Manager laments 'ridiculous' goals as Wick Academy are edged out by Formartine
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Manager Gary Manson felt Wick Academy did enough to take all three points from their Highland League clash with Formartine United on Saturday – only to be punished for giving away “ridiculous” goals.
A hat-trick by Scott Lisle inside the opening half-hour did the damage at North Lodge Park, with the Pitmedden side holding on to win 3-2 after Mark Macadie and Mark Munro reduced the deficit in the second period.
It was Academy's first away defeat in the league since August.
“On reflection, we should have got three points,” Manson said.
“People might have been keeping up to date with the score and saying 'they're 3-0 down, they must be getting battered', but it was the exact opposite.
“There was quite a strong wind and we had it in the first half, and we were just camped in their half – creating quite good chances, not taking them, hitting the post and missing one-on-ones.
“Their goals were just shambolic from us, really. They were very, very poor goals we lost and ultimately it cost us.
“It was really disappointing because in general play we did really well. At a tough venue against a team above us in the league we dominated the vast majority of the game and still came away with nothing.
“In the second half we were against the wind, so we didn't create as many chances, but we had them penned in.
"They never really created many chances until the last five minutes when we were just throwing bodies forward and they caught us on the counter a couple of times. Even then they didn't make anything of their chances.
“We scored two good goals, and we had most of the possession and the territory. In the dying stages we possibly could have had a penalty – there was a very strong handball claim.
“There were loads of positives. We were camped in their half for large periods of the game.
“But the three goals we gave away were just ridiculous, and that has cost us numerous times this season. It has cost us probably double figures in points, just gifting teams goals.
“If they'd beaten us by outplaying us and outfighting us and creating more chances than us and being clinical and taking their goals well, you'd hold your hands up and say we were beaten fair and square. But it's just the way we're getting beaten just now.
“The Rothes game [a 2-1 defeat on January 22] was another example. We should have got a draw out of that no problem but their second goal was just a cheap, rubbish goal to give away.
“We gave three of those away against Formartine. It's very frustrating, the manner of the goals that we're losing and coming away with nothing to show for it. But we'll work on it.
“I said to them at the end we have to learn from the mistakes that we made and take the positives out of the way that we played. That's all you can do.”
'Dynamic' teenager Munro will remain with Wick until end of season
Loan signing Mark Munro is staying with Wick Academy for the rest of the season after the club extended his loan spell from Ross County.
Munro scored his first goal for the Scorries in Saturday's 3-2 defeat to Formartine United and manager Gary Manson is pleased that he will be able to call upon the 17-year-old forward's pace and energy over the remaining months of the campaign.
“He is with us now until the end of the season," Manson said.
“He's a good option to have – he's so quick, he's so energetic and he's so dynamic. He did really well when he came on.”
Academy were three goals down at the break after Scott Lisle's treble inside the opening 28 minutes.
Munro came off the bench with half an hour to go after Mark Macadie had been injured in the act of scoring Academy's opening goal. Macadie finished well after the ball broke to him in the box.
Munro's goal came on 70 minutes.
“It was kind of symptomatic of the second half," Manson said. "We got in quite a few times down the right-hand side.
"Mark got in a couple of times and tried to cut the ball back and just never made it to one of his team-mates. But this time he went down the right-hand side and was that little bit more selfish and took the shot, which was the right thing to do, and it found the bottom corner.
"That was his first goal for the club."
Brandon Sinclair returned to the Wick starting line-up at North Lodge Park but was injured late on and had to go off.
“We'll need to assess him this week,” Manson said. “It's a recurrence of the same injury as before.
"Hopefully it's not as severe as it was last time but we'll see how he is this week and take it from there."
Last-gasp blow for new Forres boss
Brechin City struck in stoppage time as they handed Forres Mechanics’ new boss Steven MacDonald a 1-0 defeat in his first Highland League match in charge.
Kevin McHattie’s last-gasp volley settled a tight contest at Mosset Park. MacDonald took over at Forres when former Wick boss Gordon Connelly quit as manager after just six matches in charge.
A statement from the Can-Cans said: “Due to a change in personal circumstances, Gordon Connelly has decided he is unable to give the time and commitment required for the role of manager.”
MacDonald had been assistant to Connelly.
Buckie Thistle netted the quickest goal of the season when Marcus Goodall scored inside 10 seconds in their 4-1 victory at Nairn.
The Jags travel to Fraserburgh on Wednesday night knowing a two-goal win would put them top of the table on goal difference.
Brora Rangers stayed in touch with the leading pack after a 2-1 victory over Inverurie Locos at Dudgeon Park.
Keith were the biggest movers after a 3-1 victory at Turriff United.
Fort William – who visit Wick this weekend – earned only their second point of the season to close the gap on Turriff at the bottom to seven points following a 1-1 draw at Huntly.
- Saturday’s Highland League results: Brora Rangers 2, Inverurie Locos 1; Formartine United 3, Wick Academy 2; Forres Mechanics 0, Brechin City 1; Fort William 1, Huntly 1 (at Christie Park); Lossiemouth 2, Deveronvale 1; Nairn County 1, Buckie Thistle 4; Turriff United 1, Keith 3. Two games were postponed.
