Wick Academy got their league campaign of to a winning start on Sunday away to Nairn County at the Showfields ground.
Wick with several new faces in their line up from throughout the county, were looking to get off to a good start and they did just that in 7mins when Sean Stewart sent Martin Bain up the right flank, Bain evaded the tackles of two County defenders to get to the bye line to cut the ball back across goal and from 12yds Shane Sutherland brillantly side footed a first time shot low beyond Michael Calder in the Nairn goal and inside the keeper’s lefthand post.
Nairn 0 v 1 Wick.
Nairn fought back and in ten minutes Ross MacKenzie had an opportunity to level when Lee Haines played in MacKenzie 20yds out however he shot wildly over the bar. Back came Wick Sean Stewart who was instrumental in a lot of good things up the right flank once again played in Bain, who drove forward to lay the ball into the path of Greg MacLeod and from 18yds out MacLeod’s fierce drive flew inches wide of Calder’s righthand post.
A neat 1-2 between Nairn’s Paul MacLeod and Callum McWilliam ended with McWilliam firing high over James More’s cross bar from 25yds.
In 37mins Bryan McKiddie worked space for himself deep into the Nairn half before laying the ball off to Ewan Scott (Wella) who’s fierce left foot drive from 20yds was saved well down to his left by Calder.
Wick ended the half with one more effort on goal when Greg MacLeod sent the ball out to the right for the advancing Sean Stewart to get on the end off and his delivery into the Nairn box found Ewan Scott unmarked, his first time shot was once again was saved brillantly at full stretch by Calder down to his left.
Half- Time Nairn 0 v Wick 1
Into the second half and with the wind at their backs Wick nearly added to their score when Bryan McKiddie went on a mazy run before sending a defence splitting pass thro to Shane Sutherland who was thro on goal however the ball got caught up under his left foot which gave the Nairn defence the opportunity to clear.
54 mins played, Michael (Joe) Steven sent a long ball forward to Martin Sinclair out on the right, who controlled the ball before threading the ball into the path of Martin Bain 25yds out, Bain’s first time powerful shot flew inches by Calder’s lefthand post.
4mins later only the woodwork and slack finishing prevented Wick going two nil up when a corner from Ewan Scott found Davie Green rising above the County defence 12 yds out, his powerful header came crashing back of Calder’s crossbar, Martin Sinclair reacted quickest however from 8yds headed over the bar.
Apart from the odd Nairn foray up the field, Wick were in control of the match and it came as now surprise when Wick increased their lead in 71mins although it came about by a goalkeeing error. A Colin McKiddie corner was floated into the box which Calder appeared to comfortably save, however he let the ball drop out of his hands under pressure from Wick’s Green and Joe Steven reacted the quickest to stab the ball home from 8yds much to the delight of his team mates.
Nairn 0 v 2 Wick
Wick kept pushing forward and Green was next to test Nairn’s Calder when he controlled the ball 25yds out and sent in a wind assisted shot which Calder did well to hold. When Nairn did get forward they found Wick’s James More (Making his first competitive game back from a broken leg) in inspired form.
Nairn’s Callum Riddell’s short taken free kick found Lee Haines and his 18yd low drive was brillantly saved low down to his left by last season’s understudy to Don Mcmillan. Welcome back James!
Wick were passing the ball about well with Bryan McKiddie instrumental in everything good about Wick’s play, McKiddie sent a delightful ball thro to Martin Sinclair who in turn played in sub Scott MacKenzie and from fully 25yds the 15yrs old midfielder sent a sizzling effort flashing by Calder’s lefthand post.
With time running out Wick created one more chance when Bryan McKiddie drove forward before laying the ball into the path of sub Martin Sutherland out on the right, Sutherland wasted no time in rifling a thunderous shot which flew inches wide of Calder’s lefthand post.
Full Time: Nairn 0 v Wick 2
Speaking afterwards Manager Alan Farquhar commented "The lads were well worth their victory which gets us off to a good start in our league campaign".
"The players deserve all the credit for the way they went about their business, I asked them to get into the faces of the Nairn players from the start to stop them playing and they did just that".We have been working in training on our pressing game, and we got an opportunity to put it into practise against the 1st team in a bounce match last Tuesday and for 55 mins it worked well, so I knew if the players could repeat that level of performance they would be rewarded against Nairn and I repeated it to them again prior to kick off and they did just that".
It was a very big team performance today and nothing else would have done if we were to get the points against a very physical Nairn County team.
All my players deserve credit today, especially our skipper Stuart Sinclair who is clearly benefiting from training and playing with the 1st team. The other 1st team squad players in the team Shane Sutherland, Martin Bain and Bryan McKiddie showed just why they are also being given their opportunities with very solid performances.
The players still have plenty to learn but if they keep showing the right attitude and continue to develop they will do well this season.
Finally I would like to mention James More our goalie who was returning to the side after being out for the past 4 months with a broken leg. James played his first full ninety mins today and aquitted himself very well with a couple of fine saves.His handling was excellent from start to finish and hopefully once he has played a few more games he will be back pushing for a place in the 1st team squad.
Teams:
Nairn: Calder,Morganti, Porter, Riddell. M.MacKenzie, Haines, P. MacLeod, McWilliam, Hendry, R.MacKenzie, Falconer.
Subs: MacDonald, Fraser, Blackhall, Howitt, Hudson.
Wick: More, Stewart, Green, Steven, S. Sinclair, MacLeod (MacKenzie 84), Bain (M.Sutherland 73), Scott (C.McKiddie 67), McKiddie, M.Sinclair, S. Sutherland.
Subs not used. R. Robertson (GK)
Bookings: Scott 59mins, MacLeod 81mins.
