Player of the year Macadie seals win for Wick Academy
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Richard Macadie receives his trophy from Shane Sutherland
Richard Macadie was named as Wick Academy’s player of the year after scoring his 27 goal of the campaign to secure a 1-0 victory over Rothes at Harmsworth Park this afternoon.
It was Academy’s third win in their last four outings and it allowed them to leapfrog Clach into 14 place in the table after achieving back-to-back clean sheets for the first time this season.
In truth, the home side should have won by a far more convincing margin as they passed up a succession of chances, especially in the second half.
David Allan carved out the first opening after 13 minutes, cutting in from the left and firing a low shot just wide of the near post. Five minutes later Allan sliced the ball over the top after Gary Manson, Stevie Cunningham and Richard Macadie had combined to set up the chance.
The 12.30pm kick-off had meant an early departure for the Speysiders but they didn’t seem to be suffering from travel weariness and they twice came close to scoring midway through the first half. A shot from Michael Fletcher flashed just past after taking a deflection off a defender, then Jamie Sutherland poked a shot marginally wide from close range.
Wick’s best chance of the first half saw Macadie send a defence-splitting pass into the path of Cunningham, whose shot was blocked by the legs of keeper Ricky Horne.
Both teams had penalty appeals either side of half-time. First, Michael Fletcher delivered a low cross into the Wick six-yard box and keeper Alan Bokas collided awkwardly with two Rothes players in attempting to cut out the danger.
Then, just after the break, Academy substitute Sam Mackay appeared to be held back by Gary Gallacher inside the penalty area but referee Jim Lyon saw nothing wrong.
Macadie broke the deadlock after 54 minutes when he got on the end of a deep right-wing cross from Joe Steven and nodded the ball beyond Horne.
Allan was unable to connect properly from point-blank range after doing the hard part by lifting the ball over a defender’s head, then Sam Mackay had the ball in the net only for it to be ruled out for offside.
Wick’s other substitute, Gary Weir, linked up with Macadie with the Rothes defence stretched all over the place but the duo just couldn’t create an opening.
At the other end, Fletcher raced onto a long ball and his angled shot was touched away for a corner by Bokas.
The Scorries continued to pile on the pressure but they were lacking a killer instinct.
In the 86 minute Macadie was left holding his head in his hands when he side-footed the ball wide from close range after combining brilliantly with Mackay.
Seconds later Macadie linked up with Weir on the left and again looked certain to score. However, his shot clattered down off the underside of the bar and Academy had to settle for a single-goal winning margin.
It was nevertheless a very satisfactory outcome for Richard Hughes and Ian Munro in their final home game as Academy co-managers. Statistical analysis in the match programme showed that Hughes and Munro are by far the most successful Wick managers since the club joined the Highland League, with a win ratio of 42 per cent.
Macadie, who has been outstanding all season in a team that has suffered from inconsistency, received his player-of-the-year trophy at the end of the match from Shane Sutherland, the former Academy striker who is now starring for Caley Thistle.
Wick Academy: Bokas, Steven, Manson, Farquhar, Cunningham (Weir 68), Shearer, Gunn, McKiddie, Allan, Macadie, J. Mackay (S. Mackay 46). Subs not used: Hughes, Dunnett, Halliday.
Rothes: Horne, Jack, Bowie, MacRae, Fraser, Bain, Fletcher, Gallacher (MacKinnon 68), Duncan, Sutherland, Massie. Sub not used: Slessor.
Referee: Jim Lyon.
