INVERARAY were beaten 6-0 by Kingussie on Saturday as the Highland side regained the Marine Harvest league Silver Salver, a trophy that they have held for 21 of the competition’s 22 years.
With only one loss in their 18-match league programme, Kingussie have shown doubters that they are still very much the team to beat if you aim to be successful.
Saturday’s victory came against a relatively young and inexperienced Inveraray side which played much better than the scoreline suggests, especially over the opening 45 minutes.
When Kevin Thain opened the scoring after only four minutes it could have heralded an early collapse from Inveraray but the opposite was the case. Strong defending and good goalkeeping from John Slaughter blunted the home attack with Inveraray’s Grant Griffen chipping over a 25th minute chance to draw the visitor’s level.
Just when it appeared that Inveraray would reach the interval only one goal down, a bad decision not to play a simple ball out of defence cost them dearly as Louis Munro pounced to double the home side’s advantage.
The start of the second-half saw Ross, who had been kept on the tight rein for the majority of the first-half, net twice within a minute. The first a typical Ronald Ross rapier-like strike to the top corner, the second, a good run on the blind side of the defence and placed shot from close range.
As Inveraray defended ever deeper, Ross struck the post in the 56th minute and three minutes later Thain missed the goal when it appeared easier to score.
With 14 minutes to play, the ever dangerous Ross struck twice again as the defence tired and Ross capitalised on good approach work from Fraser Inglis and Thain.
Kingussie will feel they could have won by more. However, Inveraray looked up to the task for the first 45 minutes but lacked the experience and depth to maintain their presence.
With six league ties still to play, Inveraray travel to Bute this weekend.
