CRACKING EASTER ACTION AS FORT MAKE PROGRESS

League positions rarely lie, so it should be no surprise that Kinlochshiel would beat the teams around them.

Their opponents today were level with them on points at 2.30pm today. So, it should be no surprise that Kinlochshiel ended up winning 4-0.
But somehow it was. The opposition thumped was, you see, Kyles Athletic.

Last season's double cup winners and league runners-up knew that this was never going to be an easy trip. The 'surprise package' tag is wearing thin for Shiel, but their performances so far in 2012 have surpassed the expectations of most observers.
MacRae is a name prominent in the history of Kyles. Today, however, their clansmen helped to put the Cowal men to the sword. Keith got the ball rolling ten minutes before the break. In the second half, Finlay weighed in with a brace of his own before Duncan Ach added the fourth.

Across in Badenoch, Newtonmore trounced bottom team Kilmallie 7-2 at the Eilan. It was Rodd to the rescue in a familiar story for Kingussie at they overcame Lovat 2-1 at Balgate - Ronald Ross scoring either side of half-time before Martin Bell managed a consolation for the home side five minutes from time.

The real surprise package of the season might yet turn out to be Fort William. They have come like a stealth fighter, undetected on the media radar, and now sit handily in third place in the Orion Premiership after leapfrogging Kyles. With a game in hand over Kinlochshiel immediately above them and two in hand over Newtonmore, the potential is there - if they win these games - to go top by a single point.
Fort today managed to beat Inveraray 2-0; a goal on the half hour by Scott Henderson added to in the closing seconds of the game by Ryan Campbell.
Inveraray are still misfiring up front, in spite of dogged defending at the back.

We predicted a close one between Glenurquhart and Bute - and it was. Just 17 minutes of the match remained when Lewis MacLennan opened the scoring, and that was enough to secure Glen the points.

Action from Oban Camanachd v Glenorchy

This was a day for the Camanachd Cup as well. Oban Camanachd took on near-neighbours Glenorchy, but in a game in which Matt Rippon was sent off, the teams ended level at 1-1.
Also in the Camanachd Cup, Kevin Bartlett fired a hat-trick in a 5-2 win for Caberfeidh over Inverness.

Spare a thought, though, for Beauly. Heroic giant killers last week in the MacTavish Cup - but brought back down with a thump this week. Lochaber delivered a 5-0 drubbing in north division one today. Ouch.

Biggest winners of the day were Lovat juniors, who fired a dozen goals past Inverness without reply in the Sutherland Cup.