Kilchoan Ladies v Uist: Match Report

Kilchoan Ladies met Uist Ladies in Oban yesterday for what would prove to be another scorching hot day, much like the last time these teams met in Oban. But in the previous game between the two teams in Mallaig (see blog post here), the match ended in disaster as one of Uist’s ladies was carted off to hospital with torn ligaments. This match would prove to continue the injury carnage.

The play started with Uist proving strong and able to push forward to test Kilchoan goalkeeper Nan MacLachlan and her defenders. It was not long until Uist scored their first goal. Kilchoan tried to fight back, but Uist continued their strong play and scored a second. During one of Uist’s pushes forward, goalie Nan and Uist’s Sarah came to blows in the box, and calls of “penalty!” echoed from the Uist side, but was ruled out by referee Louis MacKenzie, much to Uist’s dismay. The first half continued with strong play from both sides, once Kilchoan’s Rosie Curtis pushed back to help the defenders keep Uist’s strong advances at bay. Yet Kilchoan did managed to score two goals, one by Abigail Woods and the other by Rachael Haylett, due to poor goal kicks from the Uist goalie Megan.

Ten minutes before half time, with the score 3-2 to Uist, a collision between two Kilchoan players and a Uist player echoed with a “crack”, and poor Rosie Curtis was helped off the pitch, and later diagnosed with three broken ribs.

Half time, therefore, was taken slightly early, allowing the teams to re-hydrate as the day was at its hottest. Uist dropped a player so the teams were even again, and play continued. Uist continued their strong pushes forward, and within a short period had scored two more goals, with some great balls into the box from Uist’s captain Mary Anne, despite lots of clearances from Kilchoan’s central defender Sarah MacPhail and team captain Kayleigh MacGillivray. Although Kilchoan did have some chances to score with Annie MacDonald, Oban’s Robyn (who kindly filled in as Kilchoan were short of players) and Abigail Woods working particularly hard to get the ball up the pitch, a few near misses and a scrap in the goalkeeper’s box which goalkeeper Megan eventually won still prevented Kilchoan from catching up.

Shortly before the final whistle, Rachael Haylett and Uist’s Sarah had a tangle in the Uist box, and the referee called for a penalty, to the disagreement of the Uist girls. However, Rachael failed to beat Uist’s goalkeeper Megan, and when the match ended the score remained 5-2.

Many thanks to Uist’s Mary Anne for organising the match, booking the pitch and organising her team to meet us for what was another exciting and well matched game.

We all wish Rosie a speedy recovery.

Match Report by Rachael Haylett, photos by Gordon Mackenzie.

Kilchoan Ladies and Mens Football Teams train on a Wednesday evening at 6.30pm at the community pitch and would like to encourage more along for what is a really enjoyable evening.