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MacNab hails family values in Wick Academy squad





Gordon MacNab watches his shot fly into the top corner to start the Wick recovery against Nairn County. The Scorries came back from two down to win 4-2 at Harmsworth Park. Picture: Mel Roger
Gordon MacNab watches his shot fly into the top corner to start the Wick recovery against Nairn County. The Scorries came back from two down to win 4-2 at Harmsworth Park. Picture: Mel Roger

Gordon MacNab reckons there is such a sense of togetherness in the Wick Academy squad that it’s “almost like a family”.

The 30-year-old forward scored a brilliant goal to start the recovery against Nairn County last weekend as the Scorries came back from two down to win 4-2.

They will be looking to extend their unbeaten run to seven games when they travel to Grantown-on-Spey on Saturday to meet second-bottom Strathspey Thistle.

However, MacNab is suspended for the last two games of the season after being red-carded last week following a challenge on Nairn’s Andrew Greig.

The in-form Scorries have collected 16 points from their last six matches, having picked up only 17 points from 26 games prior to that.

They had a run of 11 defeats and one win in 12 league fixtures between September and January.

“The last six games have been unbelievable,” MacNab said. “It has been a joy.

“I’m sure most players will agree that at times this season it has been very difficult, especially when you’re losing game after game after game, like we were, and we weren’t getting many points.

“But once we started winning it’s almost like routine now when we go into the changing room on a Saturday – you never feel that you’re 100 per cent going to win, but there's always that feeling. And it’s a feeling that was maybe missing at the start of the season.

“We really need to just kick on next season and start off well. With the squad we’ve got it’s definitely something we can do, I think.

“Momentum is a massive thing in this league. There’s absolutely no given game that you can win – but certainly when you have momentum and you are winning games it does make things a lot easier.

“When you’re losing games it’s hard to come out of that rut as well.

“We are a very well-structured team, we’re all very close and we’re all mates. It’s almost like a family, really.

“I don’t know if there are many other Highland League clubs that have that.”

MacNab has had a deeper-lying role in recent times and he has relished the challenge.

Nairn went two up last Saturday with goals by Ben Barron and Fraser Dingwall. MacNab’s strike reduced the deficit in first-half stoppage time and the Scorries took control after the break with further goals from Kyle Henderson, Mark Macadie and Euan Kennedy.

Euan Kennedy watches his diving header hit the roof of the net to round off the scoring in last Saturday's 4-2 victory over Nairn County. Picture: Mel Roger
Euan Kennedy watches his diving header hit the roof of the net to round off the scoring in last Saturday's 4-2 victory over Nairn County. Picture: Mel Roger

Much-improved Strathspey are three points clear of bottom side Rothes with a better goal difference.

Academy had to work hard for a 2-1 win when the Jags visited Harmsworth Park in August.

Manager Gary Manson said: “They’re not the same team that they were at the start of the season, or in previous seasons. With the results that they are picking up, the performances they’re putting in, they’re probably in all but name a mid-table team.

“It’ll be an extremely difficult game. We’ll be missing a few players, but that’s why we've got a squad.”

Highland League results from Wednesday: Banks O’ Dee 3, Fraserburgh 1; Huntly 1, Deveronvale 2; Keith 1, Rothes 0; Lossiemouth 0, Forres Mechanics 3; Nairn County 2, Turriff United 0.

Fixtures – Saturday, April 5: Brechin City v Nairn County; Brora Rangers v Huntly; Forres Mechanics v Keith; Lossiemouth v Banks O’ Dee; Rothes v Deveronvale; Strathspey Thistle v Wick Academy; Turriff United v Inverurie Locos.

Wednesday, April 9: Formartine United v Nairn County; Huntly v Fraserburgh; Keith v Strathspey Thistle.

Saturday, April 12: 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.


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