WAFC 7 – Fort William 1

Wick played down the Harmsworth slope for the first half and from the off they looked really fired up for this game.

Their first real chance came in 6 minutes when Martin Gunn drove an absolute pile driver from about 20 yard out that went high and wide. If it had hit the net it would have burst a hole in it!

Then shortly after that Nigel Mackenzie drove with the ball down the left hand side and crossed over for his brother Jamie to rifle the ball past Angus Hutchison the Fort William keepers left hand side with him routed to the spot.

1 – 0

In the 11th minute Academy then had another chance when Shaun Sinclair sent a swirling cross into the Fort William box. Nigel Mackenzie got his head to it but the ball darted back off the post with the Fort keeper and defence in disarray.

In 12 minutes Academy doubled their lead when the ball bounced off the referee Billy Baxter in the middle of the field. Gary Farquhar picked it up and slotted it through to Nigel Mackenzie. Nigel turned and span past 3 or 4 Fort William defenders before firing into the net from about 12 yards out. A great goal by Nigel.

2 – 0

Fort Williams first real chance of the half came in 19 minutes when a bit of a mix-up in the Wick defence was finally cleared for a corner by Don MacMillan.

In 22 minutes Martin Gunn crossed in a low ball which Craig Shearer picked up but he skied a great chance from about 6 yards out.

The chances just kept on coming for Academy, the next in the 24th minute when another Academy cross whistled into the Fort box that Martin Gunn was just inches from connecting with.

Academys 3rd goal came in 25 minutes when Davie Cowie fired in a low ball which Jamie Mackenzie layed off to Gary Farquhar who fired home from about the penalty spot.

3 – 0

1 minute later Jamie Mackenzie had a goal disallowed as he jumped with the keeper for a high ball and headed home. Referee Baxter called the foul, so the goal didn’t count.

Straight after this Shaun Sinclair sent in another great ball from the right which went deep. Nigel Mackenzie picked it up at the far post and fired a shot back across the goal, and it just shaved the Fort William post.

Nigel Mackenzie was on fire this half, and his next effort came in 35 minutes when he again danced his way through the Fort William defence but, after doing all the hard work he fired his shot high.

The half ended with Gary Manson getting booked when a Fort through ball came off his elbow. Referee Baxter must have thought he did it deliberately, and put his name into the book.

This was an action packed first half with Academy running riot.

Half Time 3 – 0

Alistair Budge made 2 changes for the start of the second half with Mark Nichol and Murray Coghill coming on for Gary Manson and Craig Shearer.

Within a minute of kick-off Fort William got a free-kick about 18 yards from the Academy goal and their number 7 David Robertson hit a powerful left foot shot that just beat Don MacMillan into the top right hand corner of his net.

3 – 1

Academy then restored their 3 goal lead in the 51st minute when Nigel Mackenzie again found his way through the Fort William defence. It looked as if he was going to have a shot on goal, but instead cut the ball back to Gary Farquhar and Gary hit a sweet left foot shot than ended up in the top left hand corner of the Fort net.

4 – 1

In 51 minutes Fort William made a change with Stuart Tite coming on for Mark Dougal, but this made little difference as Academy kept driving forward. This time a chance coming in the 53rd minute when the Fort William keeper made a good save with his feet at close range from a Mark Nichol effort.

Fort then made another change in 70 minutes with Kim Nguyen coming off for Jamie Gannon. Again this change made little difference as in the 71st minute Jamie Mackenzie crossed the ball in from the right for Nigel Mackenzie to head home his second from about 12 yards out.

5 – 1

Academy continued their onslaught on the Fort goal when in 80 minutes Jamie Mackenzie had another shot that came off keeper Hutchisons left hand post. The ball was cleared for Davie Cowie to whip it back in from the right hand side of the pitch and Martin Gunn slid in to slot the ball under Hutchison for goal number 6, and Martins first goal of the season.

6 – 1

Davie Cowies cross for Martins goal was his last touch, as Alistair substituted him for Gary Weir.

Academy’s final goal came in 85 minutes. A Nigel Mackenzie cross was headed goal-ward by Gary Weir but the ball was cleared off the line. It came out and Jamiel Mackenzie crossed it back in again for Mark Nichol to side foot home.

7 – 1

Academy then had one more good chance in 89 minutes when Gary Weir crossed for Mark Nichol but his attempt just shaved the Fort left hand post.

Full time 7 – 1

This is Academys third win on the trot and it was well deserved. It may be argued that this was a poor Fort William display, but Academy didn’t let them play. They hunted down every 50-50 ball, played some really good possession football, and took their chances with some great goals, Nigels first one probably being the pick of them.

This is bound to give the team another boost in confidence, and if they can carry this with them into next weeks game with Nairn there is no reason why we can’t get revenge for the cup semi-final defeat. We are only a point behind Nairn now, so a result there would lift us above them in the league.

Well done lads for today performance!

Read Alan Faquhars full match report here.