In a another good passing move
Academy again threatened goal when Farquhar played Ross into the edge of the
box but his shot went just high of goal from a tight angle.
Huntly passed up a good chance to
take the lead in the 20th minute when McGowan showed some silky
skills to play Maitland through the middle of the Academy defence, and with
time to pick his spot he drove the ball straight at More who made a good
reaction save.
2 minutes later and McGowan was
again at the heart of another Huntly attack, getting a snap-shot on target that
More saved.
Huntly ramped up the pressure on
the Academy defence with McWilliam firing in a dangerous cross that More did
well to get to through a ruck of players fisting the ball away to semi-safety.
It was played back into the mix by Cromie and following a bit of ping-pong in
the box fell to Gray but he put his shot high of target.
Huntly took the lead on the
half-hour mark when a McGowan shot took a lucky deflection off one of his own
players, and with More moving to his right to make the save the ball flew
past him into the opposite left hand corner of the net.
0 – 1
Academy responded with an almost
perfect reply, going straight up-field from the re-start and Ross was unlucky
not to score as keeper Gray got a hand to his shot to deflect the ball off the
post and out for a corner.
A minute later and Ross again
came close, this time his header was cleared off the line by Murray.
Academy's best chance of the half
fell to Shearer in the 39th minute. He challenged keeper Gray for a
high ball that Gray spilled. The Huntly defence called for a foul but referee
Frew signalled play-on and the ball fell to Shearer with an open goal but his
attempt was cleared off the line with a Huntly defender throwing his body at
the ball to deflect it for a corner.
Half Time 0 – 1
Huntly started the second half on
the attack with McGowan unlucky not to score as he saw his shot from a wide
angle hit Mores right hand post.
Huntly doubled their lead with 51
minutes played. McGowan did really well on the left wing turning the Academy
defence before crossing the ball for Guild to head home from 8 yards out.
0 – 2
Cormie almost increased the lead
3 minutes later as he got the better of Shaun Sinclair but his attempt skimmed
the top of the Academy cross-bar.
With just over an hour played
Manson pulled Academy right back into the game. McKiddie sent Ross on a run up
the wing and he sent a perfect cross into the Huntly box where Manson scored
with a diving header.
1 – 2
Huntly scored their 3rd
goal in the 71st minute. The Academy defence stood-off as Gray ran at them, and
from 30 yards he has a shot at target that More seemed to have covered, but the
ball took a weird bounce just in front of him and went over the top of his
out-stretched hands.
1 – 3
Academy kept plugging away and
McKiddie was sent clear in the box by Farquhar but pulled his shot just wide of
target.
2 minutes later and Farquhar also
sent a shot just wide of goal following a scramble in the Huntly defence.
With 5 minutes left Coghill came
on for McKiddie and he almost made an immediate impact as he was sent through
the middle of the Huntly defence but his shot went inches wide of Grays right
hand post.
Full Time 1 – 3
So plenty of chances for Academy
today but the inability to stick the ball in the back of the net proved to be
their main down-fall. There were periods
of the game today, particularly the first 20 minutes, where the passing and
ball-control was first-class. Academy remain in 10th spot following
today's results, and now have a difficult tie away to Keith next weekend.
Sponsors Man of the match Gary McGowan
Pictured receiving his award from John Sinclair on behalf of the match sponsor Sinclair Windows
