Sleat thrash Juniors while Portree hold North West

A spectacular overhead kick from Sleat’s Callum Browett flashed just wide of the upright during Saturday’s match.

Skye and Lochalsh Football League round-up

Sleat and Strath hit four goals in each half as they swept aside Portree Juniors with an 8-1 win last Saturday.

Ruairidh ‘​Spod’ MacLeod got the home side off to a perfect start by opening the scoring within 20 seconds of the kick-off.

Connaire Yoxon took control of the ball after a slack start by the visitors and played in MacLeod who calmly finished to give his side an early advantage. 

Connaire Yoxon hit a superb second for Sleat in the 12th minute to double their lead. The spritely attacker shaped to receive a throw-in from Ruari Lates outside the Juniors’ 18-yard box, but let the ball bounce across him before unleashing a strike that found the top-right corner of the net.

Ten minutes later, Sleat scored their third which was no less spectacular. Calum Browett drove down the right wing and into the penalty box from where he hit a fierce shot beyond the helpless keeper.

With five minutes to go before the half-time interval, Sleat scored a fourth, effectively sealing the points in the process. Lachlan MacInnes played in Connaire Yoxon who had time to round the keeper before placing the ball into the empty net.

Despite their first-half travails, Iain MacCusbic gave the visitors hope that they could claw something from the game in the second half. The striker latched onto a loose ball and scored to reduce the deficit to three.

Sleat’s Ben Yoxon calmly flicks the ball as Portree Juniors close in on the midfielder.

However, that hope wasn’t to be realised as Sleat proceeded to score a further four goals unanswered as they registered the biggest victory in the league so far this season.

Ruairidh ‘​Spod’ MacLeod finished off a fine passing move with a chipped effort over Nicolson in the Portree goal to restore their four-goal lead, before Connaire Yoxon scored a sixth for the hosts, completing his hat-trick in the process.

Youngster Alexander Robertson made his mark in more ways than one during an eventful appearance for DL MacKinnon’s side. Robertson strengthened Sleat’s advantage with a well-taken goal to make it 7-1 to the home side, but he had little time to celebrate as he was shown a red card shortly after for an ill-judged sliding tackle.

Roddy MacLeod hit Sleat’s eighth of the game with a finely taken strike.

POINTS SHARED

North West’s Cameron Campbell gets his cross away while under pressure from Portree veteran Mark MacLeod.

In the late kick-off, Portree welcomed North West Skye to King George V. Park, with Graham Campbell’s side looking to continue their unbeaten beginning to the campaign, while Portree were aiming to build on their own encouraging start.

In what would be a hard-fought contest, North West got their noses in front before the break courtesy of a Cameron Campbell goal. 

Sky blues’ Striker Robbie Cameron was released down the right-wing from a Chris McNab ball from which he beat his marker before crossing for Cameron Campbell who timed his run perfectly to finish low to the goalkeeper’s right-hand side.

While North West struck shortly before the end of the first half, it was Portree who made their mark in the second with the equaliser.

A pass by Portree’s Ovi Bercea took a slight deflection which led the North West keeper to mishandle the ball and present an opportunity to Jamie Parker who took the chance and scored what was his fourth goal in two matches.

North West introduced their former captain Iain Beaton for Norman Gillies who was withdrawn after sustaining an injury. The change almost bore fruit for the visitors when Beaton looked to have directed a header goal-wards only to see his attempt rebound back off the post.

Portree’s Mark MacLeod also went close to putting his side in front with a header but the teams had to settle for a point in the end after an evenly contested local derby.

KYLEAKIN STAY TOP

Kyleakin’s Fraser Reid faces up against Eosaph Caimbeul of Kyle.

Earlier in the day, Kyleakin recorded their third win from as many games as they maintained their perfect start to the league season with a 5-1 win against Kyle.

The reds opened the scoring 10 minutes before half-time through the prolific Aaron MacBeth who slotted the ball into the net from a pass cut back from Frazer Henderson. And Chris MacLennan rose to thump home a header from a Danny Steele corner just before the break to double their lead.

Kyleakin scored a stylish third and all but extinguished Kyle’s hopes of a point in the process. Oliver Thompson curled the ball beyond the visitors’ keeper with an effort from the edge of the box which grazed the bar on its way into the net.

Aaron MacBeth scored his second and Kyleakin fourth with a back-post finish from a corner before Kyle hit back to reduce the hosts’ lead to 4-1 – Declan Gilmartin pouncing on a defensive slip to reduce the arrears.

MacBeth hit his third and his side’s fifth goal of the match to wrap up the points as Kyleakin maintained a two-point lead over Mallaig at the top of the table.


In the early match, Mallaig earned a 3-1 victory over Glenelg.

Angus MacNaughton, Cameron Muir, and Archie Gillies were on the scoresheet for Mallaig, while Glenelg’s goal came from a mistake from the home side. A back pass was misjudged by the Blues keeper who inadvertently let the ball roll under his foot and into the net.

Despite a strong performance, the Glen are yet to record their first points of the season. But they will no doubt be buoyed by a positive display in what is arguably their trickiest away trip of the season.

Results. Skye and Lochalsh Football League Saturday 10th July, Kyleakin 5, Kyle 1; Mallaig 3, Glenelg 1; Portree 1, North West Skye 1; Sleat and Strath 8, Portree Juniors 1.

Fixtures. Skye and Lochalsh Football League. Saturday 17th July. Kick-offs 3 pm unless stated. Glenelg v Portree (6 pm); Kyle v NW Skye; Kyleakin v Sleat and Strath; Portree Juniors v Mallaig.

Article by Adam Gordon and images by Willie Urquhart.