We're giving ourselves mountains to climb, says Wick manager after cup defeat to Brora
Manager Gary Manson admitted Wick Academy again gave themselves a mountain to climb as they succumbed to a 3-0 home defeat to Brora Rangers in the Highland League Cup.
Just as happened at Harmsworth Park the previous week, against Inverurie Locos in a league fixture, the Scorries found themselves three down inside half an hour. Whereas Locos went on to hit six without reply, there was no further scoring on Saturday as Academy made a first-round exit from a cup competition for the third time this season.
Jordan MacRae scored the opener from close range, Dale Gillespie netted from the penalty spot and Matthew Wright added the third after a neat passing move.
“The first one was a prime example of the goal that we've been conceding all season – a ball into the box, we lose the first header, then the second ball drops to one of them and they tap it in,” Manson said.
“That's symptomatic of what has been going wrong this season so far for us. It's just something that we'll need to eradicate.

“We had three really good chances in that first half. On another day we could have scored two or three goals and we would have been in it, but at 3-0 down again at half-time we're just giving ourselves mountains to climb in nearly every game now.”
Manson questioned the penalty decision by referee Lee Robertson.
“I thought it was just two players sliding in for the ball,” the Wick manager said. “One got there ever so slightly before the other.
“Obviously there was a connection there, but whether it was a foul or not is debatable.”
He added: “We kept a clean sheet in the second half. I said to them at half-time, whatever we do in the second half, we don't concede another goal.
“We never created much going forward in the second half, but we looked comfortable at the back which is a positive to take.”
Academy carved out a decent chance in the first minute as Ryan Campbell delivered the ball into the path of Steven Anderson, but the striker pulled his shot just wide of Joe Malin's left-hand post.
Brora opened the scoring with four minutes gone. Mark Nicolson rose highest to meet a corner from the right and headed it down into the six-yard box where MacRae was waiting to poke the ball into the net.
Referee Lee Robertson awarded Brora a penalty on 18 minutes after Wick keeper Graeme Williamson collided with MacRae as they raced to meet a through ball. Dale Gillespie blasted the spot-kick into the net to Williamson's right.
Straight from the kick-off, Davie Allan carved out another opportunity for Anderson but again the striker was marginally off target.
Academy then had three attempts on goal within a few seconds as efforts from Jack Halliday and Anderson were blocked before Allan fired the ball over the top.
Brora showed how clinical they can be when they extended their lead on 28 minutes. Ali Sutherland combined with MacRae to slice open the defence, and Wright – who hit a hat-trick in the Cattachs' 4-1 league win at Harmsworth Park last month – calmly slid it past Williamson.
Brora manager Craig Campbell was satisfied to see his team go safely through to the last eight of the Highland League Cup – although he felt there were some “sloppy” elements to his team's performance.
Speaking after Brora's 3-0 win at Harmsworth Park, where all the goals came inside the opening half-hour, Campbell said: “If you break down the game, Wick created three good chances as well and if they'd taken them it was a different game.
“Obviously we did take our chances, so that was pleasing, and it's pleasing to get a clean sheet again – albeit I thought we were a bit sloppy at times.
“At Brora you want to be winning trophies and we want to go as far as we can, obviously. We're delighted to be into the next round with a 3-0 victory.”
Brora are on a strong run in the title race and are among a clutch of teams looking to make up ground on leaders Fraserburgh, who suffered their first league loss of the campaign earlier this month.
“People were saying the league was over, but if you know the Highland League it's never over before Christmas," Campbell said.
“There's still a lot of football to be played, a lot of difficult games coming up for us in December and over the Christmas period as well, so we'll just keep taking each game as it comes and see where it gets us.”
Wick Academy: Williamson, Hughes, R Allan, Mackay, J Anderson (Bain 85), Henry, Halliday, R Campbell, D Allan (MacNab 73), S Anderson, M Macadie. Subs not used: Manson, C Farquhar, Mathieson, More.
Brora Rangers: Malin, Pickles, Macdonald, Nicolson, Gillespie, Mackinnon (Meekings 53), Williamson, Wright (Maclean 77), Sutherland, MacRae, Ewan (Hennem 53). Sub not used: Stephen.
Referee: Lee Robertson.
Brechin City were the biggest winners in Saturday's Highland League Cup ties, beating Formartine United 5-0 at Pitmedden.
Buckie Thistle eased through to the last eight with a 3-0 home win against Nairn County.
Rothes began their defence of the trophy with a 4-2 victory against Deveronvale in Banff. Inverurie Locos saw off Huntly 1-0, Clach beat Strathspey Thistle by the same score, and Fraserburgh were 4-1 winners at Keith.
Charlie Rowley’s final game in charge of Forres Mechanics was a 2-1 victory over Turriff United. The Can-Cans have announced former Wick Academy boss Gordon Connelly as their new manager.
Wick Academy's Highland League game at home to Formartine United has been rearranged for Saturday, December 4.