Cup clash can be a fresh start for Wick
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WICK Academy will be looking to put their indifferent league form behind them as they welcome Auchinleck Talbot to Harmsworth Park tomorrow in the first round of the Scottish Cup.
After back-to-back defeats to Rothes and Buckie Thistle, the national competition offers a chance of a fresh start for the Scorries – but they face a serious challenge against the Ayrshire side who are traditionally a major force in junior football.
Talbot have won the Scottish Junior Cup a record 12 times and currently sit in second place in the Scottish Junior Football Association's West Premiership, having won five and drawn one of their six league fixtures.
Academy have been plagued by inconsistency so far this season. There have been some outstanding results, notably the away wins against Formartine and Fraserburgh, but at other times the Scorries have fallen flat and last Saturday's 5-2 loss at Buckie leaves them 11th in the Highland League.
Club captain Alan Farquhar acknowledges they will need to cut out costly errors if they are to build up a head of steam.
"We've been up and down," the 30-year-old defender said.
"There have been games where we've not been great and then there have been games where we've actually played okay but we've been punished for every mistake we make.
"When it's not going for you it's just one of those things.
"Going into the Scottish Cup it's a one-off game. Personally I don't know much about Auchinleck, but there is absolutely no doubt they will be a tough outfit.
"From reports in the past they're up at the top all the time in the junior league so it's not going to be an easy game, that's 100 per cent sure.
"But we should be treating every game as if it's a cup tie – that's the issue."
Farquhar is pleased to see the progress being made by some of the younger players in the squad.
"We've definitely got a lot of good players coming through, the likes of Jack Henry and Jack Halliday, and Alan Hughes is coming on," he said.
"It's just a case of trying to get everything to click. It takes a bit of time, and that can be frustrating.
"We probably haven't got the depth of squad of other clubs – we do struggle depth-wise at times.
"But I think we just need to stop making stupid mistakes. We need to be switched on."
Manager Tom McKenna said: "It is going to be a massive test for us. Auchinleck are an established junior club who seem to win trophies year in, year out.
"These are the types of games the lads enjoy playing in. When there is a challenge in front of them they rise to it. They will definitely be up for it."
Academy have enjoyed some memorable Scottish Cup adventures over the years, although last season they failed to get beyond the first round after losing to University of Stirling in a replay.
