After a goalless opening half-hour it was Bute who drew first blood, Robert Walker breaking the deadlock on 35 minutes with his second goal of the campaign as the islanders sought to bounce back from the previous week's Glasgow Celtic Society Cup defeat at home to Kyles.

Walker's goal was enough to earn Bute the half-time advantage, but any hopes the islanders might have had of adding to their lead early in the second period were dashed when Chris MacRae levelled the scores just five minutes after the break.

Both sides had chances to take the lead thereafter, but it was Lochaber who made the crucial breakthrough when Alan Knox found a way past keeper Kevin Queen on 73 minutes - and Bute's chances of taking something from the game well and truly disappeared when Graham Fisher was sent off ten minutes from the end and Zander Ferguson smashed home Lochaber's third from the penalty spot a minute later.

Saturday wasn't a day which will live long in the memories of Bute's second team either - on a high after defeating Aberdour in their opening fixture, the islanders were comprehensively brought back down to earth by a 4-0 defeat away to Taynuilt.

Daniel Kelly gave the home side - also newcomers to South Division Two this season - the best possible start, scoring the opening goal after just ten minutes, and when David Campbell slotted Taynuilt's second just before the break Bute knew they faced an uphill struggle in the second half.

Despite the islanders' best efforts they couldn't find a way past the Taynuilt defence, and David Ferguson sealed the points for the hosts on 70 minutes before rubbing salt into Bute's wounds with his second and his side's fourth goal five minutes from the end.

Elsewhere on Saturday, eyebrows were raised all over the country when Kyles beat Fort William 3-1 in the Premier League at An Aird, with Duncan Kerr adding to his cup strike against Bute by scoring a double and David Martin adding a third.

Champions Kingussie thrashed Strathglass 10-1 at Cannich, while Inveraray also had a comfortable away win, defeating newly promoted Lovat 7-2.

Newtonmore beat Oban Camanachd 3-1 in the day's other top flight match, while the only other fixture in South Division Two saw Oban Celtic win 5-0 at home to Aberdour.

Off the park, two figures well known to local shinty followers have been nominated to serve as chief and vice-chief of the Camanachd Association - Jock Turner as chief, and Alex McNaughton from Colintraive as vice-chief.

Jock and Alex were the only nominees for their respective positions, and their names will go forward to the Camanachd Association's AGM on April 25 for their appointments to be endorsed.

In each case Jock and Alex were nominated by more than one club.

Bute's first team play their first home league match of the season this Saturday, April 19, when Strathglass - sure to be hurting after being so thoroughly dismantled by Kingussie last week - are the visitors to the Meadows. Throw-up is at 2.30pm.

Bute's second team have no fixture this week.