Wick Academy ‘have made massive progress against top Highland League teams’
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Manager Gary Manson emphasised that Wick Academy have “progressed massively” against the leading teams in the Highland League this season after they rounded off their home fixtures with a 1-1 draw against Banks O’ Dee on Saturday.
The Aberdeen side went ahead after 12 minutes with a penalty from Michael Philipson.
Academy equalised on 84 minutes when Banks O’ Dee keeper Gregg Sim was unable to hold a high ball lofted into the penalty box by Kyle Henderson and Gordon MacNab popped up to nod it into the net.
“It was a scrappy game,” Manson said. “Our goal was kind of symptomatic of the whole game, really.
“Their goal was a penalty, our goal was a mistake. That was the only way either team was going to score, by the look of it.
“It was a really scrappy end-of-season affair and a draw was a fair result.”
But he added: “We’ve progressed massively against the top teams this year. You just need to look at our results against Buckie, our results against Brora so far, Formartine, and today, especially at home. No team is getting an easy game here nowadays, so long may it continue.”
Wick had been well beaten in all three previous matches between the sides since Banks O’ Dee joined the league in 2022, with an overall goal tally of 18 to nil. The draw ensured a fourth-place finish for Banks O’ Dee, while Academy will end up no lower than 13th and could potentially rise to 11th.
The Scorries take on Brora Rangers at King George V Park in Golspie on Wednesday night, hoping to beat their old rivals in a league match for the first time since December 2012.
“We’ll certainly be trying our best,” Manson said. “I said that to the boys, it might be an end-of-season game but we should be treating it as a really meaningful game because it has been far too long since we’ve beaten them.
“It’ll be a tough game. Brora are still a quality team. They’ve had a poor season league-wise but they’ve still got some really good players.
“It won’t be an easy game but we’ll certainly be going down there to try and get the win. It’s long overdue.
“We’ll go down in good spirits after the way the game [against Banks O' Dee] finished.”
