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Cove's lesson in success for Scorries


By Matt Leslie

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WICK ACADEMY 1

COVE RANGERS 3

A GOOD first half’s work by Academy was undone as champions Cove pressed home the reasons why they’re top of the Highland League pack.

Sam Mackay’s well-worked goal delivered a deserved lead to the Scorries but it only served to rile the newly crowned champs as they laid siege to Wick’s goal. Mitch Megginson, Paul McManus and Jonny Smith struck to hand the Aberdeen side a deserved win.

Cove were canny enough to play up the slope in the opening 45 minutes after winning the toss. The Harmsworth slope has been spoken of in mystical tones but, given Wick’s inability to get up it in the second half, the fables of players needing climbing gear to get up to the penalty box appeared to be true.

Whether or not the infamous incline played that big a factor in the eventual result, Cove’s pressing game in the second half had to be grudgingly admired as Wick simply could not get out of their own half – such was Academy’s frustrations that skipper Michael Steven saw red in more ways than one, which resulted in him being ordered off near the end.

All of which seemed a distant past 90 minutes earlier when Wick, with a spring in their step, set about their title-winning visitors.

Steven Anderson was unlucky to see his looping header dip the wrong side of the crossbar but Academy didn’t have to wait long before they hit the net.

It was a pity there was no television coverage of this match because this really was a goal worth rewinding and playing back many times over.

Alan Hughes’ perfectly weighted ball sliced Cove’s defence open. Anderson took it past his marker before cutting it back to Sam Mackay, whose delicate chip evaded the despairing dive of Cove keeper Stuart McKenzie and into the net.

With their pride injured, Cove set about getting back on terms only for Sam Mackay to be Wick’s hero at the other end with two successive line clearances from Ryan Stott and Megginson.

Academy were unlucky not to go 2-0 up when Richard Macadie’s long ball pierced Cove’s defence but Sam Mackay could not stretch his leg out any further to make contact.

Whatever Cove had in their half-time tea, it transformed them into a different side – one that made sure Wick would struggle to get across the halfway line, such was their dominance.

Their equaliser came when Jamie Masson’s long ball into the box was glanced in by the head of Megginson.

It got worse for Academy soon after when a ball over the top caught the Scorries defence flat-footed, leaving McManus to bear down on goal and coolly finish.

As they have done all season, Cove tightened the vice even further and Wick yielded a third with 15 minutes left.

Megginson weaved his way past two defenders before cutting back to Smith who rifled home from close range.

All that was left was Steven to fling an arm across the face of Cove’s Sam Robertson – an act that saw him get first use of the bath before his team-mates.

Wick Academy: S McCarthy, Steven, Farquhar, D Mackay, R Allan, Hughes (D Allan 61), S Mackay, Manson, MacAdie (Henry 61), Anderson, Gunn (Weir 76). Sub not used: D. McCarthy

Cove Rangers: McKenzie, C Milne, Robertson, Masson, Ross, Redford, Smith, H Milne (Scully 57), Megginson, McManus (Macleod 76), Stott (Gray 85). Subs not used: McBain, McCafferty.


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