Wick Academy out of Scottish Cup on penalties after twice coming from behind
Wick Academy were the better team in Saturday’s Scottish Cup clash with Huntly, according to manager Gary Manson – only to go out of the tournament on penalties.
The first-round tie at Christie Park ended 2-2 after extra time after the Scorries twice came from behind through goals from Marc Macgregor and Kyle Henderson. Huntly prevailed 5-3 in the shootout to earn an away tie against Brechin City in round two.
“I thought we were the better team,” Manson said. “Both teams obviously scored two goals but other than that there was a lack of clear-cut chances.
“I thought in general play we shaded it, and speaking to their guys after the game they agreed with that. But it’s always easy to agree with that when you go through.
“It’s disappointing, because that’s two weeks in a row now we’ve been the better team and come away on the wrong side of the result.”
Academy had been beaten 4-3 by Forres Mechanics in the Highland League the previous weekend.
Huntly took the lead after eight minutes when a cross from the left was headed in by Angus Grant.
Macgregor levelled on 14 minutes with a well-placed shot after the Huntly defence failed to clear.
On the stroke of half-time Grant raced through to restore Huntly’s advantage.
Henderson made it 2-2 after 75 minutes when he took a pass from Davie Allan and fired a perfectly placed first-time shot high past keeper Calum Brodie.
Richard Macadie was Academy’s first penalty-taker but his effort was well saved by Brodie. Henderson, Macgregor and Ryan Campbell found the net with their spot-kicks to keep Academy in it but Huntly scored all five of theirs.
Manson said: “In the first half we got into some really good positions time and time again but our final pass or our final cross let us down.
“Overall I was really pleased with the performance. That’s two weeks in a row now we’ve played really well and been the better side over the piece and still come away with nothing, so it’s something we will need to change.”
Wick Academy’s encounter at Huntly was one of three Scottish Cup ties that went to penalties on Saturday, with Inverurie Locos and Keith joining the Black and Golds in round two after winning their respective shootouts.
Keith netted a 90th-minute equaliser against Camelon Juniors then won 4-3 on penalties. Both teams had a player sent off.
Inverurie Locos prevailed after a 1-1 draw at Dundonald Bluebell, who missed all of their spot-kicks.
Three other Highland League teams progressed with stoppage-time winners.
Last season’s heroes Buckie Thistle, who landed a dream day out at Celtic, came from behind to defeat Carluke Rovers 2-1 with Darryl McHardy grabbing the winner in injury time.
Shane Sutherland headed in Brora Rangers’ stoppage-time clincher in a 2-1 victory over Cumnock Juniors, while Brechin City’s tie at home to Newtongrange Star was goalless until the 92nd minute when Fraser Macleod scored for the Highland League leaders.
Clach beat Nairn County 3-1 thanks to a James Anderson hat-trick, while the other all-Highland League contest proved to be a one-sided affair as Fraserburgh thumped Rothes 8-0.
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.
Fixtures – Wednesday – North of Scotland Cup semi-finals: Brora Rangers v Lossiemouth; Clachnacuddin v Inverness Athletic.
Saturday – Highland League: 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).
