Lovat win sees Bute make shinty history (12/07/08)

First Camanachd semi for island side

Lovat 1, Bute 3

STEVIE MacKELLAR'S deadly second half double helped Bute make shinty history on Saturday as the islanders qualified for the last four of the Camanachd Cup for the very first time.

MacKellar added to Ali Carmichael's first half strike against a stuffy but limited Lovat side to set up a semi-final meeting with cup holders Fort William next month.

Bute started with the same team that had lost to Inveraray in the Premier League eight days previously, with captain Hector Whitelaw free from suspension but unable to take his place in the team because of injury.

Some internal reshuffling saw Graham Fisher return to half back and Brian Liddle moved up to the forward line alongside Carmichael, MacKellar and David Whitelaw, and Bute started as if they meant business, going into the attack straight from the throw-up on a very tight playing surface at Kiltarlity.

But the pitch, as well as offering very little room for manoeuvre, was also very hard, and it took both teams a while to adapt to the tricky conditions, with some bad bounces catching out players on both sides.
Bute eventually adapted rather better than their hosts, with Fisher and Iain MacDonald reaching the decision that they were far better off trying to control the ball with their bodies where possible rather than their sticks.

The first chance of the game, though, fell to Bute's Roberto Zavaroni, who unleashed a virtual carbon copy of the strike which secured a point against Fort William in May - a spectacular effort from out on the wing which was destined for the top corner all the way until the Lovat keeper's stick stopped the ball at the last moment.

Liddle hesitated at the crucial moment when found in space on the edge of the D as Bute kept probing for an opening in the Lovat defence, and the all important opening goal eventually arrived midway through the second half, Carmichael firing home after a good exchange on the edge of the Lovat D.

MacKellar's constant harrying and chasing made him a real handful for his Lovat opposite number, who was out-muscled at every opportunity as the Bute player combined his physical presence with some intelligent lay-offs for those around him.

Most of Bute's first half chances fell to Zavaroni, and though he was unable to convert any of the opportunities into further goals before the break Bute, with a rock solid defence and a dominant centre line, could be well pleased with their performance as the half time whistle blew, if not the margin of their lead.

And the game followed a similar pattern after the interval, with Bute largely dominant and keeper Kevin Queen never seriously troubled by the Lovat attack.

But the second goal just would not come - though Zavaroni was convinced he'd found the net in legal fashion midway through the second half, only to be denied by a borderline offside decision from the referee - and as time wore on the nagging feeling that one Lovat breakaway just might change the game began to creep over some of those watching from the sidelines.

The nerves were finally eased with quarter of an hour to go, though,
when MacKellar lost the ball on the edge of the D but quickly regained possession before firing home from just inside the penalty area to put one Bute foot in the semi-finals.

And as the closing minutes ticked away Lovat were left with less and less of the time they needed to have any chance of saving the game - until, with five minutes left, Fisher was penalised for playing the ball with his foot inside the area and Lovat were awarded a penalty, James Matheson making no mistake to throw the tie right back into the melting pot.

But Lovat's frustration at not being able to get past a resolute Bute defence finally boiled over when their captain Lorne MacKay, who had spent much of the game making his frustration known to referee Ronald Campbell, took his protests a step too far and earned himself a red card - and two minutes into stoppage time, with eyes on stopwatches all around the field, Bute broke upfield and a quick ball into the forward line saw MacKellar - not Zavaroni, as the national press reported - thump home his second to secure Bute's small but significant place in history.

The draw for the semi-finals was made later that afternoon and saw Bute paired with Fort William, while the other last four tie is a Badenoch derby between Kingussie and Newtonmore - venues for both ties have still to be announced as we go to press.

Coach Barry Martin said: "Obviously it's a big achievement for the club - we might have preferred to draw Newtonmore in the semis, because our games with them have generally been closer, but as long as you don't draw Kingussie you feel you've got a chance."

Penalty setback a kick in teeth for Bute (04/07/08)

Early blow sets hosts on way to win

Inveraray 4, Bute 0

A CONTROVERSIAL penalty award in the very first minute of the match set Bute on the road to defeat at Winterton Park on Friday night.

An important game for both sides was only a few seconds old when Bute keeper Kevin Queen advanced from his goal to clear the ball out for a shy; having done so he collided with an oncoming Inveraray forward, and there was disbelief all round, even among some of the home players, when referee Colin MacDonald - whose inconsistent decision making had so frustrated the islanders against Kyles six days before - immediately pointed to the penalty spot.

To their credit, none of the Bute players uttered a word in protest - though suspended captain Hector Whitelaw, sent off by MacDonald for one protest too many in that Kyles game, could be seen casting his eyes to the heavens in silent disbelief from the sidelines - but the clinical finish from the spot by the hosts' Gary MacPherson was punishment enough for the visitors.

Inveraray's second goal also had a hint of controversy about it, with David MacDonald harshly punished for what looked like a 50-50 challenge at best some 25 yards from goal, but the hosts weren't about to look a gift horse in the mouth and the free hit was touched aside to Euan McMurdo, who blasted a second past the helpless Queen.

Bute, at least, could have no complaints about the goal which tied up the points for Inveraray, a well worked move on 25 minutes which saw a quick ball from defence played up to the forward line for Neil Andrew to fire home the killer goal.

Bute had their chances in what remained of the game, though Inveraray were far too streetwise an outfit to allow their visitors a route back into the match - and with a number of younger fringe players, determined to make an impression, in their ranks the Argyll side put in a thoroughly professional performance to banish their own memories of the late Bute equaliser which had denied them full points in the teams' last meeting at the Meadows in May.

The scoring was rounded off five minutes from time when Inveraray substitute Stuart Anderson added a fourth.

"It wasn't our best performance," coach Barry Martin said afterwards, "but the start we had would have been demoralising for any team - the penalty was a real kick in the teeth."
Used with permission from The Buteman.

Captain sees red in Bute derby defeat (28/06/08)

Three goals not enough to see off Kyles

Kyles Athletic 5, Bute 3

BUTE'S hopes of climbing away from the Premier League relegation zone suffered a blow on Saturday after the islanders fell to defeat in a thrilling local derby at Tighnabruaich.

Ali Carmichael, James Craig and Hector Whitelaw hit the target on a see-saw afternoon which saw the islanders fall behind, battle back to take the lead, lose it again and fight back once to level the game, but Whitelaw blotted his copybook when he was sent off 15 minutes from time, with the score at 4-3 to Kyles, for expressing his frustration once too often at the decisions of referee Colin MacDonald.

With the Bute squad pared down to the bare bones - Robert Ferguson was their only substitute - and coach Barry Martin in Glasgow providing expert analysis for Radio Scotland's coverage of the Glasgow Celtic Society Cup final, the visitors were immediately put on the back foot by a Kyles side determined to make an early impression.

And the game was only three minutes old when the hosts took the lead, Roddy MacColl gobbling up the rebound after Kevin Queen could only parry a powerful drive from Duncan Kerr.

But Bute, out for revenge after Kyles' Celtic Cup victory in Rothesay in April, soon weathered the hosts' early storm - and in the visitors' very first attack Gordon McMillan earned a corner from which Roberto Zavaroni found Carmichael unmarked eight yards from goal, and the full forward gave Kyles keeper Kenny MacDonald no chance with his finish.

The visitors took heart from their equaliser and began to put some serious pressure on the Kyles goal, and MacDonald was a relieved man when a frantic scramble inside the hosts' D eventually ended with the ball trickling wide of the target.

But with David McVey orchestrating matters from the sidelines Bute were now in the ascendancy, and the visitors took the lead on 14 minutes when David Whitelaw's intelligent lay-off set up Craig for a shot at goal, and though the Bute player appeared to have missed his opportunity with a fresh air swing at the ball, he was given enough time and space for a second attempt from a tighter angle - and this time the ball flew past the helpless MacDonald and into the corner of the net.

Craig almost made it 3-1 when a good, flowing move ended with his shot being deflected wide for a corner, but Kyles hit back on 23 minutes when Donald Irvine's shy into the danger area was sliced horribly into his own net by the unfortunate Donnie McDermid to level the score once again.

Some of referee MacDonald's decisions were already beginning to frustrate the Bute players, and captain Whitelaw left himself teetering on the edge when one protest too many earned him a yellow card which would come back to haunt him after the break.

But Bute ended the first half much the better side, and Carmichael was inches away from putting Bute back in front after he controlled a John McCallum shy and turned his defender before shooting just over MacDonald's crossbar.

Kyles, though, started the second half the same way they had started the first, putting Bute on the back foot and before long re-taking the lead, Thomas Whyte getting in a shot from distance which appeared to either catch Queen unsighted or to take an unkind bounce before nestling somewhat apologetically in the bottom corner.

Hector Whitelaw earned himself a final warning after protesting a bit too vociferously at another example of what he saw as the referee's inconsistent decision-making - but urged by his team-mates and the visiting supporters to let his shinty do the talking, the Bute captain obliged in style on 58 minutes when he rewarded a fine run down the right and tempting cross from younger brother David with an unstoppable shot low into the net.

Bute had a narrow escape four minutes later when Donald Irvine scooped a shot high over the bar after an untidy goalmouth scramble, but the respite was short-lived and Kyles regained the advantage on 70 minutes when, in a carbon copy of the hosts' opening strike, Grant Irvine was quickest to the rebound after Queen could only parry Whyte's attempt on goal.

Ferguson came on for McMillan two minutes later as coach McVey tried a fresh approach, but Bute's hopes of bringing the game level for a fourth time suffered a terminal blow when captain Whitelaw - who had been warned that one more word of protest would have dire consequences - couldn't contain his frustration at another refereeing decision and found himself on the wrong end of a red card.

Iain MacDonald was unlucky to see a speculative long range effort drop a foot or so wide of the Kyles goal with ten minutes left, but with only 11 men it was always going to be a tough task for the visitors - and an uphill struggle became an impossible job seven minutes from time when Whyte and Robbie MacLeod combined well to set up MacColl for a smart turn and shot which gave Queen no chance, sealing a win which does the Tighnabruaich side's Premier League survival hopes no harm at all.
Used with permission from The Buteman.

Late 'More strike breaks Bute hearts (21/06/08)

Campbell strike leaves islanders empty handed

Newtonmore 1, Bute 0

NORMAN CAMPBELL'S winning goal four minutes from the end broke the hearts of Bute's shinty players at the end of an almighty struggle at The Dell on Saturday.

Bute had put in a huge effort, with the defence typically solid and goalkeeper Kevin Queen enjoying an outstanding game between the posts, and their efforts were just a few minutes from being rewarded with a fine away point when Campbell struck to give the Badenoch men full points.

With James Craig still on holiday and John McCallum out with a knee injury, coach Barry Martin drafted young Robert Ferguson into the team for his first senior start - and the new man had a fine 90 minutes against some of the best players in the game, barely putting a foot wrong all afternoon.

Newtonmore did enjoy the lion's share of the possession over the course of the game, and will probably feel they deserved to take maximum points, but even their supporters must have felt it just wasn't going to be their day until Campbell popped up to net the winner.

Bute made a bright start to the game, Ali Carmichael getting in a shot from distance which the Newtonmore keeper just managed to block with his foot, and with no-one in a red shirt rushing in to gobble up the rebound, the chance was lost.

Newtonmore's own attacking efforts were dealt with well by a Bute defence which has given very little away in recent weeks, and which again soaked up everything their opponents could throw at them throughout the first half.

And with the wind behind them in the second half the outlook appeared promising for Bute, with Newtonmore unable to convert their possession into goals against a persistently stubborn Bute back line.

An injury to Graham Fisher midway through the second half required a reshuffling of the visitors' ranks, with Stevie McKellar coming on and Brian Liddle moving from midfield back into defence, but the changes made no difference to Bute's approach, and Ali Carmichael and Roberto Zavaroni both had decent efforts on goal as the visitors sought to hit Newtonmore on the break.

Even when the ball did make it past the Bute defence, Queen in goal had a fine afternoon, with several good stops enhancing his reputation among Badenoch's shinty sages after his good display against Kingussie two weeks previously.

But with four minutes to go and Bute within touching distance of a hard-earned point, Donnie McDermid stopped a ball which appeared to be running out of play; Newtonmore seized possession as a result and two quick passes found Campbell in just enough space to fire home the game's only goal.

Said Barry Martin afterwards: "We certainly didn't play badly and we can take a lot of heart from the game - it just means that when we play Strathglass and Lovat later in the season they'll be real cup finals for us."

Bute beaten by six of the best (21/06/08)

Seconds are put to the Celtic sword

Bute 2nd 1, Oban Celtic 6

BUTE'S second team were given a harsh lesson in the art of finishing on Saturday as promotion-chasing Oban Celtic chalked up a comfortable victory at the Meadows.

For the second week running Tom McMillan scored an early goal to get the hosts off to the best possible start, and though Bute competed well throughout the first half, two goals late in the first half put Celtic in the driving seat - and three more strikes for the visitors in the final 15 minutes of the game only rubbed salt into the island side's wounds.

Not for the first time Bute were quick out of the starting blocks, Ruairaidh Soane firing a shot across the face of the Celtic goal in the third minute to give notice of the hosts' intent.

But it wasn't long before the home fans' faces were wreathed in smiles as just a minute later the Celtic defence made a bit of a hash of clearing a good ball in from the right and McMillan seized on the loose ball to drill a fine shot past the helpless Oban keeper.

The visitors, though, soon hit their stride and Lee Askew fired over the bar from a short free hit before the scores were levelled with a goal very similar to Bute's opener, Alan Duffy striking a shot past John Whitelaw and into the net after the hosts failed to clear the danger.

Whitelaw had to look smart to deny the visitors twice in the space of a few seconds as Celtic tried to turn up the heat, but Bute were competing well in most areas of the park against an Oban side which went into the game with an unbeaten record so far this season.

If Bute could have survived until half time without falling behind they might have had a better chance of success after the break, but those hopes were dashed when Askew seized on a moment's hesitation in the Bute defence to clip the ball past Whitelaw and into the net - and five minutes later the outlook got even gloomier for the hosts when Kieran Gallagher's shot took a cruel deflection off a Bute defender five minutes before the break and spun past the helpless Whitelaw and over the line.

McMillan set up David Kilpatrick for a shot which was palmed away by the Oban keeper as Bute sought to bounce back before the break, and McMillan himself saw a shot deflected away for a corner, but Bute were unable to reduce the deficit before the interval and thus faced an uphill battle in the second half.

Oban's two late first half strikes gave them a big confidence boost at the start of the second half, but though the visitors dominated possession and had almost all the chances, Bute knuckled down and worked hard to prevent any more goals widening the gap, with Whitelaw having a fine game between the sticks, racing from his goal to clear the danger on several occasions.

Alistair Morrison was presented with a good chance to cut the deficit after Oban's keeper failed to properly clear the ball, but the Bute veteran was unable to keep his shot on target, and Soane was left cursing his luck after seeing his shot hit the post after a clever lay-off by McMillan from a Morrison pass.

But those were rare interludes in a second period dominated by the visitors, who finally cracked Bute's resistance with 14 minutes left when Allan Miller followed up to score after substitute Calum Fox hit the post with a penalty.

A three goal margin of victory wouldn't have been too hard for Bute to swallow, but as legs rapidly tired among the hosts' ranks Fox added a goal of his own after fellow substitute Innes Clark saw his shot half blocked, and the scoring was completed in injury time when David Duffy's speculative ball from midfield squirmed through Whitelaw's legs and over the line, taking some of the shine off a fine individual performance by the Bute keeper.

Used with permission from The Buteman.

Bute set up crack at Camanachd semi (14/06/08)

Big names avoided in last eight draw

Bute 4, Strathglass 2

BUTE set themselves up perfectly for a crack at a first ever Camanachd Cup semi-final with a convincing third round win over Strathglass at the Meadows on Saturday.

David Whitelaw hit two goals and Brian Liddle and Robert Ferguson also made it on to the score sheet - and a fine day's work was capped when the tournament's quarter-final draw, an hour after the final whistle, saw Bute handed a last eight tie away to Lovat, avoiding all the big names of the sport.

With James Craig and Robert Walker both absent and Stewart Strathie not yet available for selection, coach Barry Martin brought Gordon McMillan back into the team for his first senior start after his recent suspension, and with captain Hector Whitelaw at full centre and a re-jigged forward line of McMillan, Liddle, David Whitelaw and Ali Carmichael, Bute kept the ball moving at every opportunity and wasted no time in attacking the Strathglass goal.

And the home support didn't have to wait long to see the deadlock broken, Graham Fisher firing a long clearance up the right wing for Carmichael, who squared the ball for the younger Whitelaw brother to fire a sweet strike high into the net from 25 yards' range.

But any expectations that the tie might be a walk in the park for a fired-up Bute side were dismissed within seven minutes when a defensive mix-up saw Fisher and David MacDonald collide while both going for the same ball, and the ball broke kindly for Mark MacLaughlin to fire the equaliser past Kevin Queen in the home goal.

Bute, though, have made a habit in recent weeks of not allowing their heads to drop after conceding a goal, and Robert Zavaroni came close for the hosts as the Bute midfield tightened their grip in the middle of the park.

And the hosts went back in front ten minutes before half time, this time after a good ball down the left by Iain MacDonald, and Liddle got to the ball a fraction of a second ahead of team-mate Carmichael to fire home Bute's second goal.

The hosts could be well pleased with their first half performance, but Bute were never likely to settle for a one goal margin and with the home defence gaining in confidence Strathglass barely threatened at all after the interval.

Nonetheless Bute had to wait a while before the arrival of the third goal finally calmed any nerves - McMillan combining well with Hector Whitelaw to set up David Whitelaw for a 20-yard strike which gave the Strathglass keeper no chance.

From that moment on there was only going to be one winner, and the icing on the cake for the hosts arrived five minutes later when substitute Robert Ferguson - on in place of McMillan just seconds before, after a full shift earlier in the day for the Bute second team - staked his claim for a regular place in the senior side by hitting his first touch of the ball off a Strathglass defender before drilling the rebound into the roof of the net from 30 yards.

Robert Geddes added a late second for the visitors, but there was too little time left for the visitors to stage a dramatic fightback - and the draw for the tournament's quarter-finals an hour or so after the final whistle, with Bute avoiding all of the draw's big names, set the seal on a fine day's work.

The full Camanachd Cup quarter-final draw is as follows: Fort William v Inveraray, Lovat v Bute, Kingussie v Kilmallie, Newtonmore v Glenurquhart. Ties to be played on Saturday, July 12.

Used with permision of the buteman

Stirling effort paves way for big Bute win (31/05/08)

Stroll in the sun for second string side

Bute 2nd 10, Glasgow Mid Argyll 0
STUART STIRLING led the way with five goals as Bute Shinty Club's second team chalked up their biggest win of the season against a plucky but limited GMA outfit at the Meadows on Saturday.

The full forward scored four of his five goals in a fantastic first 45 minutes as Bute well and truly banished the bad memories of their defeat at home to Aberdour seven days earlier with a fine display of confident build-up play and cool finishing.

Bute wasted no time in hitting their stride in glorious playing conditions, with the first shot of many on the GMA goal coming barely 20 seconds into the game, Tom McMillan forcing a good save from Eric Morrison in the visitors' goal.

But any fears that Bute might take a while to find their scoring touch were dispelled in only the third minute, when McMillan set up Stirling for the game's opening goal - and within a minute that lead was doubled when Gordon McMillan was picked out in space and calmly took the ball around Morrison before slotting away the second.

Not even a brief interruption, when the goal at the Lade end of the park broke from its moorings and fell to the turf, could break Bute's rhythm, and Stirling's second goal of the day - a simple finish after being set up by Robert Ferguson - realistically ended any faint hopes GMA might have had of salvaging something from the afternoon, with 80 minutes still to play.

Finlay MacMillan shot narrowly wide after some nice build-up work in the visitors' first attack of the game, but that proved to be a rare interruption in the flow of the first half play, with Stirling and Ruairidh Soane both coming close before Stirling seized on a poor clearance by a GMA defender to complete his hat-trick on 26 minutes.

A brief spell of GMA pressure followed Bute's fourth goal, but the home defence stood firm, and Stirling added his fourth on the half hour mark after latching on to Tom McMillan's cross and wrong-footing his marker to give himself room for a straightforward finish.

A mis-hit shy from GMA's Lewis Smith allowed Soane to set up Tom McMillan for a simple sixth goal on 36 minutes, and though the visitors buckled down and enjoyed their best spell of the match in the closing stages of the half, Bute added a seventh in first half injury time when Simpson won possession in midfield and played a good ball up to Tom McMillan, who did well to hold off his marker and bore down on goal before firing past Morrison from a tight angle.

With the outcome of the match beyond any doubt Bute could have been forgiven for allowing their pace to drop in the early stages of the second half, but shots on goal from Stirling, Simpson and Tom McMillan in the first five minutes after the restart showed the hosts had no plans to sit back.

But some stout defending from the visitors meant the second half was 15 minutes old before Bute scored again, Stirling holding off the attentions of two defenders and a team-mate to turn and fire a Simpson shy powerfully into the net.

Ferguson drilled a shot wide of Morrison's left hand post after Stirling turned provider in a good move on 69 minutes, but that was to prove Stirling's last involvement in the game, for a minute later he was replaced up front by Stevie McKellar, to a well-deserved round of applause from his team-mates.

And the introduction of some fresh legs in the forward line had exactly the right effect, with McKellar opening his account just four minutes after coming on with a ferocious strike which Morrison failed to see until the ball was nestling behind him in the back of the net.

McKellar almost doubled his account within seconds of the restart, but lost control of the ball at the crucial moment, allowing Morrison to bundle the ball out of play in somewhat untidy fashion for a corner.

The visitors enjoyed their best spell of the entire match as the game entered its final ten minutes, with Bute keeper John Whitelaw called into action more than once to keep his goal intact.

A double substitution for Bute saw John McIntyre and Anthony Sweet replace Joe Gibson and Andrew McKellar for the final five minutes, but there was still time for McKellar to complete the scoring, converting a nice ball across the face of the GMA goal to bring the hosts' final tally into double figures.

Craig Anderson wasted the visitors' best chance of the game when he blazed his shot wildly over Whitelaw's crossbar in the last few seconds - a goal wouldn't have been undeserved for the visitors, who worked hard throughout the game and whose young players shouldn't be too downhearted at the final score, but there was to be no consolation for GMA on a day which well and truly belonged to Bute.

Used with permision of the buteman

Battling Bute hold the Fort (24/05/08)

Zavaroni scorcher earns draw

Bute 1, Fort William 1
A GOAL-OF-THE-SEASON contender from Roberto Zavaroni gave Bute a hard-earned draw against the mighty Fort William at the Meadows on Saturday - but after their best performance of the season, and a controversial late refereeing decision, the islanders could feel more than a little unlucky not to have taken full points from the Camanachd Cup holders.

Forced into another round of position and personnel changes after their back-to-back league and cup defeats to Oban Camanachd, Bute could have been forgiven for not expecting much against a Fort side which, despite a struggle for consistency in the early part of the 2008 campaign, remains one of the strongest in the game.

But the alterations, if anything, only spurred the Bute players on to greater things, and the An Aird outfit left the field knowing they were lucky not to escape empty-handed after a game which left the home support wondering what might have been.

Bute, without Robert Walker in attack, welcomed Donnie McDermid back into defence, while coach Barry Martin made several positional changes to the team, returning John McCallum to the wing and pushing James Craig and Brian Liddle into the attack.

And Bute started well enough, though they did look a little lightweight in the midfield, with David Whitelaw in the centre muscled out of everything despite his best efforts against a bulkier opponent.

The decision to swap the younger Whitelaw with his older brother Hector, though, worked wonders and immediately allowed Bute to get to grips with things in the middle of the park.

Fort William had their share of the early play too, though, and it was the visitors who broke the deadlock in the 15th minute when Iain MacDonald failed to get the necessary distance on his clearance from defence and Drew Ferguson picked up the loose ball and lashed it past Kevin Queen for the opening goal.

But the Bute players refused to be downhearted - instead they rolled up their sleeves and took the game to the Fort, with Liddle having an outstanding game in the forward line, winning every ball he went for, laying the ball off intelligently for his team-mates and generally giving his marking defender a real nightmare of an afternoon.

Hector Whitelaw had the best of the Bute efforts on goal as the hosts probed the Fort William defence in search of a way through, but five minutes before half time the breakthrough came in spectacular style when Zavaroni, out on the wing, unleashed a superb shot which the visitors' keeper didn't see until the ball was nestling behind him in the back of the net.

The equaliser was no more than Bute deserved for their efforts, and the looming interval didn't disrupt their rhythm - the team began the second half the same way they had finished the first, with every member of the team at the top of their game.

Fort William had their goalscoring chances early in the second period, but the Bute defence, which has been outstanding all season, was impregnable once again, with McDermid putting in a fantastic shift against Gary Innes, one of the Fort's most potent attacking threats.

With Hector Whitelaw controlling the midfield, Bute grew in strength and influence as the second half wore on, and with Craig constantly harrying the Fort defence the visitors were left in no doubt they had a game on their hands to keep hold of the draw.

The most controversial moment, though, came seven minutes from time when Fort William's goalkeeper appeared to stop a shot with his foot off the ground - but despite loud appeals for a penalty, neither the goal judge nor referee Duncan Kerr were in a charitable mood and the claims were waved away.

Despite Bute's lack of success in the closing minutes as they searched for a winner, coach Barry Martin told us afterwards: "It was still a great result.

"If someone had offered us a draw against Fort William at the start of the day we'd have taken it with both hands, but after the performance we put in two points wouldn't have been an injustice.

"At the end of the day though I'm delighted, the boys are delighted and hopefully they can take a big lift from this."

The situation at the foot of the Premier League is growing increasingly tight, after second-bottom Strathglass picked up their first win of the season on Saturday, a 2-0 victory over Lochaber, to move within a point of eighth-placed Bute.

Used with permision of the buteman

Fifers fire four on poor day for Bute (24/05/08)

McKellar strike is small consolation

Bute 2nd 1, Aberdour 4

THE optimism generated by the Bute second team's derby win over Kyles two weeks ago was thoroughly dismantled on Saturday as Aberdour recorded a comfortable win on their first ever visit to Rothesay.

Aberdour had been on the wrong end of a 4-0 thumping when the two teams met in April in the first match of the season, but the Fife team's line-up on Saturday showed several changes from that fixture - and the visitors, who have been playing together as a team for several years now, from primary school to under-17 and now senior level, took full revenge for that opening-day defeat with a convincing victory and commanding performance at the Meadows.

Only a single goal separated the sides at half time, Craig Grant having given Aberdour the lead after half an hour, but the visitors wasted no time in pressing home their advantage after the break, with Doug Newsome adding a second and Ali Hutt a third to leave Bute trailing badly just five minutes after the restart.

Bute rallied after the loss of the third goal, though, and Andy McKellar reduced the leeway on 55 minutes, but despite their best efforts a second goal, which might have changed the course of the game, was not forthcoming and Hutt sealed the points for Aberdour with a fourth 15 minutes from the end.

Used with permision of the buteman

Bute fall to carbon copy of cup defeat (17/05/08)

McIntyre strike hands Oban fortunate win

Oban Camanachd 1, Bute 0
AIDAN McINTYRE scored the only goal at Mossfield Park on Saturday as Bute fell to defeat at the hands of Oban Camanachd for the second time in eight days.

In fact, the whole affair was very much a carbon copy of the teams' Macaulay Cup encounter at the Meadows on May 10, with Bute spending the vast majority of the game turning the screw on the Oban defence only for a long list of goalscoring opportunities to go a-begging.

The one small consolation - and it's a very small one, at that - was that the game's only goal, scored by McIntyre in the 20th minute, wasn't nearly as soft as the one by Matt Rippon which had given the Oban men victory on their trip to Rothesay.

But that apart it was a familiar tale for the Bute coaching staff and supporters watching from the sidelines - plenty of chances, some fine saves from the Oban keeper, in particular from James Craig and Hector Whitelaw, but many more efforts simply not hitting the target.

Oban, to their credit, defended well in the face of all of Bute's pressure, but as the game progressed the nasty feeling began to creep over the visitors that the bad luck and poor finishing which had dogged them in the cup tie was going to return to haunt them once more.

Happily, Saturday's match featured a distinct lack of red cards - in fact, the Oban player injured after being struck in the face by Gordon McMillan seven days previously was back in the starting line-up, having recovered well in the days before the game.

"Kevin Queen only had two saves to make in the whole game," sighed Bute coach Barry Martin afterwards. "We were all over them - the defence did another great job, it's just that the forwards haven't quite found their touch yet.

"I just couldn't believe how you could see two games that were so similar - one day I'd love to be able to just count up how many chances we have on a Saturday, or how many positions we get into where we can create a chance.

"There's not much more we can do until we find our way to goal again."

Used with permission from The Buteman.

Soane strike earns derby delight for Bute (17/05/08)

Victory over Kyles is hard earned

Bute 2nd 1, Kyles Athletic 0
RUAIRIDH SOANE scored the only goal as Bute Shinty Club's second team chalked up a hard-earned victory over old rivals Kyles on Saturday in their first home match of the season.

Members of the second team's squad had been made to wait a long time for their first appearance in Rothesay since the team's resurrection over the winter, and Soane's early strike settled a closely-fought derby match - and went some way towards making up for the Bute senior side's defeat to the Tighnabruaich men earlier in the season.

Bute, with a combination of seasoned former senior players and enthusiastic youngsters in their ranks, showed no signs of stage fright in the game's opening spell, Stevie McKellar seeing his shot parried by Kyles keeper Angus Finlayson in the very first minute as the hosts looked to make an early impact.

And the pressure stayed firmly on the Kyles defence in the first few minutes, with McKellar given another early opportunity after good build-up work by Calum Hatton and Tom McMillan, only to lose control of the ball as he bore down on goal.

Kyles captain James Perlich was his team's most potent attacking threat early on, but the best he could manage was a single effort which was well parried by Bute keeper John Whitelaw; that apart, the visiting skipper was comprehensively shackled by a fine, no-nonsense performance from full-back Alistair Morrison, while John McIntyre and Graham Cameron also did well to shadow their opposite numbers.

At the other end a long clearance upfield from the Bute defence found Stuart Stirling 25 yards out, and his cracking effort cannoned back off the crossbar, hit Finlayson on the back of the head and struck the post before trickling agonisingly wide of goal.

But it wasn't long before the home support were given something to cheer when McMillan gave chase to a long ball wide on the left and flicked it back in towards goal, where Finlayson failed to gather possession and Soane was first to the loose ball to bundle it over the line.

Kyles threatened only sporadically in the first half, Craig Blair firing wide after a deep cross from the left by namesake Christopher, and it was Bute who continued to enjoy the lion's share of goalscoring chances, McMillan seeing a shot scrambled away after a Soane cross caused havoc in the visitors' defence.

Stirling had two more decent efforts from distance as half time approached, but neither goalkeeper was seriously troubled in what remained of the opening 45 minutes and Bute could be well pleased with their efforts as they retreated into their half time huddle.

John Beattie came on for Stuart Murray at the start of the second half for Bute, but it was Kyles who got off to the quicker start, and Perlich missed a golden opportunity to level the scores five minutes after the break when he somehow failed to find the target in front of an open goal.

The second half in general was a much more untidy affair than the first, as fatigue began to catch up with both sets of players, but dogged Bute defending somehow kept Kyles at bay, though chances at the other end were at a premium as the hosts struggled to keep up the pace and rhythm of the opening period.

More goalmouth scrambles followed in the face of increasing Kyles pressure, Perlich in particular enjoying a little more room for manoeuvre, but some tactical and positional adjustments in the Bute ranks seemed to have the desired effect as time ticked away and the visitors were restricted to occasional shots at goal from long distance.

Kyles' best chance was wasted five minutes from time when Perlich fired wildly over the bar from a good goalscoring position, but Bute held their nerve in the closing minutes and celebrated with some enthusiasm when referee Duncan Kerr blew the final whistle after what seemed like an eternity of injury time.

Bute's ranks were completed by unused substitutes Anthony Sweet and Elliott Ewing, who were both champing at the bit to come on in the closing stages, though coaches Duncan Simpson and Tom McMillan decided not to change things further as the team defended deeper and deeper in the face of the visitors' ever-increasing pressure.

Used with permission from The Buteman.

Early goal seals Bute cup exit (16/05/08)

Bute 0, Oban Camanachd 1

Bute fell at the first hurdle of the MacAulay Cup on Saturday despite dominating huge spells against a decidedly fortunate Oban Camanachd outfit at the Meadows.

Matt Rippon’s third minute goal saw oban squeeze though by the narrowest of margins to the quarter final tie against Kyles Athletic after an often fiery match which saw both sides finish a man short.

The island side were close to full strength for the tie after injuries had decimated the team against Inverarary the week before, though Robert Walker had to be content with a place among the substitutes after injuring his hand against Lovat two weeks ago.

But instead of hitting Oban with an early surge it was Bute who were caught cold in the third minute when Oban’s first charge up the field saw a long ball floated onto the D - and though Bute keeper Kevin Queen stopped the ball with his feet, his attempted clearance totally missed the ball, giving Rippon an opportunity he couldn’t fail to convert from no more that 12 inches’ range.

Bute didn’t waste time in recovering from the loss of that early goal, taking the game to their visitors, putting together some tremendous build-up play and forcing the Oban keeper into several good saves, from Gordon McMillan and James Craig in particular.

But the game took an unsavoury turn when McMillan was the victim of a sly from an Oban player, and the Bute player reacted furiously and swung his caman round to strike his opponent in the face.

The act of retaliation earned McMillan an immediate red card from referee David Mitchell, and in the melee which followed the incident Oban’s Daniel McIntyre also received his marching orders; the Oban player whose challenge kicked the whole thing off had to go to hospital for treatment to his injury.

But if anything the two red cards opened up the game a little and appeared to do Bute a favour, with Oban now deprived of one of their most influential players and the hosts allowed a bit more room for manoeuvre up front.

With half-backs Iain McDonald and Graham Fisher able to sweep up anything which came their way in the middle of the park, Bute dominated what remained of the first half and most of the second as well, only being found wanting when it came to their final attempt on goal.

Walker came on for Ali Carmichael as time began to tick away, and young Robert Ferguson staked a claim for a starting spot with another good display after coming on as Bute second substitute, firing in a fierce shot on the Oban goal which just scraped the crossbar on its way over the bar.

Iain MacDonald came mightily close to his third spectacular goal in as many weeks, floating in a high ball from distance which completely flummoxed the Oban keeper, but this time the Bute man’s luck was out and the ball came back off the base of the post - and that was as close as the hosts were to get as some increasingly desperate Oban defending finally secured the visitors’ place in the next round.

Used with permission from The Buteman.

Late strike grabs draw for Bute (10/05/08)

MacDonald on target to thwart Inveraray

Bute 2, Inveraray 2

IAIN MacDONALD was Bute's last-minute hero on Saturday with a late equaliser which brought an end to the team's long run of defeats against Inveraray.

The islanders looked set to fall to defeat against their Argyll opponents after Ali Carmichael's early opener was wiped out by goals from Gary MacPherson and Euan McMurdo, but MacDonald struck in the final minute with a goal which was almost a carbon copy of his strike against Lovat seven days before to secure a well-earned point.

No-one in the Bute camp needed reminding that Inveraray had knocked the islanders out of all three cup competitions in 2007, and the home side's search for revenge saw them start in determined mood and looking much more like the team which made such an impression during last year's league campaign.

Team selection problems before the game didn't help Bute's preparations, with Robert Walker unavailable because of a hand injury, Brian Liddle sidelined by an Achilles tendon problem, David MacDonald playing with a hamstring injury and Roberto Zavaroni not present - at the start of the match, at least - through the novel excuse of having slept in.

On the plus side, David Whitelaw returned after his two-match suspension, but any concerns that the team might take a while to gel because of the enforced changes were dispelled only five minutes into the game when Carmichael made ground up the right hand side before turning his man and firing the ball past Inveraray keeper Graham MacPherson and into the bottom corner.

Bute posed a much more potent attacking threat than in any of their early season fixtures, and Stuart Strathie in particular was causing the Inveraray defence no end of trouble with his running off the ball, but Inveraray were in no mood to lie down and Gary MacPherson saw a good effort saved by the feet of Bute keeper Kevin Queen.

On the whole, though, Bute were defending well, making tackles at the right moments and generally not allowing Inveraray any space to create trouble of their own, and when the half time whistle blew Bute, with the prospect of playing down the slope towards the Lade in the second half, were determined to build on their interval advantage.

But those plans were comprehensively ruined when Inveraray came out in equally determined mood and MacPherson levelled the match just three minutes after the break.

Inveraray took heart from the goal and went on to enjoy their best spell of the game, stretching the Bute centre line and asking some searching questions of the home defence.

But Bute coped well with everything the visitors threw at them - until the 65th minute, when Queen misjudged a McMurdo shot and allowed the ball to squirm underneath his feet and over the line to give Inveraray the lead.

Bute coach Barry Martin freshened things up with quarter of an hour to go, bringing on Zavaroni in place of Gordon McMillan, pushing John McCallum up to the forward line and moving James Craig out to the wing, David Whitelaw taking Craig's place in the middle of the park.

And the change of approach seemed to inject new life into the Bute team, with the hosts going all out in search of an equaliser in the closing stages and really putting the Inveraray defence under some intense pressure.

But for all their efforts, as time ticked away it looked as though Bute were destined to finish up empty-handed - until the final minute, when MacDonald, a long way from goal, launched a high ball into the danger zone, and with Graham MacPherson distracted by a combination of sunlight and the approaching menace of James Craig, the ball dropped from the sky at just the right moment and height to find the back of the net and secure what, overall, was a fair result for both sides.

Used with permision of the buteman

Amazing comeback seals first Bute win (26/04/08)

Islanders battle back from 3-0 down

Bute 4, Lovat 3

BUTE staged an amazing comeback to chalk up their first victory of the 2008 campaign at the expense of newly-promoted Lovat on Saturday.

The island side trailed 3-0 at half time to an Owen Ferguson goal and a Raymond Rennie double for the visitors - and with frustration spreading fast throughout the ranks, defeat seemed certain at the hands of a Lovat side which had lost all six of its league and cup fixtures in the early part of the season.

But a back-to-basics approach in the second half eventually paid dividends for Bute, and after Robert Walker pulled one back with 20 minutes to go the hosts quickly grew in confidence and added three more in the space of 15 minutes to stun the visitors and take the points.

Bute actually made a promising start on a pitch which was only just playable, heavy rain overnight and on the morning of the game requiring a squad of willing volunteers to fork the pitch and brush off the worst of the surface water.

But the hosts were struck by a hammer blow on 15 minutes when Lovat, on their first ever visit to Rothesay, broke quickly upfield with their first real attack and, with the Bute defence allowing their opponents far too much room, Ferguson gave keeper Kevin Queen no chance with his shot.

Graham Fisher was denied by a slightly fortunate save from the Lovat keeper as Bute sought a quick equaliser, but all too often Bute were affected by the same problem which had plagued the previous week's draw with Strathglass - plenty of possession but a distinct lack of a cutting edge up front.

And when Rennie hit Lovat's second on 25 minutes, the heads of the men in red really dropped, with team-mates bickering among each other in their growing frustration, while to make matters worse David MacDonald had to go off with a hamstring injury.

He was replaced by Ali Carmichael, with captain Hector Whitelaw moving back into defence, but the enforced reshuffle only unsettled the home team even more and Rennie's second ten minutes before the break made a difficult situation even more desperate.

A good few watching spectators, in fact, decided the outlook for Bute was so bleak that they turned their back on the game altogether at half time and decided to go and watch the football nearby instead!

But rather than read the riot act at the interval, coach Barry Martin merely encouraged his players to settle down and get into a rhythm which would allow them to play their preferred patient, passing game.

And with Lovat already beginning to look as if they were running out of steam, Bute were able to use their superior fitness levels, and the advantage of the slight Meadows slope, to slowly, but surely, grind down their visitors as the second half wore on.

A tactical move which saw Fisher switched to half back also reaped rewards, establishing a formidable partnership with Iain MacDonald, and Bute soon settled into their task, with passes which would have gone astray in the first half now finding their targets.

Nonetheless, with each minute that passed by the chances of Bute salvaging something from the game seemed to grow ever more remote - until the 70th minute, when Whitelaw squared the ball to Walker who gave the Lovat keeper no chance with a typically ferocious finish.

Five minutes later, and with Lovat rapidly wilting in the face of the oncoming red tide, Whitelaw dribbled through the visitors' defence before firing home Bute's second goal.

When the equalising goal did arrive, nine minutes from time, it came from a somewhat unexpected source - not from Walker or Whitelaw or any of the forward line but from Iain MacDonald, who launched a high lob into the Lovat danger zone - and with the visiting keeper temporarily blinded by the sun, the ball proved to have just the right combination of height and weight to drop into the back of the net and level the match at 3-3.

And from there it was only a question of whether Bute would have enough time to score the game's winning goal - a question which was answered within three minutes, when Whitelaw embarked on another run through the Lovat defence before firing home his second of the afternoon to clinch a victory which had seemed an impossible prospect less than half an hour before.

Bute's frustration did earn the team three bookings during the course of the match, with yellow cards shown to Fisher, Iain MacDonald and Roberto Zavaroni, though none of the trio had any cause to complain to referee Ronnie Campbell, who had an excellent game, allowing play to flow wherever he could.

On a happier note for Bute, the second half introduction of young substitute Robert Ferguson did Bute's cause the world of good, the youngster recognising the value of keeping the ball moving and encouraging others to do the same after coming on in place of Gordon McMillan.

Wide players Zavaroni and John McCallum also came on to a good game in the second half, suggesting that Bute may finally be ready to put their slow start to the season well and truly behind them and start climbing up the Premier League table.

Used with permision of the buteman

Captain's late strike earns Bute first point (19/04/08)

Pressure pays off in dying seconds

Bute 1, Strathglass 1
BUTE captain Hector Whitelaw hit a last-gasp equaliser to earn the islanders their first point of the Premier League campaign on another frustrating afternoon at the Meadows.

A draw was the least Bute deserved after a game in which they saw far more of the ball than their far-travelled visitors, but were unable to make the most of their possession, either through poor finishing or a disappointing final ball into the danger zone.

A scrappy early goal from Strathglass player-coach Robert Geddes got Bute off on the worst possible foot, and though the visitors rarely came close to adding a second their tenacity in closing down the Bute players and refusing to allow them time on the ball so nearly paid dividends for a team defeated 10-1 at home by Kingussie only seven days before.

Having lost that early goal Bute quickly went in search of an equaliser, and despite being hit by injury and illness the re-jigged home team, with Duncan Simpson at full forward, gave Strathglass plenty to think about, Simpson firing wide on 25 minutes after a smart move involving John McCallum and Robert Walker.

Just a minute later Bute came agonisingly close to levelling the match when Iain MacDonald's free hit found Whitelaw on the edge of the D, and the skipper was denied only by a fantastic stop from the Strathglass keeper, who reacted instantly to tip the ball over the bar.

Simpson saw his tricky looping shot palmed away by a busy Strathglass keeper as Bute turned up the heat, but in a rare foray upfield the visitors showed they were far from a spent force, a shot whistling narrowly over Kevin Queen's crossbar after a good ball in from the left wing.

Queen was forced into a good goal-line save five minutes from the break after a Strathglass cross was allowed to creep across the front of the D, and Bute's rhythm was interrupted just before the break when Graham Fisher came off injured to be replaced by Brian Liddle.

Nonetheless, as the half time whistle blew Bute, with the prospect of playing with a strong wind at their backs in the second half, could still remain confident of getting the better of their visitors after the break.

But it was a while before either side could find any kind of rhythm on a surface which was far trickier and bumpier than it looked at first glance, and though Bute were still seeing more of the ball it was a good quarter of an hour before either side could muster a decent attempt on goal, Whitelaw eventually seeing his shot blocked by the Strathglass keeper on 61 minutes after a quick free hit caught the visitors' defence slightly unawares.

Two minutes later the hosts had a narrow escape when Queen had trouble clearing his lines, only some last-ditch Bute defending kept Strathglass's lead at a single goal, but three minutes later the keeper came to Bute's rescue with a fantastic diving save to push a net-bound shot round the post.

That, though, was the last the game saw of Strathglass as an attacking force, with Bute growing ever more desperate in their search for an equaliser in the last 25 minutes.

Among the more notable efforts on goal were a decent Walker effort which was blocked by the keeper, a snapshot from distance by James Craig and a shot from Whitelaw which flew inches wide after a free hit some 20 yards from goal.

But all too often Bute's attempts were thwarted, either by some dogged Strathglass defending or by a poor ball in the final third, and as the clock crept towards the 90-minute mark it seemed certain that the visitors would hold on and take full points on a ground where they lost 5-0 in 2007.

But with almost the last attacking move of the game John McCallum fired a shy into the danger zone from the left, and with substitute Leighton Reid on hand to make worse the uncertainty in the Strathglass defence, Whitelaw struck from 15 yards out to salvage a point on a day when the hosts might have expected a good deal more.

Used with permision of the buteman

Kyles dash Bute's Celtic Cup dreams Islanders pay for defensive slip-ups (05/04/08)

Bute 2, Kyles Athletic 3

BUTE Shinty Club's bid to reach a fourth successive Glasgow Celtic Society Cup final faltered at the first hurdle on Saturday as old rivals Kyles left the Meadows with a hard-fought, but on balance just about deserved, first round victory.

The Tighnabruaich men chalked up their first win over Bute since 2005, in the islanders' first fixture of the season, to progress to a quarter-final tie at home to Oban Camanachd.

A tense derby match only really came to life when Kyles' Duncan Kerr opened the scoring with 25 minutes to go, and though Robert Walker soon equalised after Bute's best move of the game, two defensive mix-ups allowed Matthew MacColl and Thomas Whyte to give the visitors a crucial two-goal lead, with James Craig's last gasp strike for the hosts coming too late to make an impact on the end result.

With Bute not having swung a caman in anger before Saturday's tie, and Kyles having only one game under their belt since the 2008 campaign got under way at the beginning of March, it was perhaps not surprising that it took both sides a while to find their rhythm on a tricky Meadows surface hit hard by the recent wet weather.

An early booking, in somewhat controversial circumstances, for Iain MacDonald didn't help Bute's endeavours and only a full length save from goalkeeper Kevin Queen prevented the visitors taking the lead midway through the half.

Ali Carmichael was denied by the Kyles keeper as the first half entered its closing stages before Walker saw his long distance shot parried after a good team move, but when referee Colin MacDonald blew for half time it was impossible to say which side would prevail in the second half.

It was Kyles who got off on the front foot when the match restarted, but their pressure came to nothing - and Bute were presented with a golden opportunity to seize the initiative on 61 minutes when they were awarded a penalty after a stramash inside the Kyles D, only for captain Hector Whitelaw to see his low shot blocked by the Kyles keeper.

And the visitors made the most of their let-off five minutes later when Kerr found himself in acres of space in sight of the Bute goal and fired a shot past the helpless Queen and into the net.

David Whitelaw scooped an effort over the bar as Bute searched for a way back into the game, but the younger Whitelaw brother more than made amends for that miss on 72 minutes when his measured ball into the Kyles danger zone found Walker, who turned and struck a sweet shot into the corner of the net.

But Bute's hopes of a comeback were short-lived, MacColl putting the visitors back in front on 80 minutes after a mix-up in the Bute defence, and Whyte put the result beyond doubt with Kyles' third five minutes from time after the Bute defence missed a high ball into the danger zone.

Craig pulled one back from close range in the dying seconds after an untidy tussle in the Kyles goalmouth, but the final whistle went just seconds after the restart to leave Bute's hopes of a first ever Celtic Cup triumph in tatters.

Used with permision of the buteman

Brilliant first for Bute's second team (05/04/08)

Harrower hits two in first game for ten years

Aberdour 0, Bute 2nd 4

CRAIG HARROWER led the way with a double strike as Bute Shinty Club's resurrected second team got their South Division Two campaign off to the ideal start in Fife on Saturday.

The Bute team, consisting of a mix of experienced former senior players and enthusiastic youth, travelled to the East Neuk town completely untried in competitive shinty, not having played a game since the decision was taken during the close season to re-establish the team.

But what they lacked in playing experience they more than compensated for in spirit and rapport, and Harrower, on leave from the army and playing his first shinty in ten years, broke the deadlock with a 'wee tap' half an hour into the game.

The interval arrived with Bute still only one goal to the good, but the experienced Stuart Stirling eased any nerves on the visitors' part with a smart strike eight minutes into the second half to double their lead.

That left the youthful Fife side - themselves entering only their third season in competitive senior shinty, the club only having been established in 2001 - with everything to do, and the Aberdour contingent had cause to look even dourer when young Ruairidh Soane proved that Bute's new blood is also more than capable of cutting a dash with the caman with a powerful strike from an awkward angle, thoroughly confusing the Aberdour keeper who never saw it coming.

That pretty much made the points safe for the islanders, but there was still time for Harrower to finish things off with his second and the team's fourth eight minutes from time, putting the final touches to a superb first outing for the team.

Despite early concerns about lack of experience, the players gelled perfectly and have now set themselves a high standard for the future.

Used with permision of the buteman

Lovat win sees Bute make shinty history (12/07/08)

Celtic complete double over Bute (05/07/08)

Penalty setback a kick in teeth for Bute (04/07/08)

Captain sees red in Bute derby defeat (28/06/08)

Three goals not enough to see off Kyles

Kyles Athletic 5, Bute 3

BUTE'S hopes of climbing away from the Premier League relegation zone suffered a blow on Saturday after the islanders fell to defeat in a thrilling local derby at Tighnabruaich.

Late 'More strike breaks Bute hearts (21/06/08)

Campbell strike leaves islanders empty handed

Bute beaten by six of the best (21/06/08)

Bute set up crack at Camanachd semi (14/06/08)

Big names avoided in last eight draw

Stirling effort paves way for big Bute win (31/05/08)

Battling Bute hold the Fort (24/05/08)

Fifers fire four on poor day for Bute (24/05/08)

Bute fall to carbon copy of cup defeat (17/05/08)

McIntyre strike hands Oban fortunate win

Soane strike earns derby delight for Bute (17/05/08)

Late strike grabs draw for Bute (10/05/08)

Amazing comeback seals first Bute win (26/04/08)

Islanders battle back from 3-0 down

Captain's late strike earns Bute first point (19/04/08)

Pressure pays off in dying seconds

Bad day for both Bute teams (12/04/08)

Kyles dash Bute's Celtic Cup dreams Islanders pay for defensive slip-ups (05/04/08)

Lovat win sees Bute make shinty history (12/07/08)

Celtic complete double over Bute (05/07/08)

Penalty setback a kick in teeth for Bute (04/07/08)

Captain sees red in Bute derby defeat (28/06/08)

Three goals not enough to see off Kyles

Kyles Athletic 5, Bute 3 BUTE'S hopes of climbing away from the Premier League relegation zone suffered a blow on Saturday after the islanders fell to defeat in a thrilling local derby at Tighnabruaich.

Late 'More strike breaks Bute hearts (21/06/08)

Campbell strike leaves islanders empty handed

Bute beaten by six of the best (21/06/08)

Bute set up crack at Camanachd semi (14/06/08)

Big names avoided in last eight draw

Stirling effort paves way for big Bute win (31/05/08)

Battling Bute hold the Fort (24/05/08)

Fifers fire four on poor day for Bute (24/05/08)

Bute fall to carbon copy of cup defeat (17/05/08)

McIntyre strike hands Oban fortunate win

Soane strike earns derby delight for Bute (17/05/08)

Late strike grabs draw for Bute (10/05/08)

Amazing comeback seals first Bute win (26/04/08)

Islanders battle back from 3-0 down

Captain's late strike earns Bute first point (19/04/08)

Pressure pays off in dying seconds

Bad day for both Bute teams (12/04/08)

Kyles dash Bute's Celtic Cup dreams Islanders pay for defensive slip-ups (05/04/08)

Kyles Athletic 5, Bute 3

BUTE'S hopes of climbing away from the Premier League relegation zone suffered a blow on Saturday after the islanders fell to defeat in a thrilling local derby at Tighnabruaich.