‘A real handful for any defence’: Macgregor’s contribution praised by Wick manager
Marc Macgregor has been on the scoresheet three times in as many games for Wick Academy – but manager Gary Manson is keen to point out that the 30-year-old striker brings more to the team than just goals.
Macgregor was on target in back-to-back wins against Forres Mechanics and Turriff United, then fired in the Scorries’ first goal in the 2-2 draw away to Formartine United last weekend. Kyle Henderson’s free kick put Academy 2-1 up before half-time but they were denied a third successive victory by a late equaliser.
“Even though he might go a few games without getting a goal, Marc is still an extremely valuable member of the team and how we want to play,” Manson said. “He offers a lot more to the team than just goals.
“While you want him to score in every game – and he has done in the last three – he still contributes massively to the team when he doesn’t score. When you can add goals to that as well, he’s a real handful for any defence.
“Marc and Kyle have been playing through the middle as a two in the last few games. They’re creating chances for each other and they’re scoring goals and they’re just causing havoc for opposition defences at the moment.
“We’ve scored seven goals in our last three games, so we’re creating lots of chances and scoring goals, and Marc and Kyle are a big part of that.”
Macgregor is one of a group of senior players who have taken a turn at wearing the captain’s armband this season when regular skipper Richard Macadie has been sidelined.
“It’s rotated around a certain few,” Manson said. “Richard is obviously the club captain, so when he’s fit and available and playing he’ll captain the team on a match day.
“But if he’s not in the starting 11 then it’s rotated. I pulled a few of them aside at the start of the season – Gordon MacNab, Marc Macgregor, Ryan Campbell, Davie Allan and Graeme Williamson as well, although Graeme has now gone – just as a group of vice-captains, if you like.
“The saying is you can’t have too many good senior pros in your team. While we’ve got quite a lot of young players coming through, and teenagers getting game time, it’s always good to have that core of guys that have been there and done it, and show the kind of leadership and experience that the young guys need to follow.”
Academy, who are still 15th in the table, will be looking to move further clear of 16th-placed Lossiemouth when the teams meet at Harmsworth Park on Saturday.
Henderson hit a hat-trick when the Scorries beat Lossie 3-1 at Grant Park in October.
Manson said: “We’re starting to build a little bit of momentum now, picking up seven points in our last three games and scoring goals.
“We’ll certainly not be turning up just expecting to roll them over and take three points. We’ll be carrying out exactly what we’ve been doing in the last few games and hopefully that’s enough.
“It was a tough game when we went down to Lossie earlier in the season. We came away as 3-1 winners but it was still a tough game.
“Looking at their results, they are not conceding an awful lot of goals at the moment. In their last two games they’ve only been beaten 1-0.
“We’ll have to roll up our sleeves and work hard – it will 100 per cent be a tough game and we’ll need to be at our best.”
Highland League results – Saturday: Banks O’ Dee 2, Strathspey Thistle 2; Brechin City 1, Turriff United 0; Buckie Thistle 3, Brora Rangers 2; Clachnacuddin 7, Rothes 0; Deveronvale 2, Forres Mechanics 4; Formartine United 2, Wick Academy 2; Keith 1, Fraserburgh 1; Lossiemouth 0, Huntly 1; Nairn County 0, Inverurie Locos 1.
Wednesday: Forres Mechanics 0, Huntly 5; Strathspey Thistle 0, Clachnacuddin 3.
Fixtures – Saturday, March 15: Brora Rangers v Brechin City; Deveronvale v Formartine United; Forres Mechanics v Buckie Thistle; Fraserburgh v Nairn County; Huntly v Keith; Inverurie Locos v Strathspey Thistle; Rothes v Banks O’ Dee; Turriff United v Clachnacuddin; Wick Academy v Lossiemouth.
Wednesday, March 19: Buckie Thistle v Deveronvale; Fraserburgh v Turriff United; Inverurie Locos v Brechin City; Keith v Brora Rangers; Rothes v Lossiemouth; Strathspey Thistle v Huntly.
Saturday, March 22: Banks O’ Dee v Turriff United; Brechin City v Forres Mechanics; Buckie Thistle v Formartine United; Clachnacuddin v Brora Rangers; Inverurie Locos v Fraserburgh; Keith v Wick Academy; Lossiemouth v Deveronvale; Nairn County v Huntly; Strathspey Thistle v Rothes.