2 minutes
later it was Academy on the front foot as Weir had a curling shot from the
right hand side of the penalty area but that also went just over the top of the
target.
Sean
Munro was booked for a two footed tackle on Ross Allan in the 27th
minute. Richard Macadie took the resulting free-kick 25 yards from goal. He got
the ball over the wall and it looked goal-bound but keeper McCarthy got his finger-tips to
it and tipped it over his cross-bar.
Macadie
was next to try his hand when he sent a great dipping shot just over the
cross-bar.
Craig
Ross had a chance to pull the visitors even in the 38th minute when
he got half a yard on Stewart Ross at the edge of the Academy box and got a
shot on target but Gray got down well to his left to make a good save.
Just as
it looked as if Academy were going to go in at half-time ruing the good chances
they had created, they doubled their advantage. The ball was swept out wide to
Sam Mackay. He cut in and laid it off to Macadie to teed-up Weir and he picked
his spot to drill a left foot shot past McCarthy.
2 – 0
In the
next attack Academy strung together a series of great passes between Mackay and
Macadie before the ball fell to Weir on the edge of the box. He managed to swivel
on the ball but his shot went straight down the barrel to McCarthy.
In the
last action of the half Duncan Jones ran into space and tried his hand from
about 30 yards out but his attempt went well wide of the target.
Half Time
2 – 0
Within a
minute if the re-start the Scorries bagged their 3rd of the game. Academy
won a corner which was swung in by Macadie. Weir broke off his marker and sent a
flashing header past McCarthy at the near post.
3 – 0
A minute
later Alan Farquhar was substituted. He had been suffering with a sore neck
during the interval and he was replaced by Gary Manson.
Another
corner 10 minutes later offered up another Academy chance. This time it was Craig
Shearer who got his head to the ball but his attempt flew just past the outside
of the Brora left hand post.
2 minutes
later Cunningham cut the ball across the 18 yard box for Davie Allan and his
thunderous shot smacked off the Brora crossbar and away to safety.
Brora
came close in the 73rd minute when Craig Ross ghosted unmarked into
the Academy box and controlled a crossed ball before getting an attempt on
target, but Gray made a comfortable save.
Academy
put the game well and truly to bed in the 76th minute when they won
a free kick 25 yards from goal. Sam Mackay took it and curled a Beckham-like
shot over the top of the wall and into the top corner of the net.
4 – 0
Two
minutes later Academy went nap. Shearer battled for the ball in mid-field
before sliding a pass through the heart of the Brora defence. Davie Allan lit
the blue touch-paper and scorched into the penalty area and he took the
stitching off the ball as he riffled home a tremendous shot.
5 – 0
6 minutes
from the final whistle Weir claimed his hat-trick. He picked the ball up amongst
a ruck of players in the middle of the Brora box and somehow managed to sneak a
right foot shot inside McCarthy's left hand post.
6 – 0
Fill Time
Wick Academy 6 – Brora Rangers 0
Sponsor's man of the match Gary Weir
Pictured receiving his award
from Stuart Cowan on behalf of match sponsors TESCO (Wick)
