| CNES
3 Co-op 0 |
3 July 2003 |
| It was the Comhairle team
who were over the moon whilst the Co-Op were sick as parrots as the
boys from Sandwick Road triumphed in the charity match at Goathill
Park on Tuesday night.
A local legend almost made a miraculous return to glory after five minutes when Donald Sweeney MacSween swivelled inside the box to take a shot on the half volley. Unfortunately, the sights had not been finely adjusted so early in the game and the legend made only the slightest of contact with the ball, sending it spinning at right angles to the intended target, leaving Macsween pirouetting on the edge of the box for some time. Early in the second half the scoring was opened by a cute curling strike from the left boot of Angus 'Charlton' Murray. Finding space twenty yards out Charlton was able to bend the ball into the top corner of the net with ease, leaving the Co-Op keeper with no hope of a save. On the basis of this strike alone Murray deserves to be considered for selection against Dumfermline next week. As the second half progressed two fine goals from Wahid Maciver put his son's finishing to shame with one from the boot and one off the head. Towards the end of the game Macsween's vision was once again clouded by the prospect of glory when some forty yards out he spotted the Co-Op goalkeeper two feet from his line. Despite many options ahead and inside MacSween kicked and accurately found touch two yards short of the Co-Op byline. Stornoway Rugby Club is currently in talks with MacSween. It must be said that the turning point in the game came when the Comhairle were only one goal up and desperately repelling wave after wave of Co-op attacks. At that point the Reverend Bennie, who is a member of the Scottish Co-op Board, was seen to leave Goathill. His presence, in appearance like one of the Blues Brother, up to that stage, had obviously contributed greatly to the sprightly and spirited performance of the Co-op boys. On his departure the Co-op team seemed to lose heart and their lacklustre performance thereafter only confirmed the power that their premier supporter had over them, even from the touchline. All in all it was a sterling performance by CnES with a defence as solid as it looked - especially the ever-youthful Alasdair 'Gaelic' Macleod, a midfield of dynamos, including the tireless running of Angus 'Charlton' Murray and Johny 'Cloody' Macleod, and upfront, two goal hero, Malcolm 'Wahid' MacIver gave pace to the attack, thus complementing the style of the legend MacSween. Tribute must be paid to the managerial skills of The Legend who moulded an ageing squad into a mean footballing machine using the managerial skills honed on the Harris battlefields. His pre-match team talk would have been envied, even by Ferguson himself, and it would not surprise football pundits on this side of the Clisham if MacSween shortly receives a call from Old Trafford. The only downside to the evening was when The Legend discovered that the Co-op had supplied Carlsberg lager, instead of Tennants, for the post-match analysis session. He was heard to comment, "I don't know if I can drink this XXXX." CNES Team: Nigel Scott Tel: 01851 709389 (Work) |
|