Play went quickly to the bottom end where Weir broke clear
on the left but with the angle too tight for a shot opted to drive it
across
the face of the goal.
James More, reinstated in the Academy net, had to look
lively in the 10th minute dashing 10 yards off his line to
foil
Andrew Bagshaw at point blank range. However, the Wick keeper had no
chance in
the 16th minute when Barry Somers netted his 30th
goal of
the season. As the ball fell near him from a clearance the Formartine
striker
spun at the edge of the box to fire a dipping volley high
into the middle of the net.
Academy responded to this wake up call by mounting 20
minutes of incessant pressure, surging forward and playing perhaps their
best
passing football of the season. We saw keeper Scott Chalmers spread
himself to
block the ball when Allan was through one on one. The ball fell to Weir
whose
rebound effort was scrambled away only to Macadie who fired over the
bar. We
admired the high speed flicks and tricks from Mackay, the skilful
midfield
interceptions by Farquhar and Craig Shearer and a neat back heel by
Macadie to
the overlapping Stevie Cunningham. We cheered the determined efforts of
Allan
and bustling runs by David Cowie and Gary Manson who won corner kicks on
the
left which were cleared from the six yard box. Mackay and Weir saw
efforts
flash inches wide of the target. A trip by James Seivewright, caught out
of
position as Mackay raced past him down the Academy left, brought the
first
caution of the game but this and other free kicks were stoutly defended
by the
visitors who often had ten players back in defence.
Around the 35 minute mark Formartine succeeded in clearing
the ball up the park where a Farquhar tackle put the ball in touch and More
fisted away a Stuart McKay volley.
Allan wriggled past Mark Simpson on the right to set up Weir
whose shot struck a defender. Ally Graham saw the second yellow card for
tripping Cunningham and Shearer was close to heading in Manson's free kick at
the back post. When Simpson nodded the ball back to keeper Chalmers, Allan
nipped between them but flicked the ball wide so at the break Academy found
themselves still a goal down.
Half Time 0 – 1
Within three minutes of the restart came a deserved
equaliser. Manson sent a free kick up the left to Weir, ran on to the return
pass and cut in along the goal line. Although his low cross was cleared it came
to Macadie who swept it swiftly to the right for Shearer whose cross into the
goal mouth reached Cowie who stooped low to head it into the net.
When Manson obstructed Morrison, Bagshaw's driven free kick
was pushed away by More.
Allan cut in from a seemingly impossible angle up on the
right to chip the ball curling in towards the back post where Chalmers
slithered along his line to scoop it round the post. Macadie raced clear and
shot wide but Seivewright argued too vehemently for offside and a second yellow
card meant he had first shottie of the shower.
A fine passing move, the ball switched quickly from man to
man culminated in Mackay exchanging passes with Macadie and steering a left
foot shot past Chalmers to put Academy 2-1 up.
Allan and Cunningham were unable to convert chances for a
third goal and then Chalmers sprinted forward to smother the ball at Macadie's
feet just inside the 18 yard line.
Andrew MacLeod had won most battles with McKay but when he
tackled the former Peterhead striker from behind he was booked and only a
flying save from More kept out McKay's 22 yard pile driver free kick. From the
ensuing corner on the left More punched the ball down but Simpson was close by
to hook it into the net.
Spurred on the visitors looked for a winner. Bagshaw ran
through but pulled his shot wide and then More denied McKay with another
spectacular save.
A second yellow for Graham after tripping Cunningham saw
Formartine down to nine men but it needed intelligent defending by Farquhar to
block an effort from Irvine
on the line and dribble the rebound away from McKay.
Academy had half chances for a late winner but Martin Gunn's
cross was just too high even for six foot three Ciaran Duffy who was then
unable to force his way past Simpson to connect with Shearer's forward pass.
Full Time 2 – 2
Wick co boss Richard Hughes said "In the first half
especially we played some fantastic football. The boys kept the ball on the
deck and moved it around really quickly. We didn't get just reward for our play
and it was Formartine who got the only first half goal. We started the second
half well and came back into the game. Then the build up to create Sam Mackay's
goal was fantastic – beautiful to watch. They went down to ten men and then to
nine but credit to Formartine they battled on and made a few chances. It was as
though somebody had flicked a switch and turned us off. Maybe at 2-1 up against
ten men our guys thought the game was over – for whatever reason we dropped and
couldn't get ourselves back up again. It was a good exciting game for the fans
to finish the season – we played some attractive football against a quality
side."
Formartine boss John Gardiner was unhappy at losing two
players to red cards but pleased to get the point which took his team into
sixth place above Huntly. "I thought the two sendings off were very soft. Then
our nine men worked so hard, they ran themselves into the ground and we could
even have won the game near the end. We cannot be too disappointed to come to
Wick and get a draw. Wick is a well organised team who play good football so
overall we're delighted with the result. Looking back over a 34 game league
season we gave away some silly points but to finish sixth at our first attempt
bodes well and we'll be looking to make a few signings to strengthen the squad
for next season."
Sponsors Man of the match Alan Farquhar
Pictured receiving his award from Drew Robertson on behalf of match sponsor Gow's Lybster
