Last-minute goal seals league title for Mallaig
Mallaig pulled off a dramatic victory over Kyleakin in the championship play-off on Saturday to clinch the Skye and Lochalsh Amateur Football Association league title in their debut season in the competition.
There were jubilant scenes among the travelling Mallaig fans in Broadford on Saturday after goals at either end of the 90 minutes from Andy Cunningham secured victory for Mallaig in an enthralling winner-takes-all title decider.
It was Mallaig who struck first, just one minute into the match, after Cunningham converted a penalty following a foul on Marius Stoian.
Eager to shrug off that early goal, Kyleakin responded by taking control of the match and possession but unfortunately for them, Mallaig goalkeeper Mark Johnston was in fine form and pulled off a series of outstanding saves in the first half.
The Skye side did have the ball in the back of the net but Gordy Mccarroll’s goal was chalked off after being ruled offside.
Mccarroll again came close to an equaliser just minutes later but Johnston was equal to his freekick and managed to save low to his left.
The match ebbed and flowed, and Mallaig began to create chances.
They came close to a second after a blocked Ross Douglas shot rebounded into the path of Angus MacNaughton who put the ball into the net only to find out he was in an offside position.
At the other end Johnston was called into action again from Mccarroll who had another curled free-kick blocked by the keeper.
Both sides had chances before the half-time break but neither side were able to get the ball in the net and the match was finely poised at 1-0. Clearly buoyed by the half-time break and desperate to get an equaliser, Kyleakin came out flying in the second half.
Mallaig goalie Johnston was again forced into a save from another dangerous Mccarroll free kick before Mallaig cleared the ball from near their goal line.
Finally Kyleakin were able to break the deadlock after Norman Gillies latched on to a Mccarroll pass down the left.
He then squeezed the ball past Johnston at his near post with a shot from a tight angle.
With Kyleakin in the ascendancy and in the hunt for a second, the play began to open up and Mallaig began to put the island side’s defence under pressure. Marius Stoian almost put Mallaig ahead again with a good freekick which was tipped past the post by Kyleakin stopper Craig Wilson.
With five minutes left, it looked like Kyleakin might grab a winner but Stuart Gillies’ shot was deflected wide and Mccarroll just missed the target from the resultant corner.
With the clock ticking into the 90 minutes, Mallaig’s Angus MacNaughton played the ball into a dangerous area for Cunningham who initially mis-kicked the ball. However, he was able to recover and, with virtually the last kick of the game, turned the ball into the goal past the keeper.
The Mallaig bench and support erupted in joy and rushed to celebrate with the players as the referee eventually blew for full time.
Player-manager, Jamie MacGregor, was ‘absolutely delighted’ to get his hands on the trophy after what has been an incredible debut season for the Lochaber side, who also made it to two cup finals earlier this summer.