Academy looked threatening with every attack and just before
the half hour Davie Allan past to Sam Mackay who flicked the ball into the path
of Macadie who leathered the ball on target but Donald Horsburgh got his body
in the way and made an important block.
The 3rd goal came soon afterwards. Nicholas Mochan (Choccy) dallied on the ball and
gave away possession. Dave Allan drove
forward and his shot that looked goal-bound was blocked by Ridgers but the
re-bound looped back out and Sam Mackay dived for the ball and headed home for
his second of the game.
3 – 0
Academy had two further good chances before the half time
break when Davie Allan had an attempt at the near post deflected for a corner. Macadie
swung the corner in and Cunningham picked up the ball and walked it into the
box before having his shot blocked, and Shearer's follow-up attempt was also
blocked by heroic Strathspey defending as they put their bodies in the line of
fire.
Half time 3 – 0
Academy started the second half as they did the first almost
scoring in the first minutes. Stewart
Ross drove a shot on target and it looked as if it had the beating of Ridgers
but Mochan got a foot on the ball and it flew just past the post.
Academy continued to dominate the goal scoring opportunities
with Shearer having another shot deflected wide off the back of defender
Horsburgh, and Davie Allan had a flashing attempt whistle just past the
up-right.
Weir missed a sitter with 20 minutes of the second half
played. Ross Allan drove out of defence showing the Strathspey defence a clear
pair of heals and cut back from the bye-line for Weir who was unmarked in the
middle of the box and with just the keeper to beat he had a fresh-air shot and the danger was cleared.
2 minutes later Academy scored their 4th and put
the game well and truly to bed. Davie Allan slid a neat pass through a packed penalty
area for Cunningham and he marched forward before finishing with some confidence
from 8 yards out, his 8th league goal of the campaign.
Strathspey almost pulled a goal back in the 69th
minute when Mochan broke free and hit a good effort on target but Gray got down
well and palmed the ball clear of goal.
Strathspey's best attempt of the game came in the 75th
minute. Sandis Reinson picked the ball up just outside the penalty area and
spotted Gray off his line and lobbed a great attempt on target but Alan
Farquhar covered back and acrobatically cleared the ball of his line for a
corner when it looked a certainty to have been a goal. The corner kick was
fired in low to the near post and in an attempt to clear the ball Farquhar
sliced it into his own net for an OG.
4 – 1
Academy had two further chances to increase the goal tally
before the game ended. Sam Mackay had a header on target and Jordan Wardrope
got a foot to the ball and sent it just past the outside of the post.
Weir then
capped or a frustrating afternoon for himself in front of goal as Sam Mackay
drove to the bye-line and cut the ball back across the face of goal. Keeper
Ridgers had come to cover his post and the ball landed at the feet of Weir but
he managed to smash his attempt against the body of Fraser Tulloch when it
looked easier to have scored.
Full time 4 – 1
Sponsor's man of the match Davie Allan
Pictured receiving his award
from Alistair Gunn on behalf of match sponsor GM's Old Timers
