Thursday, March 26, 2009

The Good, the Brad and the Ugly


Kinlochsheil 3 Glenurquhart 5
First the good news : the result at Kirkton was a tonic after the disappointment of the big team losing out in Oban. It was even more disappointing because of the fact that first Gregor Mc Cormack and then Neale Reid had put us in the lead on two occasions before we finally lost out to a goal which was seemingly nothing special. They all count however. So, nothing more to be said about the Mossfield game.
What a boost the Heroes result provided though. At least it did when the news finally managed to filter back to Drum that Hendo’s crew had scored five goals and lost only three- away in the uttermost part of Wester Ross. That makes the Heroes unbeaten in three and guess what- top of the League.
Five of the afternoon’s eight goals came in the first half and as the headline hints the Glen hero was Brad Dickson who finished off his afternoon’s work in fine style with a hat-trick. Brad grabbed his first one inside 10 minutes with a neat touch which deceived the Shiel keeper Ian Cameron.
The next Glen goal came courtesy of a penalty which Calum Fraser put over the line and through the goalie if you catch the drift. Not the best penalty that Calum has ever taken but then as the Oban boys taught us-they all count.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Glen side is filled with youngsters, the presence of the old heads like Calum makes the press pencil in the description “strong Glenurquhart team” but it was the youngest man on the field, 14 year old Ewan Brady who scored the next Glen goal in 33 minutes. The Wing Centre can’t recall every scorer for the Glen over the years but Ewan must be the youngest goal getter for the red and blacks since 12 year old Primary 7 pupil Peter Macdonald scored in a Strathdearn Cup match back in 1977-but then Pete was big and an exceptional player -at darts!
Kinlochshiel’s Ross Macmillan pulled one back for the home side but just before half time livewire Brad bashed another one over the line for the Glen to go in for their Jaffa cakes 4-1 in the lead.
The next part of the match belong to Shiel -Big Mike is happy to concede this- and the Balmacara boys got back in business with a strike from Duncan “Ach” Macrae and then in the 75th minute they pegged back the Glen lead further when another of the Macrae tribe “DA” helped himself to a fine goal. The Glen lads kept their heads- young and old- and within in a few minutes of the close of play Superbrad had completed his hat trick with a cool touch over the line which put five on the board and the Glen into top spot.
It was a good overall performance from Hendo’s guys and nice to see debutant Sam Cumming getting on to the field for a spell along with more established youngsters Ewan Menzies, Calum Smith, Drew Maclennan and Ross MacDiarmid.
Given that this blog is Glen obsessed, it is appropriate to give a mention to Shiel youngster Donald Nixon who has a Drum mum -no other way to say that- and of course the young man in question by that token qualifies to play as a native born Glenner should he ever see the light -which one day we hope he might.
And now the picture – no chance of getting one up at Kirtkton not least because the Wing Centre was not present with his box brownie. He even went down to training on Wednesday but young Brad had been late in from work so he was not present for a photocall. There are of course many snaps from other matches but this was one which was being kept under wraps either for next year’s Xmas Card or a Quiz Comp of the “Who is this former player?” type. It also has a tenuous relevance to the above article.
So here he is , spectating at Blairbeg- former goalie, long time full forward, child shinty prodigy and international darts player, big Peter Macdonald.
And ugly? No not big Pete. Ugly is the way the Glen will have to win to get points in this Premier League. Lets start with Inveraray on Saturday. Go Glen!!

 
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