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Manager praises his champions as Alness United win North Caledonian League Division Two title


By Will Clark

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Alness United manager Robert MacCormack praised his players after they won the North Caledonian League Division Two title.

North Caledonian League Div 2..Alness v Inverness Athletic..Alness midfielder Gordon Finlayson..Picture: Callum Mackay..
North Caledonian League Div 2..Alness v Inverness Athletic..Alness midfielder Gordon Finlayson..Picture: Callum Mackay..

United held their nerve to beat Inverness Athletic 3-2 in a five-goal thriller at Dalmore Park on Wednesday night to secure the Ness Cup with two matches remaining.

Alness only returned to action this season after sitting the 2019/20 campaign out after deciding to take abeyance for a year.

MacCormack praised the attitude of his players which resulted in them lifting the title during an emphatic campaign where they are undefeated in the league so far.

“The boys have been amazing all season, and it is good to get it finally done and dusted,” he said.

“We are delighted to get it done in our first season as well. I have said previously it wasn’t the division we wanted to be in, but you can only beat what is in front of you.

“That is what we did and we have been excellent all year.”

Looking to next season, he said: “Next year will be tougher, but we are ready for it and buzzing to get going.

“It is brilliant it will be one division again, and I don’t know anyone who is not happy with that.”

Alness broke the deadlock after eight minutes when Ryan McFee connected with a long ball into the box and had a simple tap-in.

The hosts doubled their advantage when Athletic were guilty of not clearing the ball out of their box, and it eventually found its way to Michael McKenzie who hammered the ball into the top-right corner from 12 yards out.

Athletic reduced the deficit to one nine minutes before half-time when they were awarded a penalty and Luke Mackay found the net.

Alness restored their two-goal lead with 20 minutes remaining through a Jude Fraser header.

Athletic scored a second penalty with 11 minutes left, with Paul Gair finding the net, but they could not find an equaliser.


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