Published: Thursday, 14th May, 2009 10:10am

Holders are just too strong for Aberdour

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ABERDOUR Shinty Club produced one of their best ever performances on Saturday but were edged out of the Sutherland Cup by favourites Fort William.

With heavy rain and strong wind lashing Silversands Park, there was no place for the faint-hearted and the game was played at a blistering pace.

Aberdour showed no sign of being overawed by their free-scoring visitors and took the game to Fort William right from the start.

The home team created several early chances and when Scott Rodger opened the scoring with a great strike after 20 minutes it gave Aberdour a well-deserved lead.

Rodger was on target again five minutes later, and almost secured his hat-trick on 30 minutes when Fort William keeper Paul MacKay had to move smartly off his line to close down the shot.

Fort William were visibly rattled and a third goal at this stage might have killed off the game. They seemed to have gained a reprieve when they were awarded a penalty on 40 minutes but former Scotland international and Camanachd Cup winner Victor Smith put the ball wide. He made amends two minutes later with a goal from close range and Aberdour went in to the interval 2-1 ahead.

In the second half Fort William grabbed a scrappy equaliser on 57 minutes when the home team failed to clear decisively, allowing Smith to force the ball home from short range. Three minutes later Smith set up Ryan Campbell and the young forward"s goal gave Fort William the lead for the first time.

The visitors" relief was short-lived, as Aberdour refused to lie down, and launched a series of attacks which led to Joe Dunton curling the ball home from 20 yards to make it 3-3 after 63 minutes.

Aberdour continued to attack and Scott Rodger, Alec Mitchell and Doug Newsom all came close to scoring but from a counter attack Smith set up Campbell for the winner on 70 minutes.

This Saturday Aberdour visit Bute in the league.