On 33 minutes Ross Allan latched onto a quick throw-in and
charged into the visitor's box. He got a shot on target which nicked off a
defender and Weir followed in but the ball just skidded away from him.
Turriff went down to 10 men in the 37th minute of
the game. In a bit of a nothing scuffle for the ball wide on the right
touch-line Cameron Bowden raised his hands against Stevie Cunningham and the far-side lines-man waved the
referee over. After a period of consultation referee Ross flashed Bowden the
red card and he trudged off for an early bath.
2 minutes later referee Ross had his note-book out again when
Gary Harris went through the back of Ross Allan.
2 minutes from the break Mackay broke the Turriff off-side
trap and worked the ball to the penalty area and flashed a right foot shot just
past the outside of Coutts's left hand post.
A minute later Cunningham made ground up the right flank
before crossing a dangerous ball to the near post. Craig Shearer got a toe on
the ball but keeper Coutts got down well to make the save.
In the last action of the half Weir worked himself a
half-yard on the edge of the Turra box but he tugged his shot wide of target.
Half Time 0 -0
4 minutes after the re-start Cunningham broke down the right
wing and delivered a perfect cross onto the head of Weir who powered a header
between Coutts and his left hand post.
1 – 0
In the next attack Academy should have doubled their lead.
Macadie split the Turriff back line with a burst of pace and teed up Weir in acres
of space in the middle of the box but he skied his attempt high of the target
with the goal at his mercy.
In the 52nd minute Mackay gave the ball away cheaply
in the middle of the park. Chris Herd played the ball through in front of Gary
Harris who had a foot-race to the ball with Gray, but Michael beat him to it
and cleared the ball for a throw-in.
Turriff were gifted a goal in the 56th minute.
Under no real pressure Grant Steven trundled a back-pass to Gray which was
pounced upon by Gary Harris. He rounder Gray and tucked home into an empty net.
1 – 1
In the 64th minute Weir showed some good skill out
wide before he played Mackay into the Turriff box. Mackay got a shot on target
from a tight angle but keeper Coutts got a hand to it and turned it for a
corner.
2 minutes later Chris Herd was booked for a hard tackle through
the back of Ross Allan.
In the next attacking move Academy took the lead again. Mackay
played Macadie down the right channel and he drove into the box before
unleashing an unstoppable shot from a tight angle into the opposite top corner
of Coutts's net.
2 – 1
Academy then won a free kick 25 yards from goal when Weir
was taken down from behind. Mackay took it but his attempt nicked of the top of
the defensive wall and went for a corner.
Turriff made a few changes in an attempt to try to rescue
the game with live-wire Donald Fraser and danger-man Stephen Gauld joining the
action.
Turriff piled on the pressure in the dying stages and almost
snatched an equaliser. A thrown-in was taken on the right and Chris Herd
smacked it into the Academy penalty area where it bounced and went through
everyone and narrowly past Gray's right hand post with no-one from Turriff
following in.
Referee Ross played 3 minutes of extra-time before ending
proceedings and Academy without playing at their best secured the 3 points.
Full Time – Wick Academy 2 – Turriff United 1.
Sponsor's man of the match Stevie Cunningham
Pictured receiving his award
from Gary, Murray and Matthew Mackay on behalf of match sponsor M M Miller
