Wick manager felt sorry for players in ‘horrendous’ conditions
Wick Academy manager Gary Manson admitted he felt sorry for his shivering players after Saturday’s 4-1 defeat to Deveronvale in “horrendous” conditions at Princess Royal Park.
After going behind early on, the Scorries got themselves level at the break only to concede three in the second half as the weather worsened. Wick remain 15th in the Highland League.
Manson felt that referee Joel Kennedy would have been entitled to abandon the game.
“It was probably only about five degrees with 40 mph winds, and when the rain came as well the boys were just absolutely saturated,” the manager said.
“They were physically vibrating, they were so cold after the game. There was a spell in the second half where the referee would probably have been within his rights to call the game off there and then.
“Deveronvale have got quite a big stand, and we were reasonably sheltered where we were in the dugouts, but out on the pitch it was horrendous.
“I felt so sorry for the players. Even after their shower, quite a few of them couldn’t get warm again. Their strips were stuck to them – everyone had to help each other get their strip off.
“They were absolutely freezing. I’m choked with the cold and I was standing there with a jacket on.
“It was only four or five days before Christmas and there’s a high chance that quite a lot of those players will have maybe picked up a slight illness after Saturday.
“If it was just the wind, and the rain never came, it would have been bearable. There was a spell where you could tell neither team wanted to be out there playing.”
The game had a 1.30pm kick-off because Deveronvale have been in the process of installing replacement floodlights.
“The players’ alarms probably went off at six o’clock in the morning and we set off at seven,” Manson said.
Jamie MacLellan put Vale ahead after nine minutes. Jack Henry fired in a well-worked equaliser two minutes from the interval after being set up by Kyle Henderson.
Ben Hermiston restored Vale’s lead four minutes into the second period. Demilade Yunus got their third on the hour mark and Jack Mitchell added another two minutes later.
Manson said: “It was so windy and it was very, very difficult to judge the flight of the ball and mistakes were being made right, left and centre by both teams. It could easily have been 3-3 at half-time because all the mistakes were leading to chances, but both goalkeepers were on good form and kept the score down.
“We took about 15 minutes to adjust to what the conditions were doing, and maybe the boys were a little bit sluggish after their early start, but I thought we were looking quite good and we created four or five really good chances and managed to take one of them to go in on level terms.
“As luck would have it, the wind more or less changed direction and we were against it in both halves. When the rain came as well it was a nightmare for the goalkeepers.
“For their second and third goals, Lewis [Gallacher] said the ball was coming right to his hands and then all of a sudden deviated and went in the net. There’s not an awful lot you can do.
“In the second half, in an attacking sense, we never really got going. We still created two or three good chances.
“But there was a spell of 15 to 20 minutes where the rain was constant. It was unplayable.”
It was Academy’s first game without Gary Pullen after the 20-year-old midfielder joined Brora Rangers for an undisclosed fee.
There were debuts off the bench for Euan Kennedy and Josh Sutherland.
To compound a day to forget for Academy, their homeward journey was delayed after a tractor and trailer overturned on the A96 near Nairn.
“We were sitting on the bus stationary for over an hour and a half,” Manson said.
“It could have been worse. I don’t know exactly what happened but it’s more of a shame for the driver and his family.”
He added: “It was a difficult day.”
Only four points now separate the Highland League’s bottom club Strathspey Thistle from 15th-placed Wick Academy after the Jags picked up a point in a 3-3 draw with Forres Mechanics at Mosset Park.
Jordan Alonge twice put the home side ahead in the first half, with Liam Shewan and Josh Race replying. Sean Ellis then headed Strathspey in front on the hour but Liam Grant levelled it up for Forres.
Second-placed Brora Rangers moved closer to leaders Brechin City with a 1-0 away win against Formartine United.
The Cattachs had Alex Cooper sent off early in the second half but the 10 men snatched the three points through George Robesten with 20 minutes remaining.
Brechin were held at home to Fraserburgh. Ewan Loudon put the home side ahead around the hour mark but Kieran Simpson levelled with four minutes to go.
Reece McKeown scored both goals for Turriff United in their 2-0 success at Lossiemouth.
Clachnacuddin drew 2-2 with Inverurie Locos in Inverness.
Keith’s home derby against Rothes was postponed less than an hour before kick-off.
Banks O’ Dee remain in title contention after a 4-1 win at Nairn County.
Highland League results: Brechin City 1, Fraserburgh 1; Buckie Thistle 1, Huntly 0; Clachnacuddin 2, Inverurie Locos 2; Deveronvale 4, Wick Academy 1; Formartine United 0, Brora Rangers 1; Forres Mechanics 3, Strathspey Thistle 3; Lossiemouth 0, Turriff United 2; Nairn County 1, Banks O’ Dee 4.
Highland League fixtures for Saturday, December 28: Brora Rangers v Lossiemouth; Forres Mechanics v Formartine United; Fraserburgh v Clachnacuddin; Huntly v Brechin City; Inverurie Locos v Banks O’ Dee; Rothes v Nairn County; Turriff United v Keith; Wick Academy v Buckie Thistle (3pm).