With 4 goals, a penalty and 3 bookings it sounds as if it was a cracker, but it all honesty it wasn’t a great game to watch today. Neither side really set the heather alight, and it could be argued that a draw may be just about the right result.
Wick started playing down the Harmsworth slope, but it was Lossie that had the first chance in the 7th minute. Andrew Macleod gave away a free kick which was taken by Craig Morrison, and his attempt whistled past Dons right hand post.
Academys first real chance came in the 10th minute. Macleod fired in a cross ball from the right and Graeme Reid managed to get a right foot shot onto goal, but keeper Dunn saved comfortably.
Lossiemouth then took the lead with one of the softest goals they will probably ever scored. A long ball was sent through the Academy defence and Andrew Macleod let it run harmlessly through to Don. Don however dropped the ball and it gifted Douglas Coull with an empty net.
0 – 1
Academy’s next chance came in the 17th minute when Mark Nichol found himself free in the Lossie box. He had a good crack at goal but keeper Dunn managed to turn his shot round the post.
In 23 minutes Academy were then rewarded a free-kick about 35 yards for the Lossie goal. Gary Farquhar sent in a whipped ball which Craig Shearer headed just over the cross-bar from 5 yards out.
3 minutes later Shaun Sinclair had a run up the right wing and sent in a good cross which Martin Gunn got his head onto, but his header went straight into the hands of Dunn.
Lossie then had two fairly good chances to increase their lead. The first in the 29th minute when Craig Morrison went one-on-one with Macleod and Don got finger-tips to his shot to send it round the post. Don then saved again from Gary Youngston in the 36th minute when he parried his shot back out to safety.
The ball went almost straight back down the field and Martin Gunn picked it up mid-way inside the Lossie half and marched un-challenged through the middle of the Lossie defence before shooting about 25 yards out and scoring past Dunns left hand.
1 – 1
The only real remaining chance of the first half came in the 43rd minute when a crossed ball from the right found its way through to Craig Shearer, but keeper Dunn was again on-hand to make the save.
Half time 1 – 1
Academy started the second half with a little more urgency and forced 2 early consecutive corners, but they didn’t really create much threat from them.
Lossie had the best early chance of the half after 4 minutes when Gary Manson gave the ball away in his own half. Coull and MacMullin combined well with a neat one-two but MacMullin skied his attempt from 8 yards out over Dons cross-bar.
In the 50th minute Academy got another free-kick on the edge of the Lossie box. Farquhar floated a ball over the top of the Lossie wall and Gunn got a header on target, but again it went straight into Dunns arms.
Alistair made his first change in 57 minutes with David Cowie coming on for Gary Manson.
Academy then had a close shave in the 63rd minute when a Coull half cross, half shot, from the right went over Don and hit his far post, bouncing back out to safety.
In the 65th minute the game was stopped for several minutes when Don picked up a head-knock. He came out to collect a through ball and was hit square-on by Steven Ellis. Fortunately he recovered from the knock, as Academy didn’t have a substitute keeper on the bench today.
Lossie then took the lead in the 77th minute. Steven Elliss took a Lossie free-kick about 40 yards from the Academy goal and Coull powered home a good header past Dons left hand.
1 – 2
Alistair made two further changes for the last 10 minutes or so of the game. In the 81st minute Gary Weir came on for Nigel Mackenzie, and in the 85th minute Gavin Henderson came on for Graeme Reid.
Lossie looked as if they were going to run the game out, but in the 90th minute Gary Weir bullied his way through the middle of the Lossie box, and his shot was handled by Tony Ross. Referee MacDonald pointed to the spot, despite the protests of the Lossie players. Steven Elliss was booked for decent, before Gary Farquhar stepped up and coolly slotted home the penalty low into the corner of Dunns net.
2 – 2
The referee played out a few minutes of extra time, and that’s the way the game ended.
Full-time 2 – 2
Todays game was battle for a league place, but the share of the points see Wick remain above Lossiemouth in 11th place.
Sponsors Man of the match Martin Gunn
Seen here receiving his award from Match sponsor George Corfield.
Match Mascot Liam Bissett’s picture can be viewed here.
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Academy Team: MacMillan, Sinclair, Macleod, Lamb, Manson (Cowie 57), Reid (Henderson 85), Gunn, Shearer, N Mackenzie (Weir 81), Farquhar, Nichol.
Subs: Weir, Coghill, Henderson, Cowie, Sutherland
Bookings: Lamb (80)
