Highland League round-up
Saturday March 3rd
Scorries in top six after doing the double over Formartine
Academy moved up to sixth place in the Highland League
after a well-deserved 3-1 win against 10-man Formartine United at Harmsworth Park.
It's the first time Academy have done the double over
Formartine since the Pitmedden outfit joined the league in 2009.
Academy were on top throughout the first half without
being able to find a way past the well-drilled Formartine defence. Stevie Cunningham
and Sam Mackay both had shots well saved by Derek Soutar, the former Aberdeen
and Dundee keeper.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 36th minute
when Mark Smith brought down Davie Allan on the edge of the box with the Wick
striker racing through on goal. Referee David Watt had no hesitation in
brandishing the red card.
The opener came two minutes after the break as Allan
latched on to a superb through ball from Cunningham and steered it past Soutar
for his 17th goal of the season.
Allan turned provider on 52 minutes as he slipped the
ball through to Craig Shearer, who kept his composure and placed it beyond
Soutar.
Three minutes later Stuart Soane pulled one back as he
unleashed a wind-assisted shot from some 30 yards that flew in just below
Michael Gray's crossbar.
A minute later, Mackay restored Academy's two-goal
advantage as he took a pass from Alan Farquhar and drove it past Soutar from
close range.
The Scorries had chances to add to their tally as they
dominated proceedings, with Formartine never looking capable of mounting a
comeback.
Cove Rangers and Forres Mechanics fought out a 1-1 draw
in the top-of-the-table clash at Allan Park.
The Can-Cans made the breakthrough in the 70th minute
with a stunning 25-yard volley from Neil Whyte.
The equaliser, nine minutes later, was another sublime
strike as Connor Scully found the net with a chipped effort from 30 yards.
The result means Cove remain two points clear at the top
but Forres still have a couple of games in hand.
Buckie Thistle strengthened their grip on third place
with a 1-0 win against Keith at Victoria Park. Gary Clark got the goal on 24
minutes.
Huntly eased to a 5-1 victory over 10-man Clachnacuddin
at Grant Street Park.
Michael Fyfe put the Strathbogie side in front after 20
minutes. Clach, playing their first home game since before Christmas, got
themselves level just before the half-hour mark through Scott Graham.
However, the home side suffered a double blow five
minutes from half-time when Michael Finnis was red-carded for a last-man foul
inside the box and David Booth tucked away the resultant spot-kick.
Michael Clark extended Huntly's lead two minutes into the
second half and Barry Somers made it 4-1 with 10 minutes to go before Fyfe
added his second of the afternoon right at the end.
Gary Harris scored twice in Turriff United's 3-0 away win
against Deveronvale, with Richie Ligertwood getting the other.
A first-half double from Steven Sim gave Lossiemouth a
2-0 victory over Fort William at Claggan Park.
There were two ties in the Breedons Aggregates Highland
League Cup, with Nairn County and Inverurie Locos making it through to the
first round proper.
County, the holders, needed an extra-time wonder strike
from Dale Gillespie to squeeze past a rapidly improving Strathspey Thistle side
at Seafield Park.
The Grantown Jags sensed it might be their day when
Nairn's Steven Mackay had a penalty saved by Willie Ridgers midway through the
second half of the regulation 90 minutes. However, Ridgers was finally beaten
in the 112th minute as Gillespie's 20-yard effort settled the tie.
Goals by Keiron Adams and Graeme Stewart secured a 2-0
win for Inverurie in their tie against Fraserburgh at Harlaw Park. The Broch
were reduced to nine men in the closing stages as Marc Dickson and Zac Conway
were both given their marching orders for second bookable offences.
