Wick Academy U19s v Inverness Clach U19s

WICK YOUTHS RUN RIOT:
Wick went into this game on the back of a 3-2 defeat to the derby rivals Brora looking to get back into contention for the North League championship and they did so in style.

8mins on the clock and Wick went into the lead when Kevin Swanson sent Micheal (Joe) Steven up the left side of the park, Steven sent in a first time cross which found Gary Weir and the 1st team striker swept the ball beyond Donaldson in the Clach goal from 12yds.

With Wick’s 4-5-1 system causing Clach all sorts of problems they continued to put Clach on the back foot without taking advantage of the chances presented to them.

Now and again Clach would attempt a counter attack however the central defensive pairiing of Taylor and Sinclair dealt well with them.

With the second half only one minute old Wick went two in front, a long Swanson through ball over the top of the Clach defence found Andrew Richardson and from 16yds lobbed the advancing Donaldson.

Wick were well intruelly in control playing neat inter passing football which had the Clach team stretched and it came as no surprise when Wick went three up in 64mins, Richardson drove down the right to fire in a cross which the Clach defence failed to deal with and Swanson fired powerfully beyond Donaldson from 12yds.

Four minutes later Wick stretched their lead when a Swanson through ball split the Clach defence to find Weir and from 16yds Weir fired a first time shot at Donaldson in the Clach goal who managed to get a hand to it, however he couldn’t prevent Weir firing the loose ball into the empty net from an acute angle.

Stand in Management team of Alan Farquhar and Richard Hughes made changes to their line up late in the game and this appeared to unsettle their team for a few moments allowing Clach the opportunity to score a consolation goal in 82 minutes, Clach’s McNab placed the ball between Wick’s defence to find Cummings who fired low and hard beyond More in the Wick goal from 12yds.

However Wick restored their four goal cushion on the stroke of full-time when Scott MacKay Steven (another first team squad player) drove forward to send a powerful shot goalwards from 18yds which Donaldson in the Clach goal saved low down to his right however he was powerless to prevent John MacLeod from scoring on his debute when he drove the loose ball powerfully into the roof of the net from 10yds before the Clach defence could react.

Wick well and truely bounced back from their reverse against Brora, they looked solid and organised throughout the match, producing good flowing football which Clach failed to match to send the big home support home happy and proud with what they had witnessed from Wick’s youngsters.

Subs not used: Delvita and Anderson