Wick Academy satisfied with share of the points at breezy Banff
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Wick Academy were forced to settle for a share of the points against Deveronvale on Saturday after being 3-1 up at half-time – but player/manager Gary Manson wasn't too disheartened by the outcome.
“It was a tricky one. A draw was probably a fair result," he said after the 3-3 draw which was the last in a series of four long away trips in 11 days for the Scorries. They remain 16th in the Highland League.
Manson was among the scorers at a sunny but breezy Princess Royal Park, sending an inch-perfect free kick over the wall and into the postage-stamp corner after 28 minutes to put the Scorries 2-1 up.
Jamie Flett had opened the scoring after eight minutes when he received a pass from the right just inside the box, took a touch and fired it past keeper Sean McIntosh. Vale's Horace Ormsby equalised 10 minutes later.
Mark Macadie got Academy's third, a minute from the break, nodding the ball into the net after a knock-down from a corner. However, Dane Ballard reduced the deficit a minute into the second half and Ormsby got his second of the afternoon with 54 minutes gone.
“It was a game of two halves," Manson said. "Both teams took advantage of the wind.
"It was quite difficult to clear your lines and get any distance on the clearances in the second half.
“Being 3-1 up at half-time, you've put yourself in a good position and you want to go on and maybe kill the game off in the second half. But the way the second half panned out, at the end we were feeling reasonably happy with a point.
"With the amount of travelling and the amount of games we've had recently, it's a big ask for the boys and our squad is quite threadbare at the moment. I'm asking the same core of boys to keep going time and time and time again, so for the ninth game in 29 days, and putting in a decent performance on a warm day, it was commendable.”
The match at Banff was Academy's penultimate Highland League fixture of 2022/23. They round off the campaign with a home game against Lossiemouth on Saturday.
The Highland League title race could be heading for a winner-takes-all showdown on Saturday when leaders Buckie Thistle take on second-placed Brechin City at Victoria Park.
The Jags left it late again at the weekend as substitute Kyle Macleod pounced with a minute remaining to give them a 1-0 home victory over Formartine United.
The result leaves Buckie four points clear of Brechin, who have a game in hand, to be played against Keith on Wednesday night. A win or a draw at Kynoch Park for Andy Kirk's men – who have a superior goal difference to Buckie – will set up a last-day title decider.
It was the second Saturday in a row on which the Jags struck late to keep their title charge on course.
Their manager Graeme Stewart said: “I’m delighted that we can do that. It shows we have character and a real belief.
“But I'd rather we didn’t have to, because I’m not sure my heart can take it.
“It’s in our hands but we know it’s going to take a massive effort. We hope we can go and do it for the Buckie fans."
Clachnacuddin gave Brechin an early shock at Grant Street Park on Saturday as James Anderson's header put the Lilywhites in front. Botti Biabi equalised and Anthony McDonald sealed a 2-1 win for City.
Highland League results from Saturday: Banks O' Dee 9, Strathspey Thistle 1; Brora Rangers 1, Huntly 0; Buckie Thistle 1, Formartine United 0; Clachnacuddin 1, Brechin City 2; Deveronvale 3, Wick Academy 3; Fraserburgh 3, Forres Mechanics 0; Keith 2, Inverurie Locos 3; Lossiemouth 2, Rothes 4; Turriff United 1, Nairn County 3.
Fixtures – Wednesday, April 19: Keith v Brechin City; Rothes v Huntly.
Saturday, April 22: Brora Rangers v Rothes; Buckie Thistle v Brechin City; Deveronvale v Nairn County; Formartine United v Inverurie Locos; Fraserburgh v Strathspey Thistle; Keith v Banks O' Dee; Turriff United v Clachnacuddin; Wick Academy v Lossiemouth.
