We’ll give it our best shot, says Wick manager as focus switches to Scottish Cup
Wick Academy will put their patchy league form to one side this weekend as they head to Aberdeenshire for their first Scottish Cup away tie in three years.
The Scorries take on familiar opposition in Huntly, who won 3-0 when the teams met in a Highland League fixture at Christie Park in August.
Gary Manson’s side will be looking to keep things tighter at the back than in their 4-3 loss to Forres Mechanics at Mosset Park last Saturday.
That made it three away league defeats in a row for Academy after they were beaten 1-0 at Brechin and 5-0 at Brora.
The manager acknowledged that a Scottish Cup tie against a fellow Highland League club doesn’t generate quite the same excitement as taking on a team from another part of the country.
“When the Scottish Cup comes around you want to play someone different or go away to a different ground, so it’s not that exciting in terms of that,” Manson said.
“But it’s still an opportunity to get into the second round of the Scottish Cup, so we will go down there and give it our best shot.
“We had a few bodies back [at Forres] and the squad was beefed up, so hopefully there aren’t too many niggles and we will see how the boys are.
“We are looking forward to it. We are on a disappointing run at the moment but there is always that chance.”
Academy’s last away tie in the Scottish Cup resulted in a 4-1 loss to Lowland League outfit Bo’ness United in a midweek rearranged replay in September 2021.
The teams had drawn 2-2 at Harmsworth Park, then the initial replay at Newtown Park was abandoned following a lengthy wait for an ambulance to attend to a Bo’ness United player after he sustained a broken ankle.
In 2022, Academy came from behind to win 5-1 in a first-round tie against Lochee United of the Scottish Junior FA Midlands League. That set up a second-round clash with Benburb, then playing in the West of Scotland first division, and the Scorries emerged with a 2-0 victory.
They were beaten 6-0 in the third round by eventual semi-finalists Falkirk, who were then in League One.
All three ties that season were at Harmsworth Park.
A year ago, Academy again had a home match in round one but they were beaten 3-1 by Jeanfield Swifts from the East of Scotland League Premier Division.
“Last year was disappointing as we went out in the first round at home against a very good Jeanfield Swifts team,” Manson said.
“The year before that we got to the third round and had a good game against Falkirk at home with a huge crowd.
“It generates interest. For teams like us, it gives an opportunity for something different in the season.”
Academy played well at Mosset Park last weekend but ended up with nothing to show for their efforts in a game in which both sides had a player sent off – Wick’s Owen Rendall and Kyle MacLeod of Forres.
“I thought we were the better team over the piece and to walk away with no points is deeply frustrating because we put so much into the game,” Manson said afterwards. “Unfortunately we are struggling to not concede goals.”
Gary Pullen struck twice for Academy and Gordon MacNab got the other. The result meant the Scorries dropped to 15th in the table.
Scottish Cup first-round ties for Saturday, September 28 (involving Highland League clubs): Brechin City v Newtongrange Star; Broomhill v Turriff United; Brora Rangers v Cumnock Juniors; Buckie Thistle v Carluke Rovers; Clachnacuddin v Nairn County; Deveronvale v Bo’ness United; Dundonald Bluebell v Inverurie Locos; Formartine United v Whitehill Welfare; Forres Mechanics v Jeanfield Swifts; Fraserburgh v Rothes; Gala Fairydean Rovers v Banks O’ Dee; Huntly v Wick Academy; Keith v Camelon Juniors; Linlithgow Rose v Lossiemouth; Strathspey Thistle v Sauchie Juniors (all 3pm).
