Wick Academy focus on vital league games after cup exit
He watched his team crash out of the Breedon Aggregates Highland League Cup to local rivals Brora Rangers on Saturday.
A superb strike by Steven Mackay in the 89th minute ensured it was the Sutherland team which progressed to the quarter finals at Wick’s expense.
It was the Scorries’ second defeat to their local rivals in the space of 10 days. Brora beat them 5-0 in a re-arranged league game last week.
Wilson admits to being disappointed to go out of the cup.
“It looked like the tie was heading for extra-time when they scored. It was a great strike and left us with no time to get back into the game,” he said.
Academy went behind to a Martin MacLean goal in the first half but levelled the score in the 58th minute through Craig Shearer.
“I thought we would go on and win after that as we looked like the better team but we sat back a bit. Our creative players were not at their best and did not cause Brora enough problems but our defence was excellent,” Wilson told the Caithness Courier.
Academy are still top of the Highland League and face Forres Mechanics at Harmsworth Park on Saturday before taking on Clach next Wednesday. They are then away to Formartine United followed by a home tie against Cove Rangers.
“These are four massive games for us and will give us a fair idea of whether or not we will be challenging for the title. It will be a big test for us but we are looking forward to the games,” added Wilson.
During Saturday’s cup-tie, Academy put on a much more determined and combative display than on their last visit to Dudgeon Park and had long spells of pressure without carving out too many clear-cut chances.
Alan Farquhar and James Pickles were fit again and were on the bench. James More was back in goal but Lukasz Geruzel did not feature as he was injured, while Ross Allan was suspended.
Brora made one change to the line-up which beat Academy in the league with Zander Sutherland returning from suspension to displace Liam Baxter.
After 28 minutes, MacLean opened the scoring with a header from a corner.
He was later booked for a foul on Allan which led to the equaliser in the 58th minute. Stevie Cunningham delivered the free-kick into the box and Shearer sent a towering header over Ally Ridgers and into the net, to the delight of the large travelling support.
It was fitting that Shearer should get his name on the scoresheet as he was magnificent throughout – winning just about every 50-50 challenge, using the ball well and showing commitment to the cause.
Before Shearer’s goal, Cunningham had come agonisingly close with a curling right-foot shot from outside the box. He pushed up the right flank and played the ball up to Sam Mackay who drove on and cut the ball back across to Cunningham who took a first time shot from 25 yards out that had Ridgers beat but the ball smashed back off the post.
Brora hit the woodwork twice themselves and James More made a couple of outstanding saves.
Shortly after the equaliser, Academy were fortunate not to go further behind. Shaun Sinclair gave the ball away in the middle of the park to Sutherland. He slid a pass to Steven Mackay whose shot was blocked by More. The ball bounced off Michael Steven and into the net but the linesman had his flag up for offside.
A corner was then punched out by Ridgers as far as Macadie whose cross was again knocked clear by the keeper. The ball fell to Michael Steven whose shot looked goalbound but Ross Tokely cleared it off the line.
Just as the tie looked to be heading for extra-time, Steven Mackay got on the end of a long ball from MacLean and lashed a shot past More.
Brora Rangers: Ridgers, Ross, Tokely, Golabek, Houston, MacLean, J. Mackay, Hart, Sutherland, S. Mackay, Greig (Baxter 86). Subs: Bruce, Gillespie, Hind and Allan.
Academy: More, Sinclair, Manson, M. Steven, G. Steven, Shearer, Mackay, Cunningham, Weir, Macadie, Allan. Subs: Gray, Farquhar, Wilson and Pickles.
Referee: Graham Fraser.