Lochs at the double with Moldova Cup

Joining the league trophy on the Creagan Dubh sideboard is the Moldova Lewis Cup which Lochs won after an enteraining cup final against Carloway at Goathill.

As he has so often this season, the man with the goal-den touch was Jim O’Donnell as his double helped Lochs recover from the loss of an early goal to lead for much of the second-half until teenager Niall Houston slapped the handcuffs on the trophy with last gasp stunner.

Carloway too have enjoyed an impressive campaign and they were chasing a treble on a night in which the curtain down on the Lewis and Harris football season.

Having already slugged the whisky out of the ABC Cup and the Eilean an Fhraoich Cup - the latter at the expense of Lochs in the final - fans of the Way were dreaming of another night to remember.

And things started well for them as Kenny ‘Dokus’ Macdonald fired Carloway into an early lead.

A long diagnal ball from left to right bounced kindly inside the Lochs box for ‘Dokus’ who struck the ball through James Macleod’s legs and into the net.

They could have doubled their advantage after Dan Crossley slipped Archie Macdonald clean through on goal but Macleod was alert and raced off his line to close the gap and make a brave block from close range.

Lochs fired back onto level terms inside a minute through O’Donnell who capatalised on hesitation in the Carloway back line to reach a through ball which had attracted keeper Gordon Craigie towards the ball before he seemed to change his mind and back track.

O’Donnell reached the ball before any of the back tracking defenders to stab the ball home for 1-1.

The balance of power was flowing from end to end and Graeme Mackenzie produced a stunning last ditch tackle to take the ball off Archie Macdonald’s toe as he primed to shoot.

Carloway were also disappointed to see a last man tangle between Peter Mackenzie and Dan Crossley in which the latter was left lying on the turf go without action by the referee.

The whistler was having a busy night and he was called into action again when Lochs keeper Macleod chopped down Crossley after coming way off his line to try and win a tackle.

After receiving a yellow Macleod made amends with a stunning one handed stop to punch an Andrew ‘Tago’ Maciver header into the air.

A minute before half-time O’Donnell netted again as he latched onto an up and under from Peter Mackenzie, holding off DI Maclennan well before lofting it into the net above the diving Craigie.

Carloway enjoyed plenty of the ball after the break but Lochs defended well, keeping Carloway at arms length for the most part.

Archie Macdonald forced another save from Macleod in the inside right channel but the Lochs keeper continued his imperious form in between the sticks.

Then in the final few minutes Houston pounced on a stray ball 25-yards out to send it sailing into the bottom corner without breaking stride for his first senior strike to wrap up the double for Lochs.