|
Locos to good for Wick.
|
10-Sep-2005 |
|
Having been on the wrong end of a drubbing a couple of weeks ago it was Wick who were looking to get off to a flying start this time round and they very nearly got one.
A Gary Manson corner was met by Graeme Reid who rose above the Locos defence to send a powerful header beyond keeper Stuart Gray from 12yds, however Scott Buchan was on hand to clear the ball off the goal line.
At the other end Man of the Match Kenny Coull was causing the home defence all sorts of problems with his movement and passing to tee the ball up for Andy Roddie who turned inside shearer before fizzing a shot low and wide of Don MacMillan’s lefthand post.
Nigel Mackenzie was next to have a go, Martin Gunn delivered an inch perfect ball between the Locos defence for Nigel MacKenzie to run onto, he side stepped the challenge of Graham 12yds out before rifling a rising left foot shot goalwards which appeared to have goal written all over it, however Gray in the Locos goal thought otherwise when he acrobatically pulled of a fabulous one handed save to touch the ball over the bar for a corner as the Scorries continued their search for the openning goal. Locos started to apply some constant pressure when they forced Wick into conceeding three consecutive corners which they didn’t take advantage off. However it wasn’t long after when the Locos finally got their noses in front and from then on they rarely looked back.
The opener was to come from a former Elgin City left winger, but not the new signing Andy Roddie, rather Neil McLean.
Craig Ross started it off playing the ball in for Kenny Coull on the edge of the 18yd box, who headed the ball into the path of McLean and he fired it low inside Don MacMillan’s left hand post from 12 yards.
Wick 0 v 1 Locos
Locos doubled their advantage in the 23rd minute with Richie Singer picking up
a return pass from Andy Roddie just inside the Wick half before surging forward unchallenged through the heart of the Wick defence before drilling a low right foot shot inside MacMillan’s righthand post from 12 yards.
Wick 0 v 2 Locos
Scott Buchan tried his luck from 25yds however Don MacMillan was equal to it and saved well in what was the only other real shot of note in the first half as the Locos went in at the break two goals to the good.
Half-Time: Wick 0 v 2 Locos
Neil McLean went close to adding to his tally in 53mins when he controlled a Graham cross inside the Wick 18yd box before unleashing a fierce 16yd drive which Don MacMillan saved well down to his left.
Wick were having problems controlling the movement of the Locos forward line and only the brillance of their goalkeeper MacMillan kept the locos at bay, when MacLean unleashed a 20yd drive which MacMillan brilliantly touched away, making an acrobatic one handed save.
By now Locos were playing free flowing football which had the Wick players on the backfoot and from one of those moves Kenny Coull should have put his name on the scoresheet in the 73rd minute when Richie Singer raced to the bye line and cut the ball back for the former Cove hitman however he blazed his shot high over the bar from the penalty spot.
However it wasn’t long before locos went further in front in 78mins when Mark Simpson rose high above the Wick defence to bullet a Neil McLean corner high past Don MacMillan to ensure there would be no fightback from the Academy.
Wick 0 v 3 Locos
Wick nearly got themselves a consolation goal when a Nigel Mackenzie cross come shot had Locos keeper Stuart Gray back pedalling to touch over the bar for a corner just as it appeared to be dipping under the goalies bar.
Locos went back on the attack, and a Graham cross from the right found the unmarked locos defender Simpson who fired a 12yd effort straight at MacMillan.
As the minutes ticked away locos nearly added a forth when a Craig Ross corner was met by the head of Kenny Coull who directed his header from 14yds onto the face of the bar.
Full Time: Wick 0 v 3 Locos
In the end the Locos fully deserved the three points and continue their march up the league table.
Wick mean while will attempt to put this defeat behind them andl look to book their place in the semi final of the UMAX North of Scotland Cup against Brora next weekend.
Reporter: Alan Farquhar
Teams:
Wick: MacMillan, Reid, Shearer, Lamb, MacGregor(McCallum 45), Cowie, Gunn, Manson(Henderson 45), Farquhar(Scott MacKay Steven 83), J.MacKenzie, N. MacKenzie.
|
|
