Wick Academy 1
Deveronvale 3
League

Match Report

Wick Academy lost their first league game of the season today 1-3 to Deveronvale. The result keeps Deveronvale at the top of the table.

Deveronvale started the game playing down the Harmsworth slope and got the best possible start with a goal in 3 minutes. Gordon Carstairs took advantage of a slip from Grant Campbell, flew up the wing before delivering a cross into the heart of the Academy box and an on-rushing Sam Mackay bulleted home from 8 yards out.

0 - 1

5 minutes later Mike McKenzie got a shot on target but Gray made a comfortable save.

Academy's first attempt of the game came with 12 minutes played. Gary Manson rolled a quick free-kick to the feet of Gary Weir. He cut the ball back across goal for David Allan and his shot was flicked off a defender just wide for a corner.

Vale were forced to make an early change with an injured Graeme Watt coming off for Paul Urquhart.

Gary McGowan doubled the Vale's lead in the 24th minute. He ran out of midfield and took on Andrew MacLeod, before cutting back inside and unleashing a right foot shot from 25 yards out that beat Gray and snuck into the right hand corner of the net.

0 - 2

Academy at this stage weren't really in the game and Hughes and Munro were forced into making a change when Shaun Sinclair picked up an injury and was changed for Ross Allan. Grant Campbell was switched to right back and Gary Manson to left back.

Shortly afterwards David Allan was also replace for Allan Farquhar.

Both substitutes became immediately involved and were party to Academy pulling a goal back in the 38th minute. Allan Farquhar tore past Steven Dolan before squaring to Ross Allan. He laid the ball off to Gary Weir and Weir found a yard of space and fired home from 15 yards for his first goal of the season.

1 - 2

Seconds before the referee blew for half time Weir and Mike Chisholm jumped for a high ball and Chisholm seemed to land awkwardly. As the teams left the park Chisholm remained down and received treatment before being stretchered off. He was taken to hospital in an ambulance with a suspected broken leg.

Half time 1 - 2

Gary Clark replaced Chisholm for the start of the second half, and Robert Donaldson also came on for Gordon Carstairs.

Academy started the second half a lot better and started to get at the Vale. Within 2 minutes Macadie broke through the middle of the Vale defence but could only toe-poke his attempt through to keeper Blanchard.

8 minutes later Ross Allan had a brilliant run straight through the middle of the Vale back line and into the box with ball at feet. Blanchard came to meet him and made a brilliant save getting a hand to Allans' shot to deny him a certain goal.

The game started to heat up and referee Baxter had a busy spell with the note-book. Urquart was booked for a reckless tackle and Robert Brown didn't agree and threw the ball into the ground behind the referees back. This was spotted by the far-side assistant though and after a quick work with the ref Brown also went into the book.

Worse was to follow for the Vale as Andrew MacLeod had a charge at the Vale back line and was kicked by Mike McKenzie on the way past. Referee Baxter blew the whistle and was confronted by McKenzie who pushed him in the chest with both hands. It was enough for Baxter to flash the red card and the Vale went down to 10 men.

More cards than goal-mouth action at this stage of the game and Alex Lamb was the next to go in the book with a late challenge on Gary Clark.

You could feel the expectancy of the Harmsworth crowd that Academy were right back in the game, but their hopes were dashed by substitute Gary Clark in the 73rd minute. The Academy defence half cleared a Vale attack and the ball sprung out to Clark about 25 yards out and he smacked a great volley that flew into the net.

1 - 3

Lambs earlier yellow card proved to be pretty telling as he mistimed another tackle on Paul Urquhart and referee Baxter flashed him a second yellow followed by the red, and the teams were squared again at 10 men each.

Academy just couldn't seem to get the breaks to threaten the Vale goal again, and it was the Vale that came closet to increasing the scoring in the final minute of play when McKenzie wriggled free in the box and got a shot on target that Gray did well to save.

Full time 1 - 3

Match report written by John Briskham