Second-half collapse 'not acceptable' as Wick Academy are picked apart by Fraserburgh
Manager Gary Manson admitted that the way Wick Academy were picked apart by Fraserburgh on Saturday was “not acceptable”.
The reigning Highland League champions eased to a 6-0 victory at Harmsworth Park, with most of the damage being done after the break.
Jamie Beagrie opened the scoring in the second minute. Academy gave as good as they got for the rest of the first period but the Broch took control with second-half goals from Scott Barbour (2), Sean Butcher, Marc Lawrence and Logan Watt.
It was the second time in three home games that the Scorries had conceded five in the second half, following the 7-1 loss to Brora.
“The first half was okay,” Manson said. “I'm getting used to losing goals in the first two minutes, so it's not a shock any more.
“The first half was a fifty-fifty affair – we had a couple of half-chances, they had a couple of half-chances. It looked like it was going to be a competitive, even game.
“I don't know what happened in the second half. I said to them, as soon as we lose a goal it looks like we're going to lose another one straight away, and then another one, and another one.
“To lose five second-half goals was not acceptable. It's the manner of the goals we're losing – two free headers from corners, and then gifting them the ball on the edge of our box.
“That's four goals. Even the other two, they didn't have to work hard for them.
“If we get any kind of chance in their box, we have to graft for it. Nothing falls for us.”
Wick strikers Gordon MacNab and Marc Macgregor both missed out with hamstring injuries, while Manson was forced into making a couple of changes during the game. Alan Hughes came off after 21 minutes as he was feeling unwell – allowing Sean Campbell to make his first appearance in four months after his ankle injury – and Joe Anderson, who had taken a knock, was replaced by Mark Macadie just after the hour mark.
“It's no excuse,” Manson said. “Granted we didn't have a recognised striker on the park so I always knew goals would be reasonably hard to come by.
“But we should be able to keep our shape and have enough about us to not concede the goals that we conceded today. It was just really, really poor.”
This is the first season since Academy joined the Highland League in 1994 that they have conceded six goals or more at home in three league fixtures.
Fraserburgh opened the scoring in the second minute when they won a corner on the right and Jamie Beagrie rose to direct a head-flick beyond James More.
It was an ominous sign, but Academy competed well for the remainder of the first half and carved out one or two half-chances at the bottom end – although the Broch came close to doubling their lead when Sean Butcher directed a backwards header against the crossbar.
The visitors took command after the break.
Scott Barbour added the second with an acrobatic effort after 51 minutes and six minutes later Butcher added the third with a powerful downward header from a corner on the right.
The fourth arrived on 73 minutes when Academy surrendered possession, allowing Marc Lawrence to break through the middle and slot it past More.
Three minutes later Fraserburgh attacked down the left and a low ball across the face of goal was knocked in by Barbour.
A miserable second half for Academy was capped off in the 83rd minute when they were again caught in possession in a dangerous area and substitute Logan Watt was allowed to advance on goal before beating More with an angled finish.
Academy are due to travel to Keith on Wednesday night but, with wintry weather predicted, the fixture could be in doubt.
Fraserburgh manager Mark Cowie felt it was “one-way traffic” after his team opened up a three-goal advantage in Saturday's Highland League encounter at Wick.
“The first half was more competitive," he said. "It's a difficult pitch, it's hard to get the ball down and play, so it took us a while to get adjusted.
“In the last couple of weeks we've scored after a couple of minutes and we've kind of sat back a wee bit. I asked at half-time for a bit more going forward and we did that.
“We were clinical at the end whereas last week [a 3-2 defeat to Turriff United] we weren't quite as clinical.
“The third goal took a lot of the stuffing out of Wick, I feel, and it was one-way traffic from there on. Wick had a lot of guys missing – I'm under no illusions that they'll be a lot stronger when they get their players back.”
The champions are fifth in the table, 11 points behind leaders Buckie Thistle.
“It's just fine margins,” Cowie said. “In certain games we've been in control and we've just made silly decisions, whether it's sendings off or missing penalties, and that has been the difference.
“We've lost three [league] games but we've drawn six and I think the draws have cost us, whereas last year we weren't drawing any because we were managing to get wins.
“As long as I get the effort, which I thought was lacking last week. I got that more today.
“We've got a big week ahead of us so we've started well. It's a long journey, they managed to get the win, and we move on.”
Banks O' Dee and Inverurie Locos will meet in the Highland League Cup final after overcoming Buckie Thistle and Brechin City respectively in Saturday's semi-finals.
After having Joe McCabe red-carded in the first half, Buckie took the lead against Dee through Andy MacAskill. Chris Antoniazzi levelled for the visitors and they went on to win 3-2 in the shootout.
Goals by Sam Robertson and Sam Burnett gave Locos a surprise victory over title contenders Brechin at Harlaw Park, setting up a final against Dee at Fraserburgh's Bellslea Park.
In the league, Gregor MacDonald got a hat-trick in Brora Rangers' 4-0 win at Turriff, with Ali Sutherland also on target.
Second-bottom Keith made it nine games without a victory as they went down 2-1 away to Clachnacuddin. Gavin Elphinstone cancelled out Lewis Mackenzie's opener for the Lilywhites but Gary Warren got the winner.
Greg Morrison's double gave Rothes a 2-0 success at home to Nairn County, while Huntly beat Forres Mechanics 2-1 at Christie Park.
Results – Highland League: Clachnacuddin 2, Keith 1; Huntly 2, Forres Mechanics 1; Rothes 2, Nairn County 0; Turriff United 0, Brora Rangers 4; Wick Academy 0, Fraserburgh 6. Highland League Cup, semi-finals: Buckie Thistle 1, Banks O' Dee 1 (Banks O' Dee won 3-2 on penalties); Inverurie Locos 2, Brechin City 0.
Highland League fixtures – Wednesday, March 8: Brechin City v Fraserburgh; Brora Rangers v Lossiemouth; Keith v Wick Academy; Strathspey Thistle v Huntly; Turriff United v Rothes.
Saturday, March 11: Banks O' Dee v Buckie Thistle; Brechin City v Brora Rangers; Clachnacuddin v Fraserburgh; Forres Mechanics v Formartine United; Inverurie Locos v Wick Academy; Lossiemouth v Turriff United; Nairn County v Huntly; Rothes v Deveronvale; Strathspey Thistle v Keith.