Nicholson hits four as Kyles win the Mod Cup

Neil Nicholson netted four times for the Camanachd Cup-holders in a

tie which also counted as a league match and gave Kyles their first

points of the current campaign.

Glasgow Mid Argyll came within a whisker of causing an upset at Pirie

Park, but Oban Camanachd's 3-2 win leaves them two points clear at the

top of south division one, although they have played a game more than

their nearest challengers.

In the north, the crucial top four places were shaken up dramatically

as a result of Lovat's surprise win at Newtonmore. Lovat, who have

flirted with relegation for the past few seasons, dumped their more

fancied rivals 4-2 to enter the dizzy heights of the top four along with

Skye.

The island side's revival continues with a point at Spean Bridge in an

eight-goal thriller.

The Kingussie bandwagon, meanwhile, rolls on with international

under-21 team captain Ronald Ross hitting five at Beauly, including a

first-half hat trick.

Fort William retain their second place by virtue of a hard-earned win

at Glenurquhart, where the home team led twice only to succumb to Ally

Ferguson's late winner.

A fresh attempt will be made on Wednesday night to resolve the

prolonged dispute between referees and the game's ruling body. The row,

which has now gone on for several weeks, has reached impasse, and a

meeting scheduled for last Friday between the referees' executive and a

deputation from the Camanachd Association was cancelled at the last

minute.

That meeting has now been rescheduled for Fort William on Wednesday

night and Willie Batchen, the referees' development officer, one of

those due to attend, believes it is make-or-break time.

He said: ''This sorry affair has been allowed to drag on for too long

and it is highly damaging. The whole situation is now very serious and

our credibility is at stake.''

Batchen, a highly respected and experienced official, also has called

for the scrapping of the contentious grading system which is one of the

referees' main concerns. Results:

North. Marine Harvest League. Divison 1 -- Beauly 2, Kingussie 6; Fort

William 4, Glenurquhart 3; Lochaber 4, Skye 4; Newtonmore 2, Lovat 4.

Division 2 -- Carberfeidh 3, Kilmallie 2; Glengarry 1, Inverness 5;

Strathglass 0, Kinlochsheil 1. Division 3 -- Boleskine 3, Fort William

3; Kingussie 3, Aberdeen University 0; Lovat 4, Beauly 0; off -- Skye v

Glenurquhart. Division 4 -- Inverness 0, Lochaber 2; Kilmallie 4,

Caberfeidh 2; off -- Kinlochshiel v Strathglass; Lochbroom v Kincraig.

South. Division 1 -- Ballachulish 3, Inveraray 2; Glasgow Mid Argyll

2, Oban Camanachd 3; Oban Celtic 2, Glenorchy 2; Strachur 0, Kyles

Athletic 5 (Mod Cup). Division 2 -- Kintyre 1, Kilmory 7; Taynuilt 0,

Bute 10. Division 3 -- Lochside Rovers 5 Strachur 0; off -- Furnace v

Mid Argyll; Inveraray v Ballachulish; Kyles Athletic v Oban Celtic.