Wick Academy ‘can take belief’ from last two performances
Wick Academy manager Gary Manson reckons his players can take belief from their last two performances as they prepare to face Formartine United at Harmsworth Park.
Saturday’s Highland League fixture will be the first home match for the Scorries since the end of August, as September brought a run of six consecutive away games – four in the league as well as two cup ties.
Academy will be looking to bounce back from the bitter disappointment of their Scottish Cup exit on penalties last weekend after a 2-2 draw with Huntly at Christie Park.
Formartine United are eighth in the table and Academy are 15th.
“It’ll be good to get back to playing a home match,” Manson said.
“It doesn’t get any easier – Formartine are a good side and they won on Saturday [in the Scottish Cup]. It’ll be extremely difficult.
“While we’re on a bad run of results, the performances in the last two games will give the boys belief. We know we’re a good side so we’ll just need to start showing that in our results.”
Orcadian defender Owen Rendall will be suspended as a consequence of his red card in the 4-3 league defeat at Forres two weeks ago.
“We’ve got a good number in our squad this year,” Manson said. “It was a conscious decision to go in with slightly more players than we had done in the last couple of seasons, just to make sure we were never drastically short of players.
“It just so happens that we don’t have many injuries at the moment and we’ve got a huge squad on match days.
“It’s far better that than sitting there with two substitutes and struggling to field players. I’d far rather be in this position.”
Academy came from behind to win 3-1 when Formartine United last visited Harmsworth Park, in March this year. The Scorries' scorers that day were Kyle Henderson, Jack Halliday and Mark Macadie.
Formartine won by the same score when the sides met in a midweek fixture at North Lodge Park the following month.
Marc Macgregor and Kyle Henderson were on target for the Scorries as they twice came from behind in last weekend’s Scottish Cup tie at Christie Park. Angus Grant got both goals for Huntly, who went on to win 5-3 in the shootout.
Brora Rangers will meet Clachnacuddin in this season’s North of Scotland Cup final after convincing wins in their respective semis in midweek.
The Cattachs were 3-0 winners at home to Lossiemouth courtesy of an own goal, Andy Macrae and Jordan MacRae.
Clachnacuddin’s Troy Cooper scored a hat-trick as they hammered North Caledonian League side Inverness Athletic 7-0 at Grant Street Park.
Highland League fixtures for Saturday: Brora Rangers v Buckie Thistle; Forres Mechanics v Deveronvale; Fraserburgh v Keith; Huntly v Lossiemouth; Inverurie Locos v Nairn County; Rothes v Clachnacuddin; Strathspey Thistle v Banks O’ Dee; Turriff United v Brechin City; Wick Academy v Formartine United (3pm).
Scottish Cup first-round results (ties involving Highland League clubs): Brechin City 1, Newtongrange Star 0; Broomhill 0, Turriff United 1; Brora Rangers 2, Cumnock Juniors 1; Buckie Thistle 2, Carluke Rovers 1; Clachnacuddin 3, Nairn County 1; Deveronvale 2, Bo’ness United 4; Dundonald Bluebell 1, Inverurie Locos 1 (Locos won 3-0 on penalties); Formartine United 2, Whitehill Welfare 0; Forres Mechanics 1, Jeanfield Swifts 2; Fraserburgh 8, Rothes 0; Gala Fairydean Rovers 0, Banks O’ Dee 1; Huntly 2, Wick Academy 2 (Huntly won 5-3 on penalties); Keith 1, Camelon Juniors 1 (Keith won 4-3 on penalties; Linlithgow Rose 3, Lossiemouth 1; Strathspey Thistle 0, Sauchie Juniors 6.
Second-round draw: Auchinleck Talbot v Broxburn Athletic; Brechin City v Huntly; Brora Rangers v Formartine United; East Fife v Banks O’ Dee; East Kilbride v Bonnyrigg Rose; Elgin City v Clyde; Forfar Athletic v Berwick Rangers; Fraserburgh v Turriff United; Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Bo’ness United; Inverurie Locos v Dundee North End; Irvine Meadow XI v Civil Service Strollers; Jeanfield Swifts v Edinburgh City; Keith v Clydebank; Linlithgow Rose v Clachnacuddin; Musselburgh Athletic v Caledonian Braves; Peterhead v Lochee United; Sauchie Juniors v Buckie Thistle; Stirling Albion v Bo’ness Athletic; Spartans v Cowdenbeath; Threave Rovers v Stranraer.