Wick manager Manson says his team can exploit Brora weaknesses
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Wick Academy manager Gary Manson insists his team can cause problems for Highland League champions Brora Rangers in Saturday's far north derby at Dudgeon Park.
The Cattachs have been widely tipped as title favourites and they began their campaign with a 5-0 away victory over Deveronvale.
However, Manson believes there are weaknesses that his team can exploit.
"We've got a plan in mind," he said. "Obviously they're a decent team and they've got strengths, but they've also got weaknesses so that's what we are focusing on more – how we can hurt them, rather than how we can stop them.
"Obviously we'll have an eye on their strengths and how we can combat them, but it's more to do with how we can hurt them."
The Scorries began the shortened 2020/21 season with an unlucky 3-2 defeat to Buckie Thistle in the first competitive match at Harmsworth Park for 315 days. The socially distanced supporters saw a spirited display by Academy and Manson felt there were plenty of positives to take from it.
"I've watched the whole game back and my views haven't really changed – I thought we were the better team," he said.
"I noticed the Buckie manager [Graeme Stewart] said in the paper that they created the better chances, but if he watched the video back I don't think he would make that same comment. We hit the bar twice, we had two goals disallowed, we scored two good goals.
"I said to the boys at training that it's just one of those games where the breaks never went for us and hopefully these things should even themselves out over the course of the season. A couple of their goals could easily have been disallowed for fouls.
"You never know, on Saturday we might get the breaks and walk away with the three points. It's swings and roundabouts."
Danny Mackay is available for the trip over the Ord after work commitments ruled him out of the Buckie game, but Jack Halliday is still sidelined with a knee problem.
Jack Henry was one of the many Wick players who impressed on Saturday and Manson says the 29-year-old is developing into a true box-to-box midfielder.
"Jack is growing into the Highland League – I think this is his fourth season," the manager said.
"On his day Jack could probably get into any Highland League team. He plays with a tenacity and intensity that players don't like coming up against – he is always the kind of player you'd like to have in your team rather than play against him.
"He's your typical all-round box-to-box midfielder, which you don't really see much of nowadays. Players tend to think they're either an attacking midfielder or a defensive midfielder.
"We're quite blessed in midfield. We've got the two Jacks and Ryan Campbell, who can cover all areas of the pitch, and they're all fit lads. They can all make a tackle, they can all make a pass, they can all score a goal.
"And we've got Richard Macadie who can slot into any of the midfield positions as well. Richard is only 33 so he's got a good three or four years left in him yet, and he loves playing football.
"That's what is driving him to look after himself – he loves playing football and he loves playing for Wick. I imagine he will continue to look after himself and have the desire to keep playing football. Long may it continue."
Meanwhile, Manson said the official assessment of Academy's Covid-19 protocols on Saturday had been "a pass with flying colours".
He said: "Everything went according to plan. I've seen the assessment sheet and it was very complimentary of all the stewards, all the fans and all the procedures. It couldn't have gone any better, I don't think."
