CLIVE’S NEWSLETTER – FEBRUARY 2022

February 2: Halfway through the week and both day-time and night-time temperatures are good. The pitch is in a good state so we are hopeful that Saturday’s game with Fraserburgh will go ahead.

February 4: Never count your chickens where the Grantown weather is concerned. Snow from early morning gave us a 10 cm covering and with a frost due tonight we have decided on a 10.00 pitch inspection.

February 5: Game day with no game as we have to postpone due to snow and ice and a poor forecast for the day ahead. Today was our first chance post-Covid restrictions to offer hospitality and  it was much appreciated that our guests decided to stay and watch the Rugby between Scotland and England instead.

February 11: Midfielder Stephen Rennie has joined Inverness Athletic of the North Caledonian League until April 30.

February 12: A last a long bus trip, from Inverness via Forres to Formartine United who play at North Lodge Park, Pitmedden in Aberdeenshire, a relatively new ground situated in open farming country. A warm welcome awaited us with some sunshine and decent playing conditions. A goal down in seven minutes wasn’t the start we hoped for although but for a superb save from United keeper Ewen Macdonald the Jags would have gone in a square at half time. Formartine continued to press and went two up on 60 minutes. The loss of Andrew Skinner to a second bookable offence just made our day as we then conceded two late goals to go down 4-0. Another long journey home.

February 13: Attention now focused on the game at Seafield Park on Saturday when we play Fort William. This is their home game but because of problems with the pitch at Claggan Park it has been switched to Seafield Park. Fort William will play all their home games on the road this season. 
For both clubs it is the game of the season especially as this season relegation/promotion has been introduced to and from the Breedon Highland League.

February 15: There is a lot of interest in the game with the BBC asking permission to attend and film as they are making a documentary about the Fort William club which is a follow up to one they did a few years back. 

February 16: 20 year old midfielder Ross Logan has joined us from Clachnacuddin on a  temporary transfer until 30 April. 

February 17: The transfer was completed of midfielder Kieran Chalmers to Clachnacuddin. He started 15 games and made one substitute appearance and chipped in with four goals. We wish him well at his new club.

February 18: Up to today another good week weather wise with the pitch in good condition but the snow started in the early hours and has persisted all today to a depth of 10/12 centimetres. Pitch inspected at 1700 and with the updated weather forecast being frost overnight it was decided to call the game off. Fixture congestion is now becoming a problem. The next set of re-arranged fixtures should be published in the next few days. 

February 21: Only two Breedon SHFL games survived the visits of Dudley and Eunice but those games involved two sides chasing the league title, Fraserburgh and Brora. The Broch defeated Lossiemouth to go three points clear of Buckie Thistle while Brora were held 2-2 in their local derby with Wick Academy. The Rangers equalised in the the fifth minute of injury time depriving the Scorries of their first derby victory for many years.

February 25: The Jags said farewell to Cameron Lisle who has moved to Nairn County. This season he has made 21 appearances with three as substitute. First part of the week weather wise was okay but Wednesday and Thursday gave us some heavy snow. A thaw has now set in so keeping fingers crossed with Saturday’s forecast much brighter.

February 26: Game day and the current Highland League Champions are at Seafield Park. The pitch is in good condition but there is a very strong wind forecast. The Jags were a goal down in two minutes which was wind assisted and the same on twenty minutes. Half time it was two nil to Brora and although the team worked hard it was a struggle against a very good team and they went down 5-1. Jake Thomson scored the Jags goal on 85 minutes from the penalty spot. Attention is now drawn to the visit of Huntly on Wednesday night in a rearranged fixture. The club also enjoyed a visit from John Campbell, the new Highland League Secretary designate who takes over from Rod Houston in the Summer.

      

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