‘We are a match for anyone’ — Inver set sights on top half finish as amateur league campaign kicks off
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Inver manager Paul Connolly says his side will be “a match for anyone” this season.
The Easter Ross village side kicked off their 2024 league campaign with an impressive 2-0 win over Lairg Rovers on Saturday — and on the back of that victory he has his sights set on the top half of the league.
RELATED:
Draw for preliminary and first round of Highland Amateur Cup
Popular Inver Inn in Easter Ross goes up for sale for offers over £290,000
Easter Ross teams hope to make positive start as amateur league kicks off
“We have a good balance of young and older boys now, with Dave MacGruer a real stand out again,” said Connolly. “Our man of the match was 16-year-old Jayden Loughlin, who was solid the whole game, getting up and down the line and creating a few chances.
“After losing to a last minute winner up in Helmsdale in the Stafford Cup, the boys’ heads were a bit down, so to get off to a winning start in the league has picked them right up.
“Our goal for this season is to try and achieve a top five finish.”
Connolly has welcomed several new signings to Inver this summer, including two members of Alness United’s under-18 squad in Jayden Loughlin and Brandon Beeston.
They join forward player Bruce Urquhart, who returns for a second spell, along with former Lairg Rovers striker Harris Mackenzie.
Youngsters Alex Stainke, Roy Lyon and Reece Wilson, who each made their debut at the adult level with Inver last year, have also returned.
Connolly added: “Since we reformed, Inver has been as an outlet for young boys to break into adult football. We are reaping the rewards of that investment now, and you can see that with some of our 2019 young team among the first names on the team sheet.
“We’ve taken some hammerings along the road and I’m sure we will again, but I believe on our day we’re a match for anyone.”
Little over half an hour had been played when Jordan Hailes found Aiden Stainke on the left hand side, and after beating a defender on the inside, the forward man powered a shot into the top left corner.
Inver doubled their advantage midway through the second half when a cross from Reece Wilson fell into the path of Alex Mackenzie who coolly slotted past Ryan Renwick in the Rovers’ goal to make it 2-0.
At Brora, Stafford Cup finalists Tain Thistle laid out their stall with a 4-2 win over the local Wanderers.
The Jags twice took the lead in an evenly fought first half, first netting through Finn As-Chainey before Olly Manton levelled.
Defender Lewis Smith then restored Tain’s lead but it wasn’t long before a Mike Maclean free kick brought the score back to 2-2.
Injuries to John Maclellan (ankle) and Frazer Campbell (broken nose) resulted in enforced substitutions for the Easter Ross side, but it did not deter them in their pursuit for a winner.
A low driven shot from Alexander Scott foxed the Brora goalkeeper to make it 3-2 early in the second half, before a solo run from As-Chainey resulted in the winger grabbing his second and Thistle’s fourth to wrap up the win.
Lochbroom found themselves on the wrong end of a 4-0 thrashing at Couper Park.
Helmsdale United breezed into a 3-0 lead in the first half with goals from Kevin Cairns, Donnie Ross and Bobby Gunn.
Cairns wrapped up a disappointing visit for the Ullapool side with a fourth for hosts, United.
League champions Golspie Stafford needed a second half penalty kick to take all three points from their opener at home to Lochinver.
A second half strike from Luke MacBeath cancelled out a Gary Fisher opener, but it was Alexander Mackay from the penalty spot who provided the decisive goal, converting from 12 yards to make it 2-1.
In the other game of the day, Embo were beaten at home by Melvich by the odd goal in five.
