| 25th November 2006 – League | Harmsworth Park Wick |
 Wick Academy |
3 (Shane Sutherland 28, Craig Shearer 71, 77) |
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Team: James More, Shaun Sinclair, Alex lamb Subs: Stuart Sinclair, Shane Sutherland, Bryan McKiddie, Mark Makhouli, Daniel Bell(GK). |
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1 (Gavin Middleton 88) |
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Team: Graham Flynn, Darren Watson, Stuart Cameron(Sam Wormald 75), Steven Dixon, Kevin Stuart, Gavin Middleton, Marc Whyte Subs: Sam Wormald, Grant Shewan, Kevan McIntosh, David Hendry. |
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| Referee: | John Bicknell |
| Bookings: |
Lossiemouth: Marc Whyte 50 |
| Match Sponsor: |
George Corfield |
| Ball Sponsor: |
Teena bowl section of the Gary Manson Appreciation Club |
| Sponsors man of the match | David Mowat |
, David Mowat, Andrew MacLeod(Stuart Sinclair 87), Craig Shearer, Richard Macadie(Shane Sutherland 20), Gary Farquhar, Gary Weir
Lossiemouth Academy had the sharper start to the game, and within 3 minutes they created their first scoring opportunity. Craig Shearer played Gary Farquhar in over the top of the Lossiemouth defence, and from close range keeper Flynn made a good save.
A minute later Academy had another good chance. Shaun Sinclair worked the ball down the wing and whipped a dangerous cross into the Lossie box, but Gary Weir sent his header high over the cross-bar.
Academy were enjoying most of the possession and in 8 minutes a ball from defence almost caught Lossiemouth napping. Craig Sheerer was off-side, but cleverly ignored the ball, leaving Richard Macadie to run onto it. Stuart Cameron charged in on Macadie, and referee Bicknell awarded a free-kick for the challenge. Academy couldn’t capitalise from this though, and Gary Farquhar’s attempt was cleared for a corner.
It was 10 minutes into the game before Lossiemouth threatened the Academy goal. A long ball was played through the middle of the Academy defence, and Craig Mossison did well to control it over the top of his head, but he fired his shot from the edge of the box straight into the arms of More.
The ball was played back down-field, and David Cowie, who had a great start to the game and was really troubling the Lossiemouth defence, took it down the right wing before rifling it into the Lossiemouth box. It flicked off the outside of defender Darran Watsons boot, and whistled just high of the Lossiemouth goal.
Just before the quarter hour and Academy had yet another good attempt on goal. Shaun Sinclair worked the ball well out of his own defence, and picked out Gary Farquhar with a long pass. Gary took the ball forward before squaring it to Andrew Macleod on the right hand side of the Lossiemouth 18 yard line. Andrew composed himself and hit a great right foot shot that looked bound for the top left hand corner, but keeper Flynn got across and made a very good one handed diving save.
In the 20th minute Richard Macadie, who was still suffering from an earlier knock, was substituted for 16 year old Shane Sutherland.
Lossiemouth thought they’d taken the lead in the 22nd minute. From a corner kick Marc Whyte snuck in front of Andrew Macleod to send a powerful header goal-bound, but More pulled-off a fantastic point-blank reaction save to deny him.
This was Lossiemouths best spell in the game, and a minute later they almost scored again. Gavin Middleton fired a free-kick into the Academy box. It glanced off the head of Craig Shearer and More was again called to make a save, what would have been an own-goal, low to his left hand post turning it round the stick for a corner.
After surviving these two close-calls, Academy took the lead in the 28th minute of the game. Great work by David Mowat saw him drive up-field with ball at feet, and he marched all the way into the heart of the Lossiemouth box before crossing to the young substitute Shane Sutherland who fired home his first every Academy league goal. Keeper Flynn did get a hand to the ball, but couldn’t stop it bulging the back of the net.
1 – 0
Academy nearly doubled their lead 4 minutes later. A Gary Manson corner kick was headed towards goal by Craig Shearer. Keeper Flynn made the save, but dropped the ball and it ran along the Lossiemouth line before being cleared to safety, with no one from Academy following-in.
A minute before half-time and Shane Sutherland, who’d played really well since coming on, terrorised the Lossiemouth defence again, as he hustled some uncertain play in the Lossiemouth defence, and almost caught keeper Flynn on the hop, but Flynn did just enough to clear the ball.
Just before the half time whistle Highland League.net Steven Rattray, met Highland League.defender David Mowat, in a 50-50 ball. With both players committed to the ball Rattray came off second-best, and this in effect ended his game, as he didn’t recover from the tackle to make the second half.
Half Time 1 – 0
Grant Shewan replaced Rattray for the start of the second half.
Academy again got a flyer from the whistle, and Gary Farquhar couldn’t believe the chance that he subsequently missed. Gary Manson played the ball into the middle of a packed Lossiemouth defence, and after it went ping-pong off a few players, Farquhar found himself with the ball at his feet only 2 yards from goal, but he scuffed his shot wide of the post.
Academys next chance came in the 52nd minute. Another Manson corner was this time met by Gary Weir who headed the ball down into the ground towards goal, but it went just wide of Flynns right hand post.
Academy continued to attack, and it looked like there were more goals to come, and this nearly came to pass when in the 70th minute Shaun Sinclair drove up the right wing, and from wide of the Lossiemouth box warmed the hands of Flynn, who made a good save at his left hand post.
A minute later and Academy did manage to double their lead. Again Sinclair made good ground up the right, crossing for Gary Weir to head back across goal from the back-post, where Craig Shearer was on-hand to slot home from point-blank range past a diving Fylnn.
2 – 0
Lossiemouth nearly pulled one back in the 75 minute. They won a free-kick centre-field about 35 yards from goal. Gavin Middleton, who was probably Lossiemouths best player on the day, took the free-kick, and it whistled inches over the top of the Academy cross-bar.
2 minutes later and Academy sealed the 3 points. Gary Weir won a free-kick wide on the left. Keeper Flynn wasn’t convincing with the free-kick, only flapping at the ball, which fell to Craig Sheerer. Craig pulled it back around a defender and coolly slotted home his second of the game.
3 – 0
Bryan McKiddie came on for Gary Weir with 8 minutes left.
Lossiemouth did manage to pull back a consolation goal with 2 minutes left on the clock. Gavin Middleton took a free-kick 30 yards from the Academy goal. He fired it through the middle of the Academy defence, and it took a really weird bounce in front of More, to fly in over his head, with nothing much the young keeper could do about it.
3 – 1
The last action of the game saw Bryan McKiddie almost sneak a goal at Flynns back-post, but he turned the ball just wide.
Final Score 3 – 1
So a far from pretty game, and Lossiemouth didn’t really play that well today, but to give them their due Academy stuck to their task and took their chances. This win lifts them 2 places off the foot of the table, and should give them a confidence boost with Fort William visiting next weekend.
Sponsors Man of the match David Mowat
Seen here receiving his award from WAFC Committee member Georgia Farquhar, with match sponsor George Corfield looking on
The match ball sponsors ‘Teena bowl section of the Gary Manson Appreciation Club’ are seen pictured below with their ‘hero’ Gary Manson
