In-form Wick Academy down to ‘barest of bare bones’ for last game of season
Performance levels and results over the past two or three months demonstrate that progress has been made by Wick Academy this season, according to manager Gary Manson.
The Scorries’ 3-2 away victory over Strathspey Thistle last weekend extended their unbeaten run in the Highland League to seven games.
It means they have matched their 36-point tally from the 2023/24 campaign going into Saturday’s final fixture against Inverurie Locos.
A win or a draw at Harlaw Park would equal Academy’s previous eight-game unbeaten league run, which they achieved between January and March 2019.
The Scorries have collected more points from their last seven games this season than they did in their first 26.
However, Manson has cautioned that the squad will be seriously depleted this weekend with at least eight players missing.
“There have been mitigating circumstances as to why we had a lull in the season,” the manager said. “But in the last few weeks there has been progress made.
“We’re down to the barest of bare bones in terms of squad numbers for Saturday, so anything we get out of it will be a bonus.
“We’ve matched last year. There has definitely been progress – not just in the seven-game unbeaten run but in the two or three games before that as well.
“We’ve seen progress as the season has gone on, and that’s all you can ask for. We’ve kept our squad together for next season as well, or the bulk of it, so hopefully we’ll be able to kick on a bit more next year.”
Gordon MacNab and Marc Coghill are suspended, while Owen Rendall, Owen Harrold, Kyle Henderson, Marc Macgregor, Jack Henry and Alan Hughes are all set to miss out.
“We’ll draft in a few young boys and give them their opportunity,” Manson said. “We’re going down there with absolutely nothing to lose and we’ll see what happens.”
Club legend Richard Macadie could make his final appearance as a player after 652 competitive appearances and a record 204 goals.
Academy, currently 14th in the table, can still emulate their 12th-place finish from last season. But they would need to take all three points at Inverurie, combined with Nairn County and Turriff either losing or drawing their respective matches.
The 36-point total last season was 10 more than in 2022/23.
Academy’s current seven-game run began on February 22 with a 3-1 home win against Forres Mechanics. Since then they have beaten Turriff United (2-0 at home), Lossiemouth (4-1 at home), Keith (1-0 away), Nairn County (4-2 at home) and Strathspey Thistle (3-2 away) as well as drawing 2-2 away to Formartine United.
Kyle Henderson, Marc Macadie and Euan Kennedy got their goals at Seafield Park last Saturday.
Meanwhile, Manson is among those who fully expect Brora Rangers to emerge as champions on the final day of the Highland League season.
Brora and Brechin City are level on points ahead of their home matches against Rothes and Lossiemouth respectively. The Cattachs’ vastly superior goal difference means three points against the Speysiders – who are bottom of the table – will be enough, regardless of Brechin’s result.
Manson said: “Brora will go into it as heavy favourites and I’ll be surprised if they don’t get over the line now.”
If and when they clinch the title, Brora will be the first team in a quarter of a century to become champions despite losing half a dozen games during the course of a Highland League campaign.
The Cattachs have won 26, drawn one and lost six so far. Keith lost six league matches on their way to lifting the title in 1999/2000 when there were 30 fixtures.
It seems likely Brechin will live to regret a run of five consecutive draws at home, amounting to 10 dropped points, between December and the start of March.
Highland League results – Saturday: Brechin City 3, Nairn County 0; Brora Rangers 2, Huntly 0; Forres Mechanics 4, Keith 1; Lossiemouth 1, Banks O’ Dee 2; Rothes 2, Deveronvale 3; Strathspey Thistle 2, Wick Academy 3; Turriff United 1, Inverurie Locos 2.
Wednesday: Formartine United 2, Nairn County 0; Huntly 0, Fraserburgh 1; Keith 1, Strathspey Thistle 4.
Fixtures – Saturday, April 12 – Highland League: Brechin City v Lossiemouth; Brora Rangers v Rothes; Buckie Thistle v Keith; Clachnacuddin v Formartine United; Forres Mechanics v Banks O’ Dee; Fraserburgh v Huntly; Inverurie Locos v Wick Academy; Nairn County v Deveronvale; Strathspey Thistle v Turriff United.
Saturday, April 19 Highland League Cup final: Brora Rangers v Fraserburgh (at Grant Street Park, Inverness).