Tuesday 19 June 2007, 7:15pm
League

CARR-BRIDGE 6-0 TOMATIN UTD

A much changed Carr-bridge side recorded a second successive home win against a plucky Tomatin United with a thumping 6-0 victory in the David Ritchie and Sons sponsored Strathspey and Badenoch Welfare League on Tuesday night.

Carr-bridge took the game to their opponents from the off, with Tulloch and Forrest setting up Ritchie, whose first time effort was straight at the keeper. The home side didn’t have to wait long though, and opened the scoring on 7 minutes when Ritchie picked out Grant with a delightful chip over the defence, the veteran striker showed all his experience by dispatching a crisp shot into the keeper's bottom corner.

Ritchie should have made it two on ten minutes when Orris picked out the young midfielder with a pull back, but his effort skewed just wide. Forrest was next to try his luck when capitalising on a defensive error, but he miss-hit his attempted lob and the ball bobbled harmlessly wide.

The two youngsters were shown how to put the ball in the back of the net on 18 minutes when a deep cross from Tulloch was expertly headed home by Grant from a tight angle. The home side continued to dominate and Grant completed his hatrick on 22 minutes.

The visitors were working tirelessly but with little effect, and it was no real surprise when Carr-bridge went 4-0 up on 35 minutes, with Forrest putting a deft flick over the keeper at the near post. Scott McDonald had time to score the fifth shortly before half time.

The second half continued in much the same vein with the home side pressing for more goals; however Tomatin did threaten the Carr-bridge goal on a few occasions. Ex Carr-bridge striker Bobby Kennedy must surely have thought he had scored on 55minutes when he turned his marker in the box and fired a terrific shot which seemed destined for the bottom corner. Gordie MacDonald had other ideas and threw himself low and tip the ball round the post, for what was a top class save.

Despite spending most of the time in the visitors' half, a lack of composure and some wayward finishing prevented any further goals. Tulloch smashed a great 30 yarder against the cross bar, while on 75 minutes Forrest made space for himself, only for his angled drive to clip the outside of the post.

At the other end Kennedy was again denied, this time by a spectacular goal line clearance from Cormack on 82 minutes, and could only watch in disbelief as a great lob from the edge of the box hit the top of the bar three minutes later.

Carr-bridge completed the rout on 89 minutes when Ritchie’s persistence and determination saw him burst into the box, despite being put under pressure from the defender he was able to keep his balance and was strong enough to get a foot to the ball and knock it past the keeper for a final score of 6-0. Another decent performance from Carr-bridge, with the back four and goalkeeper rarely troubled.

Carr-bridge MOM: Fraser Tulloch

Scorers: Grant (3), Forrest, S.MacDonald, Ritchie

Team: G.MacDonald, McIntosh, Wilkinson, Zsedely, Cormack, Tulloch, Ritchie, S.MacDonald, Orris, Forrest, Grant

Subs: Gordon
Not used: None

Booked: Ritchie
Sent off: None

Half-time: 5-0

Match report by Steve Purves