him.

Glen then brought Sandy Leiper back into the action in place of John McNulty on the wing for the closing minutes of the tie. The game petered out thereafter with Glen still creating chances with Sartain playmaking at half forward but they just couldn't register a sixth and the game finished 5-1 to Glenorchy.

Overall, Glen will be delighted with the performance they put on for the home support who have suffered a lot in recent seasons and waited a while for a showing like this. But, chances will need to be taken more often if the title challenge is to stay on track in the coming weeks.

Next up for both sides is the reverse fixture this coming Saturday down at Lochgilphead and Glen will know Kilmory will be hurting after the manner of their defeat and will not be able to take them lightly at all.

Glenorchy: Andrew Smith, Duncan MacDougall, Scott McKillop, Alec MacPherson, Fulton Ronald, Sandy Leiper, Findlay Ross, John McNulty, Kieran MacKay, Duncan Smith, James Livingstone, Grant MacPherson. Subs used: Scott Livingstone, Lorne Brown, John Sartain. Unused: Scott MacIntyre, Iain Livingstone.

Duncan Smith