THE Maroon express was derailed on Friday 31 August as Lochs' quest for a historic clean sweep of domestic honours was ended when a defiant and organised Back side lifted the Co-op Cup.

The two great rivals, who finished first and second in the Lewis and Harris league this season, fought out a 1-1 draw but Lady Luck favoured the Blues of Back as they edged out Lochs in a nerve jangling penalty shoot-out.

Penalty misses by John 'Uig' Morrison and Graeme Mackenzie had the Maroons up against it in the shoot-out, and it was left to Back midfield man Jason Coles with the chance to seal the silverware from 12-yards which he did.
Lochs welcomed David Martin back into the side after he missed last weekend's Lewis Cup win and with a full compliment of players Lochs were confident of adding the Co-op Cup to their bulging trophy cabinet which already contains the League Championship, the ABC Cup, the Lewis Cup and the Jock Stein Cup.
Back meanwhile were without midfielder Iain Macinnes and the injured John 'VP' Macleod.
Their places were filled by Steven Macleod and Jack Walker.
Back started well and a looping cross into the penalty area by Ross Hall was just taken off the head of the lurking Kevin 'Bloxy' Murray by Ally Mackenzie.
Murray was again involved a few minutes later when he dummied a pass from Euan Macleod which sent Michael Mackay scampering in on goal but the ball had too much pace on it which allowed keeper David Black the chance to race out of his goal and clear the danger.
The game was largely confined to the midfield with neither attacks getting the upper hand against the dominant defences.
Donald 'Nomie' Macdonald warmed Colin Macritchie's palms with a fizzing drive from distance but clear sights of goal were rare.
The best chance of the game fell to Back just before the half-hour mark and it was as a result of a poor touch by a Lochs defender who only signed for the Maroons from Back earlier in the year.
A long ball up the touchline from Murray Macleod looked to be bread and butter for Alex Maciver but his first touch was poor and his attempted knock back to his goalkeeper was woefully short.
Teen striker Jack Walker nipped in and picked up the ball and stormed towards David Black where he tried to cut the ball across goal before it was hacked clear.
Lochs' Andy Murray fired a low effort at goal which again was easily gathered by Macritchie but just a minute later they had the ball in the net when a hanging cross from the right dropped just underneath the crossbar, but as the Blues keeper caught the ball he was bundled into the net by Don 'Lava' Macleod.
The goal was immediately chalked off by the referee who had recognised the foul on Macritchie.
Five minutes before the break and Lochs were upping the pressure. Macritchie was again called back into action as he made a terrific double save from David Martin.
The Lochies had a decent penalty appeal waved away just before the interval when Jason Macleod tangled with Andrew Dunn inside the area but the referee waved play on.
Lochs picked up where they left off after the restart and began to take the game to the Blues.
'Nomie' Macdonald escaped the attentions of the Back defence but his effort to lob the ball over Macritchie was foiled as the keeper made a good save at full-stretch.
Just two minutes later and Back were only spared by the frame of the goal when a free kick into the penalty area was back-headed by Don 'Lava' Macleod onto the crossbar and over.
The Back rearguard were firmly against the ropes and the otherwise faultless Macritchie almost gifted Lochs the lead when he dropped a cross from the left, but Innes Macarthur cleared the ball off the line to spare his keeper's blushes.
Gradually Back crept back into the match and forced a series of corners before Steven Macleod tested Black from twenty five yards.
Lochs winger David Martin almost fired his side infront on 70 minutes when David Martin smacked the crossbar but the deadlock was broken two minutes later by the Blues.
The Maroons were caught short of numbers in defence and when Ally Mackenzie was caught in possession on the halfway line, Back frontman Kevin 'Bloxy' Murray had a clean path in on the Lochs goal.
The Bacach veteran showed Mackenzie a clean pair of heels and slotted the ball underneath Black.
The ball cannoned back off the inside of the post but Murray was alive to the situation and knocked in the rebound for the lead.
The joy in the Back camp proved to be short-lived as Lochs hit back almost instantly and levelled the game inside three minutes.
Andy Murray cut infield and forced Macritchie into a save but the Back keeper could only parry it into the path of David Macmillan who had a tap-in to level and keep the Maroon dreams of a complete domestic clean sweep alive.
Lochs dominated the closing stages but as much as they huffed and puffed they couldn't muster up a way to blow the Back house down and the game went on to penalties.
Ross Hall stepped up to the spot first of all and drew first blood for Back and the blues' joy continued when John' Uig' Morrison missed Lochs first effort.
Jason Macleod slotted home for Back but Lochs goalscorer David Macmillan kept Maroon hopes alive by netting next.
Youngster Jack Walker, who was making his first senior final appearance for Back, was next to try his luck from 12 yards but his effort was all power and no direction and Black made a good stop.
However, Lochs passed up the opportunity to level the game when Graeme Mackenzie, who was the sponsor's man of the match, fired wide.
Kevin 'Bloxy' Murray maintained Back's lead and David Kinnaird kept Lochs within sight of the Blues.
However, the pressure was now on Back and Jason Coles who had the chance to win Back's first cup in three years with his next spot kick, which he did to become a Coll hero.
The win ends Back's barren spell which began after winning the Highland Amateur Cup in 2004 and ends Lochs dreams of a first ever Lewis and Harris clean sweep.
Despite the defeat it has still been a sensational season for Kenny Macleod's men who have already won four trophies and have an Eilean an Fhraoich Cup final against Point to come on Friday 7th September.

Lochs: David Black, David Martin, Andrew Dunn, Ally Mackenzie, Alex Maciver, Graeme Mackenzie, David Macmillan, John Morrison, Andy Murray, Donald Macdonald, Don Macleod. Subs: Darren Mackinnon, Chris Macleod, Craig Maclean, David Kinnaird.

Back: Colin Macritchie, Derek Macleod, Murray Macleod, Jason Macleod, Innes Macarthur, Michael Mackay, Ross Hall, Euan Macleod, Jack Walker, Kevin Murray, Steven Macleod. Subs: Kevin Stewart, Jack Kacbarczyk, Alex Smith, Jason Coles, Ian Campbell.
RESULTS
Co-op Cup Final
Back 1 Lochs 1
(Back won 4-2 on pens)