Injury concerns as Wick set up quarter-final with Brora
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Wick Academy set up a North of Scotland Cup quarter-final clash with Brora Rangers after seeing off the challenge of Invergordon in Wednesday’s first-round tie at Harmsworth Park.
While the 5-2 scoreline was emphatic, the evening didn’t go entirely to plan for the Scorries as they lost Davie Allan to injury midway through the second half and were reduced to nine men for a spell as Alan Hughes limped off for treatment.
Craig Gunn had already replaced Gordon MacNab when Allan pulled up with a hamstring problem. Manager Tom McKenna chose not to risk either of his two other subs, Jack Halliday and Marc Macgregor, both of whom are working their way back to fitness.
It was also a night that saw MacNab produce one of the most glaring misses ever seen at Harmsworth Park, somehow managing to clip the ball over the bar with the goal at his mercy after being put through by Allan.
Academy went ahead on 10 minutes when Allan latched on to a through ball up the right and cut it back for Sam Mackay to dispatch a clinical finish past keeper Grant Beattie.
Mackay should have doubled his tally midway through the half when Allan set him up in front of goal but this time the midfielder blasted his shot off the top of the crossbar.
Invergordon responded to that let-off by equalising against the run of play 10 minutes from half-time. Cammy Houston’s effort was blocked but Ken Morrison followed up to place a low shot beyond the diving Sean McCarthy.
Then came MacNab’s astonishing howler, but Academy were in front again five minutes after the break when Alan Farquhar got on the end of a Grant Steven cross and found the net with a glancing header.
Davie Allan extended the lead with a curling strike on 57 minutes before hobbling off 10 minutes later.
Scott Houston was short with a passback on 74 minutes, allowing Gunn to nip in and play it through to Richard Macadie for probably the easiest finish in his long Academy career.
Gunn lashed home Wick’s fifth in 87 minutes after good work by Ross Allan. Cammy Houston reduced the deficit with a free header right at the end.
The Brora v Wick quarter-final is scheduled for Wednesday, August 21.
Wick Academy: McCarthy, R Allan, G Steven, Farquhar, D Mackay, Manson, S Mackay, Macadie, D Allan, MacNab (Gunn 62), Hughes. Subs not used: Halliday, Macgregor.
Invergordon: Beattie, D Christie, A Christie (Sutherland 83), Mackay, S Houston, Morrison, C Houston, Hudson, Goller, Knight (Kerr 61), Chainey. Subs not used: Ross, Campbell, Cormack.
Referee: Billy Baxter.
FORT William’s transformation is well and truly under way after they ended their long losing streak with a sensational 5-2 victory over Nairn County in the North of Scotland Cup.
Donald Morrison struck twice for the Lochaber side at Claggan Park on Wednesday night and their others came from Jack Brown and John Treasurer along with an own goal. Callum MacLean and Dylan Mackenzie replied on a night to forget for Nairn.
Last week Fort brought in nine young Caley Thistle players on loan, including Wick lad Ross Gunn. They are seeking a turnaround in fortunes having failed to win a league match in two years.
Caley Thistle failed with a bid to enter a colts team into the Highland League this season to replace Cove Rangers. The Inverness side do compete in the North Cup, though, and they registered a 3-1 win at Lossiemouth.
Scott Davidson hit a hat-trick and there was a double for summer signing Jordan Macrae as Brora Rangers cruised to a 9-0 victory at Golspie. It means there will be a Brora v Wick derby in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, August 21.
Forres Mechanics hammered a young Elgin City side 11-2, while Clach were 2-1 winners away to Strathspey Thistle.
Revised quarter-final draw (ties to be played on August 21): Brora Rangers v Wick Academy; Clachnacuddin v Ross County; Caledonian Thistle v Forres Mechanics; Rothes v Fort William.
