Form 'hasn't been good enough' as Scorries seek second win of season
Wick Academy will be targeting their second win of the season in the Highland League when they take on Forres Mechanics at Harmsworth Park on Wednesday night.
Manager Gary Manson acknowledges that the Scorries' form "hasn't been good enough" in the first two months of the campaign. They are 14th in the table with four points from their opening six league games and have fallen at the first hurdle in the Highland League Cup, the North of Scotland Cup and the Scottish Cup.
Academy's scheduled trip to play Strathspey Thistle at Seafield Park on Saturday was postponed after a serious accident near Dunrobin Castle led to a section of the A9 being closed for around seven hours.
The Scorries were on their way down the road, but still north of the accident scene, when word came through.
Manson said: "We stopped in Brora and the boys got out and went for a walk and had a bite to eat.
"There was nothing we could do. Obviously it was completely out of everybody's control, and when there's a road accident there are more important things at stake than football."
Brora Rangers' Highland League Cup semi-final at home to Keith was also postponed, along with the North Caledonian League fixtures involving Halkirk United and Thurso.
The Can-Cans are 10th in the Highland League on 10 points from six games.
Manson said: "Forres started the season really well and looked like they were going to have a good season, but they have kind of tailed off recently.
"We'll just need to see what we get when they arrive but we'll try to win the game and try to get three points on the board.
"Our form of late hasn't been good enough. It'll be a Wednesday night under the lights, which is always a good game to play in for the players, so hopefully they can bring their best on Wednesday and we can get three points."
Academy trained on Monday night. In the two league matches between the teams last season, Forres won 4-2 at Mosset Park in early October 2022 before a 1-1 draw in Wick at the end of February.
Meanwhile, Clachnacuddin announced a parting of the ways with manager Jordan MacDonald following their 8-0 defeat at Huntly on Saturday. He had been in charge for three years.
Club chairman Alex Chisholm stressed that the decision was not a knee-jerk reaction.
"It wasn't an easy decision," Chisholm said. "It was purely for footballing reasons – our results haven't been what we thought they should be.
"We have total respect for Jordan and Michael [Mackenzie, assistant manager] for the efforts they have put in. Things just haven't worked out and we were at a point where we had to make a decision for the club.
"It's certainly not a knee-jerk reaction from us. We put some thought into these things, and we're not the kind of club to react in that way."
Experienced players Blair Lawrie and Martin Callum will take charge of first-team affairs until a new boss comes in.
Academy's only win this season was a 3-0 league victory over Clachnacuddin at Harmsworth Park on August 16. MacDonald called Clach's display that night "abysmal from start to finish".
The Lilywhites went on to lose their next four league matches, conceding 23 goals in the process, although they did beat Inverurie Locos in the first round of the Scottish Cup.
Andy Hunter scored a hat-trick for high-flying Huntly as Clach were put to the sword at Christie Park at the weekend. The Black and Golds are now top of the table on goal difference.
Second-placed Buckie Thistle hammered Nairn County 6-0 at Victoria Park, while Turriff United beat Formartine United 4-2 at North Lodge Park with each side having a player sent off.
Fraserburgh booked their place in the Highland League Cup final with a 2-1 win at Brechin, Ryan Sargent netting the winner.
Results – Highland League Cup semi-final: Brechin City 1, Fraserburgh 2. Highland League: Buckie Thistle 6, Nairn County 0; Formartine United 2, Turriff United 4; Huntly 8, Clachnacuddin 0; Inverurie Locos 0, Rothes 1.
Fixtures – Wednesday, October 4 – Highland League: Brechin City v Inverurie Locos; Clachnacuddin v Brora Rangers; Deveronvale v Banks O' Dee; Fraserburgh v Formartine United; Nairn County v Keith; Rothes v Buckie Thistle; Wick Academy v Forres Mechanics (8pm).
Saturday, October 7 – Highland League: Banks O’ Dee v Clachnacuddin; Buckie Thistle v Brechin City; Deveronvale v Nairn County; Formartine United v Forres Mechanics; Huntly v Fraserburgh; Inverurie Locos v Strathspey Thistle; Lossiemouth v Wick Academy (3pm); Rothes v Turriff United.
Highland League Cup semi-final: Brora Rangers v Keith.
SWF Highlands and Islands League: Orkney v Caithness (3pm).