SLT win over Newshot sets up a league title decider
South Lochaber Thistle 2 Newshot 0
GGPL Division Two
South Lochaber Thistle sealed promotion to the top division of the Greater Glasgow Premier League with a hardfought victory over Erskine side Newshot last weekend. SLT now take on Helensburgh in a title decider at Lochaber High School on Saturday.
Only a single point separates the teams so a draw would be good enough for SLT to lift the league championship.
The match was always likely to be a tense affair with the visitors in fourth place needing a win to leave themselves a glimpse of promotion, while the Jags knew a win would guarantee at least an automatic promotion and consign their long-time rivals to another season of second division football.
The tension was not eased by SLT playing at the unfamiliar venue of Lochaber High School due to problems with the water at their Kinlochleven home ground.
This nearly led to disaster when kick-off had to be delayed to find corner flags. In the end, the club was very grateful to Fort William FC stalwart Colin Wood, who sourced the poles necessary to placate the referee.
With everything now in good order, it was Thistle who took the game to the visitors.
Forward Iain MacLellan, skipper Martin Munro, towering midfielder Andrew MacLean and veteran Dave Forbes were stroking the ball around with aplomb, barely allowing the pedestrian Newshot a kick of the ball.
Even impish winger Sean Noble was imposing himself, making himself known to the opposition keeper in forceful style, chasing a ball over the top.
This became the pattern for the remainder of the half. The superior ball playing of SLT dominating the midfield, centre halves Callum Boyd and Kieran Lopez, the latter in a man-of-the-match performance, comfortably dealing with anything which came their way.
Full backs John Ferguson and Barna Tot soaked up the pressure and played around the lacklustre opponents’ wide players in neat triangles.
The match was a hard fought encounter. The referee was looking to let the game flow as much as possible but a booking was given to Munro for what seemed an innocuous challenge whilst there were several other tackles which went unpunished, including a scything lunge which left the Jag’s skipper on the floor.
Midfielder Shaun Hendrie was then forced off with a twisted knee, replaced by Cameron Grant who continued the important role of anchoring the midfield.
Between this dogged display of Newshot, the constant downpour of the weather and a tendency to become over-elaborate in the final third, chances went begging.
Forbes blasted a free kick wide, MacLellan had two chances which were either nicked away at the last moment or held up on the soaking surface. The visitors also know Munro of old and set about denying easy supply to the flying winger.
This descent into attritional football suited the Erskine side who have built a history of success upon such functional football. This allowed