NOW IT'S GETTING INTERESTING

It feels like the season is really beginning now.
All the teams that have been winning things in recent seasons have had a fright, and that's what keeps things interesting.


Newtonmore might be on top of the league, but this weekend the champions face a trip to face an Inveraray side that might surprise them. A frustrating 2011 season left the Loch Fyne-side club in danger of dropping into south division one, but they survived. After an opening day cancellation, the yellow and blacks travelled to Drumnadrochit two Saturdays ago for their first game of 2012.
Glenurquhart applied pressure but Aray survived to record a 1-0 away win. Two aspects at least are sure to have pleased manager John Smillie - the first being that he had a strong squad travelling, which hasn't always been the case in recent seasons; and secondly it was a gritty performance from his side.
Grit alone won't be enough if Newtonmore arrive at the Winterton in the right frame of mind. All of the home side's experience will be called upon, and with Smillie growing in managerial experience - as he showed with some shrewd positional changes against Glenurquhart - it will be an intriguing battle.
A stag weekend in Benidorm last Saturday meant a week off for the Inveraray lads, but senoritas and sangria will make way for blood and snotters as soon as ref Baxter blows his whistle on Saturday.

Kingussie have had a rough start to 2012. An opening day defeat to new boys Kinlochshiel  was followed two weeks later with a 3-0 home battering by Fort William. Sandwiched between these defeats was a 3-1 win against Kyles in the Cowal side's first competitive game this year.
This weekend is Kyles' chance for revenge. They host a Badenoch side that has lost nine goals in the first three games of the season. The Tighnabruaich men, in contrast, seem to have hit their stride after last week's big win away to Glenurquhart.

Battered Glenurquhart travel to face a confident Kinlochshiel in what should be a cracking game, while Lovat won't be relishing a trip to the lovely isle of Bute, where a side that takes no prisoners and is still looking for a first win of this promotion season lies in wait.

Fresh from their good win at the Dell, Fort William have a MacTavish Cup tie on Saturday versus north division one side Caberfeidh. The Lochaber men should ease through, but then again...