It’s bad enough that the Holyrood Government is hell bent on destroying our beautiful Scottish scenery with those wretched wind turbines, but it really is rubbing salt into the wound when they start interfering with the scheduled start of Highland League matches.
The Clachnacuddin team bus was delayed on the A96 by yet more of these monstrosities being escorted by police vehicles on Saturday. Surely these could be transported during the night.
All credit to the Clach players as, when they arrived, they quickly got on with it and the game kicked off about 25 minutes late. A quick-thinking driver had switched the bus heaters on, so the players didn’t need much of a warm-up.
Despite losing an early goal Clach competed well and led 3-2 at the break. Gordon Morrison always plays well against Locos and he scored twice, although his second, a header at the near post, came gift-wrapped from a sleeping Locos’ defence.
There was no further scoring and the second-half was a strange affair. Locos immediately went on the offensive, but after John Campbell had made a tremendous save from a deflected Hunter shot, they struggled to cross the half-way line, let alone trouble the goalkeeper. That was due to Clach pressure, but also to some woeful passing out of defence. The game petered out as a contest and brought a disappointing season to a rather dismal close. Clach deserved their win.
It has been a feature of this season that Locos’ performances have been better on the road. Statistics don’t lie and seven home wins compared with 11 away victories and the team appears to reserve fine performances away from Harlaw Park. Saturday’s defeat was preceded by a good win at Turriff, who new Champions Cove Rangers failed to beat at The Haughs on Saturday. If Locos could replicate their away form at Harlaw they could be challenging near the top.
Leaving aside the exciting 4-4 Scottish Cup draw with Annan Athletic and Neil McLean’s wonderful solo last minute equaliser, the highlight of the season for me was the 4-3 league victory over Champions Cove Rangers at Spain Park on January 3rd.Players of both sides deserve credit for an exciting encounter in a match played in atrocious weather conditions and which, frankly, should not have started.
Congratulations are due to Cove for winning the SHFL and everyone at Inverurie Loco. Works F.C. wishes them the best of luck in the forthcoming Scottish League play-off matches.