Academy went straight back up the park and Cowie sent in
another great ball that Gary Manson headed on target but Gray denied him with
an athletic save, turning it around his post with a one handed stop.
At this stage of the game Academy had just the upper-hand
and Brora seemed to go through a spell where they gave the ball away cheaply.
Manson almost capitalised on this with another attempt on goal, but Sam Mackay
got a block in to turn it for another corner.
4 minutes later McKiddie drove at the heart of e Brora
defence and was taken down at the edge of the box by Mark Smith. Stewart Ross
took the free-kick and drilled it into the box for Sean Henstridge to get a
flick on the ball to send it net-bound, but Michael Steven got a nick on the
ball and deflected it past the post.
In the last 3 minutes of the half both sides had chances to
take the lead. McKiddie again dribbled into the box and his shot was deflected
for a corner. Macadie fired in the corner and Craig Shearers looping header
bounced off the top of the Brora cross-bar at the back post.
Brora's chance came from good work by Shane Sutherland
driving into the Academy box but Neil
Trail forced him wide of
goal and blocked his shot at the expense of another corner-kick. Arron
Christies took the corner and Jason Gunn out-jumped the Academy defence in the
middle of the box but he sent his header over the top.
Half Time 0 – 0
The second half started with Richard Macadie having two 25
yard attempts on goal in the space of a few minutes, both going just wide of
the target.
Brora's first attempt of the second half came with 10
minutes played, Sam Mackay having a snap-shot from 35 yards out that More
scrambled to safety.
The first change of personnel came in the 56th
minute, Sean Henstridge being replaced by Gary Weir.
The Cattachs took the lead in the 58th minute.
Arron Christie stormed up the left wing and delivered an inch-perfect cross to
the back-post where Kevin Lewis dived in with a well-timed header and fired
home.
0 – 1
Brora should have doubled their lead in the 66th
minute. Shane Sutherland supplied the cross into the box and Sam Mackay had a
free header that he should have scored with, but to the relief of the Academy
support he put his attempt over the top of goal.
5 minutes later and Brora passed up another chance to extend
their lead. Sutherland showed some great skill up the wing to breeze into the
box and squared to Gary Macleod, but More reacted quickly with a good block. The ball bounced back out Sutherland but he too was denied by More with another
fine save.
With time running out Academy pushed for the equaliser and
it nearly came when McKiddie once more dribbled his way through the middle of
the Brora defence and squared the ball across goal. Weir swung at it but
couldn't connect and it fell to Macadie at the edge of the box and he tried a
floating shot to Gray's back post, but it was just too high.
Play swung back up-field and More came wide out of his box
to clear a long ball, but sliced his kick and from all of 45 yards Sutherland
hit a first time shot on target that Alan Sinclair headed clear.
With a minute left Weir had the crowd on their feet as he twisted and turned inside the Brora box but
his shot was deflected just past Gray's right hand post.
So game over, no-way! Academy forced another corner in the
last minute. Macadie took it short to Cowie who fired it deep into the box.
Andrew Macleod rose highest to head it back across goal, and Craig Shearer
thumped it home from 4 yards to earn the draw.
1 – 1
Full time 1 – 1
Sponsors Man of the match Neil Trail
Pictured receiving his award from Geraldine Harrold, Match sponsor Harrold Brothers
