Henderson eager to add to his tally for Wick after second hat-trick against Lossie
Kyle Henderson took his goal tally for the season to 15 with a treble against Lossiemouth at the weekend – and he is eager to add a few more in the team’s remaining four fixtures.
The 25-year-old striker opened the scoring in the first half at Harmsworth Park and added another two after the break as the Scorries ran out 4-1 winners to keep up their good run in the Highland League.
Henderson scored all the Wick goals in a 3-1 win in the corresponding fixture at Grant Park in October, so has achieved the rare feat of netting two hat-tricks against the same opposition in the same campaign.
The Scorries are now unbeaten in their last four games, having won three and drawn the other, and they have lost just once in their last six outings.
Saturday’s result lifted them to 14th in the table, one place above Keith, going into this weekend’s meeting between the sides at Kynoch Park.
“I would say we’ve probably been fighting harder as a team, helping each other,” Henderson said after collecting his sponsors’ man-of-the-match prize on Saturday.
“I feel like at the start of the season it wasn’t really there, but this last while the fighting spirit has definitely been picking up. The main thing is to get points in our last four games.
“It was the exact same last season. In the second half of the season the fighting spirit came back and we got points on the board.”
Henderson again linked up well with strike partner Marc Macgregor.
“I’m glad I have Marc there, to be honest,” Henderson said. “Marc does everything for me, he puts it on a plate for me. He’s fighting for me the whole time.”
On his scoring record this season, Henderson said: “I’m hoping for a couple more yet, but I can’t complain – 15 goals, I didn’t really expect that.”
Academy opened the scoring after 23 minutes when Euan Kennedy and Davie Allan combined to set up a chance for Henderson. He lashed the ball in off the underside of the bar after his initial effort had been blocked.
The Scorries added a brilliantly worked second after 36 minutes. A patient but incisive passing move culminated with George Ewing sending a shot low to the left of Lossie keeper Stuart Knight from the edge of the box.
The third arrived a minute into the second half. Academy attacked up the left and Macgregor cut the ball back to Henderson, who directed a superb first-time shot into the far corner.
Within five minutes Lossiemouth’s Oliver Hodgson was sent off for a second yellow card after a foul on Allan.
Henderson completed his hat-trick after 58 minutes when he curled the ball into the net from 20 yards.
Lossie got a consolation goal on 78 minutes when a long-range strike by substitute Owen Loveland took a slight deflection before flying past James More, who was making his last appearance for Academy at Highland League level.
Having committed all five of their outfield subs, the Scorries also finished with 10 men when Macgregor went off injured with two minutes of the 90 remaining.
Academy manager Gary Manson said: “It was really quite a comprehensive win. It was very comfortable.
“You don’t get many days like that where you can relax and just enjoy it. Everyone was really good.
“Overall it was a really top performance and it keeps the momentum going.”
Lossiemouth manager Steve Porter said: “Once we conceded, it just kind of went to pot a wee bit. Wick have got good attacking options – they took their chances and we didn’t.
“That summed up the first half. The second half started poorly, we conceded early, and there was the early sending off as well.
“Then it just capitulated. It was a really good finish by Owen and that’s reassuring for Wednesday [away to Rothes].”
Brechin City seized the advantage in the Highland League title race with a 2-0 victory over Brora Rangers in the top-of-the-table clash at Dudgeon Park.
Ewan Loudon grabbed both goals in the space of a couple of minutes inside the first quarter.
The Hedgemen are now three points clear of the Cattachs with six matches remaining. Both will be in midweek action, with City travelling to Inverurie while Brora go to Keith.
In the Moray derby at Mosset Park, a 35-yard strike by Matt Jamieson put Forres Mechanics ahead against Buckie Thistle in the first half but Fin Allen struck with 10 minutes left to tie it up at 1-1.
Bottom-of-the-table Rothes led third-placed Banks O’ Dee at the break but Dee hit five without reply in the second half.
The biggest win of the day came at Christie Park, where Huntly hammered Keith 7-0.
Turriff United’s Kieran Yeats hit a stoppage-time winner as they beat Clachnacuddin 2-1 at The Haughs. Deveronvale went down to their sixth straight league defeat as they were beaten 2-1 by Formartine United at Princess Royal Park.
Inverurie Locos were 5-0 winners over Strathspey Thistle at Harlaw Park, while Fraserburgh beat Nairn County 2-0 at Bellslea.
Highland League results: Brora Rangers 0, Brechin City 2; Deveronvale 1, Formartine United 2; Forres Mechanics 1, Buckie Thistle 1; Fraserburgh 2, Nairn County 0; Huntly 7, Keith 0; Inverurie Locos 5, Strathspey Thistle 0; Rothes 1, Banks O’ Dee 5; Turriff United 2, Clachnacuddin 1; Wick Academy 4, Lossiemouth 1.
Fixtures – 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.
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