John O'Groat Journal  and Caithness Courier
17 May, 2008
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Gunn returns as Wick aim to finish with a win
By Iain Grant
Published:  09 May, 2008

FRASERBURGH are the visitors to Harmsworth Park tomorrow as the curtain comes down on Wick Academy's 14th season in the Scot-Ads Highland League.

The Scorries are bidding to sign off with a win which would equal their 32-point haul of last season.

Co-managers Ian Munro and Richard Hughes were cock-a-hoop after last Saturday's cracking 3-2 home victory over Deveronvale.

That came after a winless run of seven games but the duo believe the side were short-changed during that spell.

"We did not get the results our performances deserved," said Munro.

"We were playing well enough but just couldn't get the win."

He said last Saturday would go down as one of the highlights of the season.

"It was one of those days that everything seemed to go right for us," he said.

"The effort and performance put in by the guys was absolutely tremendous."

Munro added: "We'll be looking to pick up from where we left off on Saturday. It's the last game of the season so we obviously want to go out on a high."

Academy will be without a couple of players who are on Highland Amateur Cup duty for their summer teams.

Don MacMillan will continue to deputise in goal for James More, who is recuperating from a minor operation.

Midfielder Martin Gunn returns after being sidelined last Saturday with work commitments, though defender Alec Lamb could miss out after becoming a father on Wednesday.

The Broch won 2-0 at Bellslea Park in the earlier league game in September through headed goals from John Ross and Neil Main either side of half-time.

Munro believes the fans can look forward to an entertaining clash in the return match tomorrow.

He said: "Any team that Charlie Duncan is in charge of will be well set out and be hard to beat. Charlie is like ourselves in that he likes to play the game on the deck and encourages his players to play good football."

Wick defender Alec Lamb clears under pressure from Deveronvale's Mark Chisholm during last Saturday's Highland League match at Harmsworth Park. Academy won 3-2 and will be looking to round off their campaign with another impressive result when they meet Fraserburgh at home tomorrow. John Baikie 07789 557586

Duncan, who has been at the helm since 1984, intends to rest several regulars who are nearing their disciplinary points threshold to ensure they will not start next season with a ban.

That gives him an opportunity to blood a couple of up-and-coming youngsters. "It will give me a chance to have a look at them and see if they could break into the first team next year," he said.

Duncan also believes tomorrow's match can be a crowd-pleaser.

"Everybody respects Academy as a good footballing side and Saturday has the makings of a pretty decent game," he said.

"They probably haven't scored as many goals as they should have, and that is why they are not higher up the league. But they are coming off the back of a really good result and we're expecting a very hard game."

Wick's Richard Macadie scored twice in the victory over Vale, including the stoppage-time winner, while Gary Weir was also on target with his 15th of the season.

Supporters arriving at Harmsworth Park tomorrow will have a chance to vote in Academy's player-of-the-year ballots.

It is one of only three games this weekend involving HFL clubs as the season draws to a close.

Having clinched the title last Saturday, Cove Rangers will be aiming for a league and cup double when they take on Inverurie Locos in the Foster's Highland League Cup final at Christie Park.

Rothes will finish 12th, one place behind Academy, if the Speysiders take even a point from their last league fixture at home to Fort William. The struggling Lochaber side will be looking to regain some pride after being on the receiving end of double-figure scorelines in their last two outings – they were thumped 11-0 by Deveronvale on April 19 and then 13-0 by Inverurie last Saturday.

Fort finish their season with the return match against Deveronvale at Claggan Park a week tomorrow.

iain-grant@ukf.net


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