Moment of magic seals Academy win in bad tempered opener
Wick Academy 3 Deveronvale 2
Scorers - Wick: Weir (41, 55) Macadie (90). Vale Urquhart (46) Rae (84).
RICHARD Macadie's injury time goal got Wick Academy off to a winning start in a five goal thriller which saw three men sent off in feisty encounter at Harmsworth Park.
Scoring the winner in a five goal cracker, the attacking midfielder was also responsible for creating the opener as he sent the ball into the box for Davie Allan to square across the face of goal to find Gary Weir who beat his marker to fire home four minutes before half time.
Deveronvale equalised 60 seconds after the interval when John Urquhart leapt above the Academy defence to nod Graeme Rodger's free kick past Sean McCarthy who was left rooted to the spot.
But Academy regained the lead in the 55th minute when from a Macadie free kick on the wing, Grant Campbell fooled the vale defence with a clever flick which left Stevie Cunningham with only the keeper to beat.
Darren McConnachie did well to block Cunningham's shot, but the rebound fell straight to Weir as he scored his second from six yards.
Academy were reduced to ten men when Michael Steven picked up his second booking for a rash foul on Connor Rennie inthe 68th minute.
Vale's one man adavantage only lasted for six minutes when John Urquhart was also sent off for a second booking after a mid air collision with Sean McCarthy.
However, the visitors did equalise six minutes before the end when Academy fell victim to another set piece as Kyle Rae headed home a Rodger corner.
But Davie Allan produced a scintillating run in injury time down the right wing when he beat two Vale defenders and crossed the ball into the box to find Cunningham, whose shot was again saved by McConnachie.
The rebound found Macadie in the six yard box and his toe poke into the net sent the 400 plus crowd into delirium as Academy begin the season with three points.
Deveronvale ended the game with nine men when Kyle Rae was sent off during an off the ball incident in the Academy penalty box.