Robbie rampant agains Reds

The midfield ace was in sparkling form as he scored two stunning first-half goals to ease Lochs into a comfortable 2-0 lead before his top-team return was cut short by a trip to accident and emergency after a sickening clash of heads left him requiring glue to seal a gaping wound above his eye.

It was an eventful return to the front line of Lewis and Harris football for Robert as 2015 champs Lochs kept within striking distance of 2016 leaders West Side.

“It was a tough game but it always would be against a good side like Point,” commented

Lochs manager David Macmillan after the game.

“I think we looked more comfortable. We pressed them hard and stopped them playing the ball from the back too much. We should have finished the game off but we got a bit tired and lost our mindset a little.

“We didn’t pick the right pass or play the ball to the right person at the right time but I think we deserved the win.

“When we have our full team available other sides will find it difficult to play us especially in Lochs and I think while our results haven’t been too great lately I think when Point saw the team we had on the park tonight they would have been more nervous than we were before the game.”

Robert Mackenzie rolled home the opener after just four minutes with a cool finish under Ali Lamont from the inside left position.

Lochs should have added a second when Darren ‘Cage’ Wilson raced clean through but with the ball bouncing the winger couldn’t get enough height on the ball to take it beyond Lamont.

Mackenzie added a second with a near post run and brave header which saw him rocket a header into the top corner from David Macmillan’s set-piece delivery.

It was a stunning goal and one which both sets of fans were left to appreciate.

Point were denied in the final minute of the first-half by James Macleod, who seems to save his best saves to shatter Point hearts, as he blocked Alasdair ‘Wally’ Maciver’s effort.

The first-half ended in rowdy fashion with a trio of maroon names being jotted into the referee’s notebook and the physicality of the game continued after the restart.

Tackles were flying in, several late as the game flirted with bubbling over.

Lochs player manager Macmillan had a half chance to net a third for Lochs when an effort by Mackenzie pin-balled back off a Point defender but Macmillan fired over the bar.

Mackenzie then saw his game cut short after a clash of heads left his face streaming with blood. Point’s left-back Matthew Campbell was also forced off after the painful collision.

The visitors were struggling to create many clear chances but when a ‘Wally’ free kick squirmed out of James Macleod’s grip there were hopes they could find a way back into the match but the ball was booted clear.

Point boss Angus Mackay said: “There was little flow to the game and it was very stop-start with so many fouls.

“Lochs scored two good goals out of nothing with a mistake for the first which gave us a terrible start and the second goal was brilliant and you can’t defend that. I think Lochs were more aggressive in the first-half without creating chances. Ali Lamont didn’t have many saves to make but our final ball was really poor. “We had two or three excellent chances to play one of our attackers clean through but he final ball was poor, way over hit.

“But our oldest player was only around 25 so it is a good learning curve for our young players especially on the physicality and aggression required in the big games.”