Wick Academy 3
Keith 0
League

Match Report

Academy jumped three places to fifth in the Highland League after prevailing with a good deal to spare in the latest of their run of midweek outings.
Their reshaped outfit did the business against Keith on Wednesday evening with a Marc Macgregor opener and a second half brace from man of the match Steven Anderson doing the damage.
The visitors were back on their bus within half an hour of the final whistle with a pizza carry-out courtesy of their hosts, steeling themselves for their four hour-plus return journey down a fog-shrouded coastal route home.
Wick started well on a Harmsworth Park surface made slick by persistent drizzle, with Macgregor’s second minute snap-shot proving the first test for former Academy keeper Daniel Bell.
Set pieces looked the likeliest route to goal for both sides in the first half, with Macgregor heading the first of a clutch of corners just wide. Richard Macadie and Anderson then combined well down the left with the latter’s fizzing centre across goal finding no takers while Alan Hughes, who was a productive outlet wide on the right, had a netbound shot blocked by Sam Pugh.
Academy had a let-off after 18 minutes when Chris Duncan’s defence-splitter released Scott Johnston who hit a shot past keeper Sean McCarthy but failed to get enough on it and the ball was shepherded to safety by Grant Steven.
Danny Mackay’s powerful header from Macadie’s corner on 27 minutes looked a winner all the way but it struck the crossbar with Bell clutching thin air.
Academy forged in front when Ross Allan’s whipped corner was nodded in at the near post by Macgregor. He was then denied by Bell who dived to turn the striker’s shot round the base of the left post.
The half ended with a major scare for the Scorries when McCarthy’s fumble of a corner was seized upon at the far post by Matthew MacDonald who would have bundled the ball in but for a goal-line clearance from Ross Allan.

Half Time – Wick Academy 1 – Keith 0

While the first half was competitive, the home side completely dominated the remainder of the game and were short-changed to add only two to their tally.
They regularly pierced the visitors’ defence on both flanks and through the centre, with Macgregor passing up a great opportunity to bag his second on 57 minutes when he stabbed wide from close range after being set up by Hughes.
Bell did well to keep out efforts from Anderson and Michael Steven but could do nothing when Anderson ran from the halfway line, outpacing two defenders before calmly dispatching the ball past the keeper.
Anderson almost staged a rerun five minutes later but this time fluffed his lines in front of goal. Sam Mackay, who had replaced the injured Gary Manson early on, showed his class with a couple of mazy runs into the box.
Davie Allan was also introduced and made his presence felt with a trademark burst of speed and fizzing centre which Macadie was unable to convert. Anderson rounded off the scoring with his close-in finish bringing his tally for the season to 10 after Hughes had done the spadework

Full Time – Wick Academy 3 – Keith 0

Match report written by John o Groat Journal - Fri, November 6, 2015.