WICK LOOSE OUT IN A CLOSE ENCOUNTER AT THE HARMSWORTH PARK
Huntly travelled North intent on consolidating their place at the top of the Highland League and they did just that, although Alistair Budge’s charges gave Huntly a fright.
However it all started badly for Wick in 2mins when David Cowie’s wayward pass infield fell to McGowan who played in Mark Gray 18yds out and he netted with a low drive inside McMillan’s righthand post.
Wick 0 v 1 Huntly
Huntly got a lift from this and nearly added a second two minutes later when strike partners Richie Craig and Richie Taylor exchanged passes before Don McMillan bravely dived at the feet of the former only for the ball to spill out to Taylor who could only watch his 6 yard effort being cleared off the line by Alec Lamb.
The Scorries started to settle into the game and in 12mins Nigel MacKenzie set up his skipper Martin Gunn 25yds out, Gunn’s fiercely struck low shot was saved by the outstretched arms of Bowman low down to his left.
Wick grew in confidence from there on and took the game to the reigning Champions, Gary Farquhar’s quality cross into the Huntly box from the left decieved the Huntly defence allowing Jamie MacKenzie a free header at goal, however the big striker headed over Bowman’s bar with the goal at his mercy from 12yds.
The game was being played at a hectic pace with both sides producing good attacking football.
Huntly was next to try their luck when Mark Gray drove in a 20yd effort which McMillan brillantly saved low down to his right.
Again Huntly went on the attack, Stephen dispossessed Martin Gunn 20yds out before watching his fierce drive clip the top of McMillan’s bar.
However Wick immediately went on the attack, Cowie surged up the right flank before playing the ball into to the feet of Gunn 20yds out, Gunn controlled the ball before watching his rasping drive fly inches by Bowman’s right hand post.
Again Wick went on the attack in search of the equaliser, Nigel Mackenzie’s surge up the left took him to the Huntly bye-line before setting up his brother Jamie 18yds out, the big strikers first time strike was charged down by the Huntly defence before being eventually cleared to safety.
Huntly hit the woodwork for the second time in an exciting and highly entertaining half, when Ritchie Stainer drove down the left before cutting inside the WIck defence only to see his thunder bolt of a shot come crashing back of McMillan’s left hand post before being cleared to safety.
Half-Time: Wick 0 v 1 Huntly
With the wind at their backs Wick immediately went on the attack pushing Huntly onto the back foot with clever interpassing play between Farquhar, Manson and Gunn and only stout defending by the Huntly rear guard prevented an opening for Wick.
With 55mins on the clock Huntly added a crucial second from the penalty spot, when Wick’s Nigel MacKenzie lost possession out on the right flank to Gairns, his first time delivery into the box caused panic in the Wick defence, Taylor reacted quickly as the Wick players hesitated and drove a 12yd shot goalwards only for McMillan to charge his shot down, when the ball came back to the striker he went down under a heavy challenge from Craig Shearer with referee Eric Robertson immediately pointing to the spot.
Up stepped Huntly’s giant centre back Ross Campbell to send his spot kick high to the keepers right.
Wick 0 v 2 Huntly
However Wick weren’t about to feel sorry for themselves and immediately went on the attack in search of the goal that would get them back into the match and their constant pressure paid off in 63mins when Ex StJohnstone playmaker Gary Farquhar controlled a through ball just inside the Huntly half before sending a tremendous through ball between the flat footed Huntly defence for Jamie MacKenzie to run onto, MacKenzie cooly fired the ball low under the advancing Bowman and inside the keeper’s right hand post from 14yds to send the Wick support into raptures.
Wick 1 v 2 Huntly
Game on and Huntly’s response was immediate when Richie Taylor controlled Levi Stephen’s pass 20yds out before watching his fierce shot come back of McMillan’s left hand post and into the relieved keepers arms.
At the other end Wick’s Andrew Macleod chased a long through ball to the Huntly bye-line out on the left before touching the ball inside to Nigel Mackenzie whose first time driven ball across goal was just missed by sub Murray Coghill’s outstretched leg at the back post.
Wick were keen to get back on level terms and had Huntly pinned back at this stage.
Gary Farquhar played the ball into Manson, Manson drove forward before setting up Martin Gunn 20yds out, however the Scottish Semi Pro player could only watch as his rasping drive flew narrowly over Bowman’s bar.
By now Farquhar, Manson and Gunn were having the better of the midfield battles, and this was causing Huntly all sorts of problems however the Huntly rear guard held firm.
Huntly nearly sealed their win on the counter attack when Gary McGowan broke free of the Wick defence to fire a right foot shot goalwards from 16yds, however McMillan in the Wick goal was equal to it brillantly turning the ball around his right hand post for a corner that came to nothing.
Back came Wick and Jamie MacKenzie was inches away from getting his sides equaliser when his 12yd snap shot flew inches by Bowman’s right hand post as the Huntly defence failed to clear their lines.
Wick kept plugging away, but for all their play they couldn’t find a way through the Huntly defence and it was left to Referee Roberston to blow a halt to proceedings which brought relief from the Huntly contingent and despair to a Wick team who gave their all but to no avail.
Full-Time: Wick 1 v 2 Huntly.
Both sides deserve credit for producing an exciting and highly entertaining match played in strong winds.
Huntly started the match brightly and controlled the game for the first 20mins, however they let Wick back into the game and from then on fought out an evenly contested match.
In the end Huntly held on to take all three points back down the road with them and in doing so consolidated their position at the top of the Scot Ads Highland League table.
Wick on the other hand started slowly and finished strongly, giving their all in the process which their manager must be delighted with, however they must cut out the mistakes that are costing them games if they are to progress.
Reporter: Alan Farquhar
Teams:
Wick: McMillan, G.Reid, Shearer, MacLeod (MacGregor 90), Lamb, Cowie (Coghill 68), Gunn, Manson, N.MacKenzie, Farquhar, J. MacKenzie.
Subs not used: Henderson, Sinclair, Weir.
Huntly: Bowman, Redford, Scott, Anderson, Campbell, Gray, Stephen, Stainer (Gairns 45), Taylor (O’Driscoll 80), Craig (Green 77), McGowan.
Subs not used: Reid, Gorski.
Bookings: Gairns 89 (Huntly), G.Reid 76 (Wick)
Referee: Eric Robertson
