It's a point gained: Manson hails Wick's resilience after goalless draw with Brora
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Manager Gary Manson hailed the improved resilience of his Wick Academy squad after they picked up a well-earned point in Wednesday night's goalless Highland League derby against Brora Rangers at Harmsworth Park.
The Scorries played with 10 men for more than half an hour after Gordon MacNab was sent off by referee Billy Baxter on 57 minutes for a second bookable offence. Yet they could have snatched a dramatic victory in the dying stages, only for Conor Farquhar to fire a shot over the bar after being set up by fellow substitute Mark Macadie.
"With that missed chance right at the death, it almost feels like a loss," Manson said. "But it's a point gained, when you consider all things – the red card, and coming up against a top team.
"We kept a clean sheet, we were resilient, we were robust, and at the end we probably should have won it.
"Overall we had the two best chances. Brora had half-chances but they didn't really work Graeme [Williamson] that hard.
"We are showing a wee bit more resilience this season. If you can't win the game, just make sure you don't lose it, so that's what we did.
"Once we went down to 10 it was going to be difficult to push on and try and win the game. If we had 11, I would have fancied us to go on and win."
The point was enough to take Academy back up to 14th in the table.
The Scorries are at home on Saturday to fifth-placed Formartine United.
Manson said: "In 90 minutes against Brora and the last 45 minutes against Brechin we've not conceded a goal, so it's a game and a half against two top teams where we've kept them out and hardly conceded a chance.
"If we go in with the same mindset and the same organisation and the same resilience on Saturday then I quite fancy us to go and nick a goal.
"We'll go in with confidence and belief. We've played two top teams recently and we've competed really well, so we'll see how we get on."
Brora manager Ally MacDonald admitted the title now looks to be beyond the reach of the Sutherland club.
"We huffed and puffed," MacDonald said. "We just weren't creating the chances that we normally do."
Highland League results – Tuesday: Brechin City 0, Banks O' Dee 0. Wednesday: Buckie Thistle 3, Lossiemouth 0; Forres Mechanics 2, Huntly 2; Wick Academy 0, Brora Rangers 0.
Highland League fixtures – Friday: Banks O' Dee v Turriff United. Saturday: Brora Rangers v Fraserburgh; Buckie Thistle v Strathspey Thistle; Deveronvale v Rothes; Huntly v Forres Mechanics; Inverurie Locos v Lossiemouth; Keith v Brechin City; Nairn County v Clachnacuddin; Wick Academy v Formartine United.
