Wick Academy v Buckie Thistle – 8th Oct. 2005

by | Oct 10, 2005 | Match Reports

Wick lose out narrowly again. 08-Oct-2005
Wick Academy started this match playing down the infamous Harmsworth slope and immediately had Buckie on the back foot.

 And they should have been in front after only 2 minutes when Gary Farquhar’s brillant through ball split the Buckie defence to send Gary Manson through one on one with Kevin Main in the Buckie goal, however Manson wasted a golden opportunity to put his team in front when he struck his shot wide from 12 yards much to the frustration of the home support.

Buckie began to move the ball about with authority and created their first opening of the game in the 8th minute when a Jamie Shewan shot from 10 yards took a wicked deflection off a Wick defender before coming back off MacMillan’s left hand post before being cleared to safety.

Buckie kept up the pressure and three minutes later Andy Low put his team in front scoring his first goal for the Jags. The former Huntly and Locos striker received the ball from Mike MacDonald out on the left-hand edge of the penalty area before looking up and curling a tremendous right foot shot high beyond the despairing hands of MacMillan and inside the top left corner of the goal.

Wick 0 v 1 Buckie

Wick’s Mackenzie brothers combined to almost snatch an equaliser, when Nigel Mackenzie turned a Buckie defender on the edge of the Buckie bye-line before crossing for his brother Jamie who was left unmarked 12yds from goal, his first time hooked shot flew over Main’s bar.
It was a lively match with chances at either end and the next to have a go was Neil Davidson who skipped through the Wick defence before watching his shot well saved by Don MacMillan.

Buckie were well on top by now and Davidson nearly increased his sides lead, the former Loco’s midfielder evaded the challenges of the Wick defence before firing in a rasping 20 yd shot only for MacMillan to dive brillantly low down to save at his left-hand post.

Their was no letting up from Buckie, their free flowing football and movement off the ball was causing the Wick players all sorts of problems and It came as no surprise when they increased their lead in 31 minutes when Shewan collected a return pass from Munro to run into the Wick penalty box, MacMillan raced from his goal line to close Shewan down only for the Buckie midfielder to round the Wick keeper before firing  the ball back across goal from the Wick bye-line to the in rushing Shaun Scott to tap in from six yards.

Wick 0 v 2 Buckie

Wick were playing second fiddle to Buckie and they had no answer to it, however  Wick did manage to break out from their own half when Manson registered Wick’s first shot on target when he collected a through ball from Gunn 25yds out in 41minutes, before unleashing a low drive goalwards and straight into the arms of Main in the Buckie goal.
In the final minute of the half Buckie’s Shewan set up team mate MacDonald 12yds out and the midfielder’s first time shot flew inches past MacMillan’s left-hand post.

Half-Time: Wick 0 v 2 Buckie

After a first half pep talk from Manager Budge, Wick came out eager to put things right, Farquhar delivered an inch perfect ball up the right wing for Nigel MacKenzie to deliver a first time ball into the Buckie box, however their was no team mates on hand to take advantage.

Wick kept up the pressure when Manson sent the ball up the right wing for Nigel MacKenzie to run onto, the forward drove towards the edge of the Buckie penalty area before playing the ball into Gunn’s path directly in front of the Buckie goal, Wick’s skipper hit a fierce first time low shot on the run which Main saved brillantly low down at his left-hand post.

Back came Buckie, however their attack was brought to a halt by the Wick defence when MacDonald was fouled 20yds out on the left, Scott stepped up to take the free-kick and slipped the ball to the left of the static Wick wall to MacDonald and from a tight angle the midfielder fired a vicious left foot shot goalwards only for MacMillan in the Wick goal to brillantly turn the midfielders shot onto the bar allowing the Wick defence to clear.

Again Buckie went in search of a third goal which would put the game beyond Wick, however they found MacMillan in the Wick goal in inspired form  when Munro played the ball beyond the Wick defence for Shewan to run onto and from 16yds the midfielders first time drive was charged down by MacMillan allowing his defence to clear the ball to safety before any Buckie players could react to the loose ball.
Wick hit back immediately when Nigel MacKenzie went on a solo run before firing a 20yd shot inches by Main’s right-hand post.
Craig Shearer was next to try his luck for Wick when he cut inside the Buckie defence to fire a shot across the Buckie goal from 20yds which flew inches by Main’s right-hand post.

Once again Buckie came back at Wick, when Neil Murray drove down the right before firing the ball into the box to the head of Shewan who was left unmarked, the midfielder headed the ball powerfully goalwards from 10yds however MacMillan came to his sides rescue brillantly saving at point blank range.
Just as Buckie appeared to be settling for the three points Wick pulled a goal back with four minutes remaining, Craig Shearer drove a shot goalwards from 16yds,  the ball took a wicked deflection of the Buckie defence which enabled the ball to fall kindly at the feet of  Wick’s Murray Coghill six yards out and the young substitute despatched the ball beyond the stranded Main in the Buckie goal.

Wick 1 v 2 Buckie

 This signalled an all out attack on the Buckie goal as Wick went in search of the equaliser in the final minutes, however stout defending by the Buckie defence broke down all the Wick attacks.

As the seconds counted down, Buckie keeper Main tried his best to give Wick what they wanted when Martin MacGregor fired in a cross from the right which the Buckie keeper appeared to have covered,  however the commanding keeper spilled the cross six yards from goal however the Wick forwards were slow to react and the opportunity was lost.

In the end Buckie held on to claim all three points as they continued their climb up the Scot Ads Highland League table.

Full Time: Wick Academy 1 Buckie Thistle 2

The score line flattered Wick as Buckie were dominant throughout apart from the final ten minutes when Wick threw everything into the game, however it would have been an injustice if they had gone onto achieve the equaliser.

After promising so much over the past few weeks, Wick let their Manager and supporters down badly with yet another Jekyll and Hyde performance, however they have a quick opportunity to put things right when Nairn County are the visitors to the Harmsworth Park on Tuesday 11th October for the UMAX North of Scotland Cup Semi-Final tie.

The Wick players can make amends for Saturdays poor showing by creating a bit of history for themselves and the club if they can get past Nairn and into their first Highland League Final since being accepted into the league.

However it all depends on which Wick team turns up on the night, the good or the bad?

Teams: Wick: MacMillan, G.Reid, Shearer, Lamb, MacLeod, Henderson(Coghill 65), Gunn, Manson(Cowie 65), N.MacKenzie, J. MacKenzie, Farquhar(MacGregor 65).
Subs not used: Sinclair, Sutherland.

Buckie: Main, Murray, Lamberton, Angus, Davidson, Small, Shewan, Munro, Scott(Hamilton 86), Low, MacDonald.
Subs not used: Grant, McGuigan, McGregor.

Bookings: Wick – Jamie MacKenzie
                   Buckie – Donnie Munro
Man of the Match: Jamie Shewan

Reporter: Alan Farquhar

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