We'll be a force when we find consistency, says Wick manager after defeat at Forres
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Wick Academy manager Gary Manson lamented the poor goals his team conceded in Wednesday's 4-2 defeat to Forres Mechanics at Mosset Park and admitted: "We are too inconsistent."
The Scorries went behind to Ben Barron's diving header after two minutes, but goals from Sean Campbell and Mark Macadie saw Manson's side turn it around within the first half-hour.
Ryan MacLeman levelled before half-time and Kane Davies' second-half double sealed a win for Forres.
"It was never a 4-2 game, there wasn't much in it at all," Manson said. "The first half we had the better of, but when you concede four goals as poor as that you're never going to win a game – simple as that.
"I was really happy with the first half. I thought we were quite a bit ahead of them, although we went in level.
"Forres had the better of the second half, there's no two ways about that. At the same time, it was more mistakes that gave them their goals rather than clinical finishing or good play to break through us.
"You hold your hands up if you're beaten by clinical goals or good play but the manner of the goals is the most disappointing aspect of the game.
"Every other day, Graeme Williamson saves three of those goals – it just so happens that he made a couple of mistakes that are uncharacteristic. When you are a goalkeeper, when you make mistakes, more often than not they end in a goal.
"We'll need to give ourselves a shake after that second half because it wasn't good enough. The difference in the two halves was stark and it shouldn't be like that.
"We are too inconsistent at the moment. As soon as we find that consistency we will be a force to be reckoned with."
Forres assistant manager Stephen Maclean was pleased to defeat a Wick side he rates highly.
"They finished ninth last season, have a really good side and play really good football, so to come out on top against them is pleasing," he said.
"We stood up and came out on top – that's what got us the win, that we were prepared to battle."
The visit of Inverurie Locos on Saturday marks the start of a long run of home fixtures for Academy, who will play five consecutive matches at Harmsworth Park between now and early November.
"It's a chance to reset coming off the back of a defeat," Manson added.
"The best thing for it is getting straight back into another game with no time to dwell on it for the players. We'll need to dust ourselves down, regroup and reset after that.
"We thought we'd go to Forres, lay a marker down and take three points up the road.
"This is another chance on Saturday to beat a team that will probably be in and about us at the end of the season, so it'll be a big three points if we can get hold of them."
Mechanics took the lead inside two minutes when Lucas Davidson controlled Stuart Knight's long throw out and whipped in a great cross for Ben Barron to send a diving header into the corner.
Wick levelled the scores on nine minutes when Mark Macadie got in down the right and cut back for Sean Campbell to turn home from eight yards.
Academy got their noses in front before the half-hour after a mistake by Knight, with a 25-yard effort from Mark Macadie squirming through the keeper.
The visitors weren't ahead for long, though, with Knight atoning for his error by sending a long ball up the park to assist Ryan MacLeman, who clipped over Graeme Williamson and in for 2-2.
Wick would have been wondering how they weren't ahead at half-time after Mark Macadie squared for Mark Munro to tap in to an empty net, but Munro's finish was tame and the ball was cleared off the line.
Mechanics picked up the pace after the hour mark and went 3-2 ahead thanks to a mistake by Williamson who let a Kane Davies free-kick from 25 yards squirm under his body and in.
The points were secured eight minutes from time and it was Davies again – this time with a fine swerving effort from 25 yards which evaded the fingertips of Williamson.
Brechin City's 100 per cent record came to an end in midweek as they were held 2-2 at home by Huntly. But the Glebe Park outfit remain top ahead of Buckie Thistle, 4-1 winners away to Clachnacuddin, and Brora Rangers, who hit the goal trail in an 11-0 rout at Strathspey Thistle.
Highland League results from Wednesday: Banks O' Dee 2, Deveronvale 0; Brechin City 2, Huntly 2; Clachnacuddin 1, Buckie Thistle 4; Forres Mechanics 4, Wick Academy 2; Lossiemouth 2, Keith 0; Nairn County 2, Inverurie Locos 2; Rothes 2, Formartine United 2; Strathspey Thistle 0, Brora Rangers 11; Turriff United 1, Fraserburgh 4.
Fixtures for Saturday, October 8: Brora Rangers v Brechin City; Buckie Thistle v Banks O' Dee; Deveronvale v Rothes; Formartine United v Forres Mechanics; Fraserburgh v Clachnacuddin; Huntly v Nairn County; Keith v Strathspey Thistle; Turriff United v Lossiemouth; Wick Academy v Inverurie Locos.
