Scottish Cup: First-class finishes give Wick Academy a chance to kick on
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Wick Academy manager Gary Manson praised his players for showing the right mentality as they came from behind to thump Lochee United 5-1 in Saturday's Scottish Cup first-round tie at Harmsworth Park.
A three-goal burst in the closing 11 minutes of the first half, courtesy of Jack Halliday, Sean Campbell and Mark Macadie, put the Scorries firmly in control after Logan Davie's 21st-minute opener for the Scottish Junior FA Midlands League outfit.
Gordon MacNab extended the lead from the penalty spot 10 minutes into the second half before Lochee's Dylan-James Higgins was sent off. Substitute Mark Munro completed the scoring with three minutes to go to give Academy their most emphatic Scottish Cup result in seven years.
“Everything you want as a manager came out today,” Manson said.
“I say to them before every game, the mentality and the mindset has to be right. No matter what happens in a game, you just keep on doing your job, don't let anything faze you.
“We went 1-0 down but we weren't playing particularly badly at the time. The boys kept plugging away, doing their jobs, and got their rewards in that first half – going up the hill 3-1 up at half-time.
“We were quite comfortable throughout the whole game, really. To be fair, I thought we were quite a good bit better than them.
“You're always concerned when you lose a goal, but we weren't playing badly. These things happen in football – you're never going to keep a clean sheet in every single game.
“We just dusted ourselves off and we went again, and again and again and again. To score five goals, it was impressive.
“Listening to a lot of things, and reading a lot of things, people had written us off. People thought they [Lochee United] were coming up here for a comfortable afternoon and to get into the next round.
“But we proved that on our day we're a really good team.
“Some of the goals we scored were first-class. All five were really good finishes. We'll kick on now, hopefully.”
A minute's silence was observed before kick-off in memory of Queen Elizabeth II.
Lochee United opened the scoring on 21 minutes when Calvin Colquhoun's cross from the right was only partially cleared and Logan Davie dispatched a low drive into the net from the edge of the box.
Academy levelled after 34 minutes when Sean Campbell's neat lay-off allowed Jack Halliday to fire in a first-time shot that evaded Lochee keeper Mitchell da Costa Tristan.
Halliday returned the favour on 41 minutes when he set off on a brilliant run up the right and his cutback was slammed in by Campbell for his first Academy goal.
A third Wick goal arrived a minute before the break after Lochee surrendered possession in a dangerous area. Harry Hennem set up Mark Macadie who duly hammered the ball into the net.
There was no way back for the Dundee-based visitors when Gordon MacNab scored from the spot 10 minutes into the second half after Hennem had been tripped in the box.
Lochee United were reduced to 10 men on 74 minutes when Dylan-James Higgins was shown a second yellow card by referee Graham Beaton.
Wick saw the game out comfortably and Mark Munro added a fifth in the 87th minute with a great finish from the edge of the penalty area.
Lochee United manager George Shields said: “We started off quite well and I thought we played well in the first 30 minutes. We went 1-0 up and I thought we could have probably gone two or three up.”
The visitors were forced into a change just after Academy's equaliser when Grant Lawson was replaced by Danny Cavanagh.
“We lost Grant Lawson and we lost three goals in something like 10 minutes,” Shields said. “I was disappointed with the second half as well, and the sending off was just stupid.
“As the soon as the penalty went in, the game was over. Even with half an hour to go, I didn't see us coming back.
“We obviously came up here in the hope that we could maybe turn the tables on them, but it didn't work. Good luck to them in the next round – I hope they do well.”
Elsewhere, just five other Highland League sides made it through to the next stage alongside Wick Academy.
Buckie Thistle and Banks O' Dee made it through in two all-Highland League ties, while Fraserburgh, Formartine United, and Brechin City all won through against south pyramid opponents.
Brora Rangers were beaten 3-2 in extra time by Open Goal Broomhill.
Academy have been given a home draw in the second round against Benburb, who are based in the Govan area of Glasgow and play in the first division of the West of Scotland league.
Benburb won 4-0 at Fort William in the preliminary round before beating Dundonald Bluebell 4-2 in round one.
The second-round ties are due to be played over the weekend of October 22.
