Academy end winless run with 'Turriffic' victory
Wick Academy 4 Turriff United 1
Scorers - Wick: Pickles (23) Mackay (26) Weir (29, 69) Turriff: Shand (74)
WICK Academy kicked off 2014 by winning their first match in seven games with a comprehensive 4-1 victory at Harmsworth Park.
After early pressure from the visitors, The Scorries put the game beyond doubt before the half hour, with three goals in a six minute period.
Orcadian James Pickles put Wick in front when he leapt above Chris Herd to powerfully head home a Richard Macadie corner.
Three minutes later, a Gary Manson free kick landed to Gary Weir in the penalty box and he set up Sam Mackay who belted the ball into the bottom right hand corner from 12 yards to double the Scorries lead.
Just before the half hour mark, Mackay returned the favour when his cross from the right wing found Weir's baldy head to nod the ball past McCaffrey for 3-0.
Turriff could have pulled one back before half time when Michael Gray was forced to pull off an excellent save from Herd four yards from goal to parry the ball over the bar.
Lewis Davidson also saw his spectacular 40 yard long range effort smack off the crossbar for the visitors in the second half with Ben Allan's rebound effort sailing high above the bar towards the car park.
Academy made it four midway through the second half when Lukasz Geruzel's pass sent through Weir on goal, who danced around Robert Allan and goalkeeper McCaffrey to calmly stroke the ball over the line.
Turriff did pull one back with a fine strike by Aaron Shand from 18 yards but the Aberdeenshire outfit never looked likely to find a second in the closing stages.