Wick Academy in ‘good spirits’ for Banks O’ Dee trip after winter break
Wick Academy will be aiming to improve on their past performances at Spain Park when they face Banks O’ Dee on the Aberdeen club’s artificial pitch this weekend.
The Scorries have come off second best by some distance on their two visits to Banks O’ Dee since the latter entered the Highland League in 2022, losing 6-0 in January 2023 and 4-0 in July that same year.
Results at home have tended to go the same way apart from a 1-1 draw towards the end of last season.
Academy are in “good spirits”, having returned to their regular pattern of Tuesday and Thursday training sessions after the disruption caused by the recent wintry spell.
They haven’t had a match since losing 3-0 to Buckie Thistle at the end of December, a result that brought their run of defeats to seven in all competitions.
The Scorries are 15th in the league, while Banks O’ Dee are third, seven points behind second-placed Brora Rangers and nine adrift of leaders Brechin City.
Wick manager Gary Manson said: “Even when we played on December 28 we weren’t really able to train in between Christmas and New Year, and even after New Year.
“At training on Tuesday night it felt like we’d been away for the best part of a month, so it was good to get back and we had a really good session.”
Banks O’ Dee drew 0-0 away to Inverurie Locos in their last game of 2024, having beaten Nairn County 4-1 (away) and Keith 5-0 (at home) prior to that.
“We’ll certainly go down there and try our best,” Manson said. “It’s a difficult game because they’re well versed on how to play on that pitch and they’ve got good technical players that can take advantage of the flat, true surface that you get down there.
“They know what they’re doing on it. They’re quite slick and they’ve added a physical presence now as well, so they’re just an all-round good team.
“It’ll be difficult, but we’ll go down there and hope to catch them on an off day and for all our players to perform to their best. We’ll see how we get on.
“We’ll certainly be going down in good spirits after our extended break. The squad is quite healthy.”
Alan Hughes is back training but is not ready to return to the team, while Mark Macadie remains sidelined with a knee injury and is waiting to see a specialist. Ross Gunn is still away.
Academy’s Orkney-based contingent will be available for the trip.
Banks O’ Dee ran out 6-1 winners in the last meeting between the sides, at the end of August. Headers by Iain Vigurs and Andy Hunter gave the visitors a two-goal lead at the break that day.
Kyle Henderson pulled one back with a composed finish in between a second-half double for Lachie MacLeod, then two free kicks from Mark Gilmour both found their way past Wick goalkeeper Graeme Williamson to wrap up a convincing win for the visitors.
In the corresponding fixture last season, in April 2024, Banks O’ Dee led through an early penalty by Michael Philipson but a Gordon MacNab header with six minutes to go secured a share of the points.
Wick supporters have painful memories of the first league encounter between the teams, in September 2022. Academy lost 8-0, their heaviest home defeat since becoming a Highland League club in 1994.
Banks O’ Dee had been North Region junior champions in the previous campaign and replaced Fort William in the Highland League.
Highland League fixtures for Saturday, January 18: Banks O’ Dee v Wick Academy; Clachnacuddin v Deveronvale; Inverurie Locos v Brora Rangers; Keith v Formartine United; Lossiemouth v Strathspey Thistle; Nairn County v Forres Mechanics; Rothes v Huntly.