Five-goal Shaw edges Fort William closer to promotion

Lachie Shaw scored five as Fort William took a huge step towards a return to top-flight shinty with a 6-2 National Division victory over promotion rivals Glasgow Mid Argyll at Yoker.

Fort’s local rivals, Lochaber, are staring Premiership relegation in the face following a 4-2 home defeat by Skye.

But Skye’s reserves were less fortunate when they lost 5-0 to their counterparts from Newtonmore in the Strathdearn Cup final at Kiltarlity.

Saturday's programme took a hammering from wet weather in the west and it now looks as if the season will have to extend into November for at least one fixture.

Shaw grabbed all of his five before his brother, Hamish, rounded off Fort William's rout.

After a goalless first quarter hour, Mid Argyll found themselves 4-0 down nine minutes later. Shaw grabbed his fifth immediately after half time before Craig Anderson scored two for Mid Argyll and the other Shaw had the final say.

With three games to play, Fort William are in the second promotion place, three points behind Beauly and five clear of Mid Argyll, who have a game in hand.

At Spean Bridge, Ben MacDonald gave Lochaber an early lead that was quickly cancelled by Archie Millar.

Ross Gordon in the first half and Dan MacDonald in the second gave Skye a two-goal cushion before Ben MacDonald had a second goal even more rapidly cancelled by Millar late on.

Lochaber now need a miracle of turning round a 22-goal difference in a single game and for Kyles to lose three if the Spean Bridge side are to avoid accompanying Glenurquhart back to the second tier, from which both were promoted last season.

Two from Kyle Clark and one each from Joe Coyle and Glen MacKintosh had Newtonmore out of sight by half time in the Strathdearn final.

Xander Ross wound things up in the dying minutes to confirm Newtonmore’s fifth success in 10 seasons in the North area reserve championship.

Meanwhile, a 3-0 win at Inverness effectively secured the North Division 1 title for Strathglass.