WICK OVERCOME GOLSPIE RESISTANCE
Golspie Sutherland faced their second match against Highland League opposition in the space of four days as they made the trip north to take on Wick Academy at Harmsworth Park.
It was the home side who looked the likelier with the Mackenzie brothers combining to good effect in the Wick attack.
Firstly Nigel laid the ball off for Jamie who shot high and over the Golspie bar, however play was called back for a foul on the striker by Golspie’s Smith.
Martin Gunn took over and fired the free-kick goalwards from 18yds which Bokas got down low to gather.
Bokas was clearly in good form and he denied Nigel Mackenzie after his brother Jamie had laid the ball off for him at the edge of the 18yd box by getting down low to his right to push the ball away to safety.
It seemed to be turning into a battle between Golspie’s Bokas and the Mackenzie’s, this time Jamie Was denied by a fine full length save after he met a Davie Mowat cross with a powerful header from 12yds.
The final chance of the half saw Bokas again pulling off a fine save, tipping Murray Coghill’s curling effort from 20yds out of the top corner and around the post ensuring the two teams went in level at half time.
Half-Time Wick 0 v 0 Golspie
Having huffed and puffed for 45 minutes it took Wick only one minute of second half action to take the lead.
Martin Gunn picked the ball up in midfield and intelligently played Graeme Reid in on the right. The full back drove forward to send in a deep cross to the back post for Jamie Mackenzie who bulleted a header beyond Bokas from 10yds.
Wick 1 v 0 Golspie
Golspie showed that they too possessed an attacking threat nine minutes later when former Brora striker Jamie Morrison cut in from by line and fired 10 yard shot which Don MacMillan charged down before being cleared to safety.
Wick were given the perfect opportunity to put some distance between themselves and the opposition when a Davie Cowie cross was handled by Roddy Smith in the box. However Martin Gunn wasted the penalty firing it wide of the keepers right hand post.
Golspie looked to have levelled when Roddy Smith, looking to atone for the penalty award, rose to bullet a Walter Mackay cross past Don MacMillan but Murray Coghill was in the right place to clear the ball off the line for what was a crucial clearance.
However in 79mins Wick made the game safe.
David Cowie’s cross into the box caused panic amongst the Golspie ranks, the ball broke loose to Nigel Mackenzie who rifled a left foot shot low inside Bokas’s right hand post from 12yds.
Wick 2 v 0 Golspie
Wick continued to press forward when Martin Gunn was presented with the next scoring opportunity.
Coghill starting his first game in the Academy colours put his skipper through on goal, as Bokas rushed of his line Gunn rounded the keeper and from a tight angle fired his right foot shot into the side netting from 10yds.
In the closing minutes Jamie Morrison was sent clear of the Wick defence, McMillan rushed of his line to force the ex. Brora striker wide of goal, however Morrison managed to get a shot in from a tight angle which came back of the keepers right hand post before being eventually cleared by shearer.
Full Time: Wick Academy 2 Golspie Sutherland 0
One booking in a tame affair: Golspie’s Darren Pullen for dissent.
Man of the Match: Golspie’s keeper Alan Bokas
Teams:
Wick: MacMillan, G.Reid, Shearer, Lamb, Mowat, Cowie, Gunn, Henderson(Manson 69), Coghill, J.MacKenzie(Weir 75), N.MacKenzie.
Subs not used: MacGregor, Sutherland and More.
Golspie: Bokas, MacRae, Pullen, Smith, Bonner, Lockhart, Whyte(Urquhart 72), MacLeod(W.MacKay 64), Morrison, Sinclair(C.MacKay 80), Cooper.
Subs not used: John MacKay.
Reporter: Alan Farquhar
