After the long years which had brought successes in the
various North Caledonian (previously North Reserve) League competitions Wick Academy
at last made it to a North cup semi final again in 1997. Midway through his
second season in charge, Scorries boss Don Cowie had to prepare his team for a
tricky tie away at Golspie on January 18th. Academy patiently
awaited their opportunity before netting two late goals, one of them from
present co manager Richard Hughes. Three weeks later Academy travelled down to Elgin to meet the City team who had recently won 2-0 in
the league at Harmsworth
Park. The bookmakers
certainly viewed Academy as underdogs, quoting odds of 8 to 1 for the away win,
an offer readily accepted by several fans whose wee investments were rewarded
with a 2-1 win. So 42 years after the previous semi Wick fans had another to
look forward to, indeed the club's first ever home game at that advanced stage.
Forres Mechanics were the visitors on March 1st but despite recent good
form against the Morayshire team Wick were destined to bow out of the cup, though
not before a prolonged battle. Nil-nil that day at Harmsworth Park at the
interval the game was called off by referee Billy Murray because of the gale
force wind and it was a goal less stalemate again the next Saturday when the
teams reconvened for what has become known as the ‘game of three halves'. On
March 15th at Mosset
Park, Forres eased
through to the final 4-1, Alan Murray netting what was merely a consolation
goal.
By the time the North Cup games came round the next year
John Black was manager with Peter Budge as his assistant. Gordon Connelly and
Nigel MacKenzie were now in the team and scored a goal each to earn a 2-2 draw
at Rothes. The replay saw Academy's first involvement in a penalty shoot out, a
successful 4-2 effort after extra time had failed to separate the teams at 1-1.
Neither Academy nor the Caley Thistle second string, could find the net in Harmsworth Park's second semi final. The replay was
at Grant Street
as Caley Thistle had a first team game at Caledonian Stadium that day, April 11th 1998.
Sandy Macleod scored with one of his many brave diving headers but the Inverness team won 2-1 with a disputed late goal.
Academy were now well established in the Highland League
having tasted the fruits of victory against every team except Peterhead and had
quite a respectable record against other North FA clubs. Yet in the North Cup they were doomed to
first round defeats four years in a row, all at Harmsworth Park.
On January 25th
2003, after a first round bye, Craig Shearer (61) and Stevie Reid (80)
scored goals at Station
Park and at 2-1 up Wick
looked to set for a win in Alistair Budge's first game in charge until Nairn
were awarded a controversial 88th minute penalty. Gary Farquhar netted
the spot kick against his past and future team mates and County went on to win
3-2 after extra time. Incidentally that game saw the debut of a 15 year old
sub, Gary Weir, who has since figured prominently in Academy's cup exploits.
The North Cup had been sponsored for more than 20 years by
Scottish Brewers to give a marketing boost to their McEwan's Lager brand but
Wick fans had been drowning their sorrows rather than celebrating.
The format of the competition was then changed to mini
league sections which ensured a couple of local derbies, in Wick's case against
Brora and Golspie. The Academy team took full advantage of the new set up
although the matches have been close hard fought affairs, tense for players and
supporters alike.
The Wick/Brora game on March 10th 2004 was a 3-3 draw so
when Golspie pulled off a shock 1-0 win at Brora the scene was set for a real
showdown under the Harmsworth
Park lights on March 24th,
Golspie having conceded home advantage. The visitors scored first to increase the
tension and excitement but Martin Gunn equalised and then a brace from young
Craig Gunn completed Academy's recovery rewarded with a semi final visit to Elgin. City manager David
Robertson opted to field his full first team and although Wick put up a brave
fight at Borough Briggs they went out to two late goals.
In September 2004 Academy enjoyed a good start at Dudgeon Park where Alan Sinclair netted a
penalty kick after 17 minutes. Although Brora equalised, a quick one -two from Gavin
Henderson (50) and Gary Manson (52) sealed a Wick win. Again Golspie took the
lead at Harmsworth
Park and again Martin Gunn
equalised, this time from the penalty spot after 66 minutes and when Gary Weir,
now 17 years old scrambled the winner in stoppage joy was unconfined both on
the pitch and in the stands. Hopes were high when Forres came north for the
semi final, with confident talk of avenging the 1997 defeat. Tuesday October 12th
was a big night of sport in Wick with Stephen Hendry playing snooker at the
Francis Street Club. Further along South Road Forres had Whyte, Black, Brown
and Green in their line up and potted three goals to dash Academy's dreams of
playing in the Final.
The autumn of 2005 produced a similar set of results in the
Far North group of the UMAX North Cup. Second half goals from brothers Jamie
and Nigel MacKenzie gave Wick a winning start against Golspie on August 31st.
Brora then drew 1-1 with Golspie so Academy needed only to draw at Brora on
Saturday September 17th. The Cattachs led 1-0 at half time but Gary
Farquhar turned it round in the second half. He immediately set up a Jamie
MacKenzie equaliser and was in brilliant form at the heart of the midfield
action before scoring two late goals to earn his team's place in another home
semi final. The semi final with Nairn County on Tuesday October 18th under the Harmsworth Park lights had a real cup tie atmosphere.
Jamie MacKenzie scored in the 9th minute and until the hour mark
things were going well for Wick. Then Brian MacLeod equalised with a 30 yard
drive and in the 69th minute Willie Barron sidefooted the ball past
Don MacMillan to give the visitors a 2-1 lead. Wick rallied and with a minute
left of normal time Nigel MacKenzie levelled it at 2-2 with a 20 yard lob only
to miss an easier looking chance in stoppage time. Nairn were stronger in extra
time when substitute Martin MacDonald and David MacRae netted for a 4-2 win.
Nairn went on to beat highly rated Forres Mechanics in the final.
In 2006 it was back to the knock out formula and new boss
Peter Budge watched happily as Academy raced to a 3-0 half time lead against
Clachnacuddin. Despite some anxious moments for the Harmsworth Park
fans his young team held on for a 3-2 win. They also played well at Dingwall
but lost 3-1 to quite a strong Ross
County squad so hopes of
another semi final were dashed.
Last season it was back to the group format with more
anxious moments as the team now managed by Ian Munro and Richard Hughes went
0-3 and then 1-4 down at home to Brora. Academy looked dead and buried but
three goals in as many minutes earned a 4-4 draw, Gary Weir the hat trick hero.
Then came a 3-2 win away to Golspie at Brora. Leading by Gary Manson's early goal
all seemed fine for Wick until Golspie struck twice in three minutes just
before the break. Two goals from Gary Farquhar eventually eased Wick into another
eagerly awaited semi final with Caley Thistle. At Harmsworth
Park on September 4th the
young Inverness team won 2-0, one of the goals
netted by former Halkirk and Academy youngster Shane Sutherland so Wick had
bowed out at the penultimate stage for the seventh time.
The start date and time of the Beijing Olympics has made us
all aware that eight is a lucky number so maybe Tuesday's semi final will be a
case of eighth time lucky! Following their fine wins against Ross County
and Golspie the current squad has the chance to be the first Wick Academy
team to make it to a senior final. Good luck boys!
