Bad weather hampers action in Mallaig’s win over Kinlochleven

The newly reformed Kinlochleven team travelled for their third fixture to Mallaig in the sort of weather which wrecks fishing trawlers, writes Peter Newman.

With half the home side’s floodlights being out of commission, the visibility and the weather soon put the visitors to the test.

A penalty was awarded against Ally Banks when a ball was cannoned into him at point blank range. David Wilson in the Kinloch goal was in fine form to stop the spot kick.

However, 10 minutes later, he was not so lucky as Banks was again adjudged to have infringed as the rangy Mallaig winger went down in the box. Mallaig’s striker Archie Gillies slotted home from the spot.

The game moved into an end to end fashion as the ball was taken by the wind. Kinlochleven played some nice football with Mikey Maclean and Matthew Prosser combining with William Taylor on the left to work their way through the Mallaig ranks.

Gordie McCredie was powering up from the back and proving to be a thorn in the home side’s defence. A whipped free kick was the result after McCredie was savagely hauled down after powering into the centre of the park.

Sam Moffat fashioned a snapped shot from nowhere which skimmed through but Mallaig were also creating chances, exploiting centre half Peter Newman’s vulnerability under the swirling high balls of the typhoon winds.

In the second half, Kinlochleven continued to press forward and were given their reward as Baljit Singh took advantage of a well worked move to steer the ball into the net to level the scores.

The visitors lost McCredie to a shredded hamstring sustained under the previous scything challenge and Banks shifted into midfield.

Ross Maclean moved back to defensive midfield and found a new lease of life moving the ball with crisp precision and combining well with Mikey Maclean.

Sadly, the second goal came as Mallaig attempted to return the ball after Kinloch had kicked it out for a home side player being felled with cramp. Fraser Davis’s kick was hit too hard and, as the ball was carried by the wind, the unfortunate Wilson was left stranded.

James Laing was continuing to have an outstanding game at left back, tackling hard and playing the visitors back into the game.

However, as Kinloch pressed up in search of another equaliser, substitute striker Ewan Richmond drew the luckless Newman tight to him, laid the ball off to Gillies and – as Wilson parried his shot – Richmond, having slipped his marker, fired the rebound into the roof of the net for a final score of 3-1.