Highland League round-up
Friday & Saturday April 13th & 14th
Scorries get the better of 10-man Turriff to extend unbeaten home run
Goals by Gary Weir and Richard
Macadie allowed Academy to extend their unbeaten home run to eight matches with
a 2-1 home victory over a stuffy Turriff United outfit. The visitors played
most of the match with 10 men after the first-half dismissal of Cammy Bowden.
Four days on from the 6-0
hammering of Brora, the Scorries were not quite at their fluent best. In the
first half especially – playing up the slope – they struggled to adapt to the
strong wind, with too many passes being overnight.
Nevertheless they did enough to
pick up three more points and climb to eighth in the table. Davie Kirkwood's
men have now racked up six wins and two draws in the eight home games since
their last Harmsworth
Park defeat back in October.
Bowden's sending off was the main
talking point of the first half. The Turriff defender appeared to throw a punch
at Davie Allan, and referee Douglas Ross brandished the red card after a brief
consultation with his far-side assistant.
Academy made the breakthrough five
minutes into the second period when Weir got on the end of a cross from Stevie
Cunningham and sent a powerful header past keeper Stephen Coutts.
Seven minutes later Turriff pulled
themselves against the run of play. Grant Steven misjudged a passback and Gary
Harris took full advantage, rounding Michael Gray and slotting the ball into
the net.
Academy needed some inspiration if
they were to regain the upper hand, and Macadie duly obliged in the 67th minute
with a brilliant strike. After a neat interchange with Sam Mackay on the left
side of the penalty area, Macadie flashed an angled shot past Coutts into the
opposite top corner.
Forres kept their title bid on
track when they staged a late fightback to snatch a 2-2 draw at Keith.
The Maroons looked to be on course
for all three points after first-half goals from Craig Phillips and Cammy
Keith, but Neil Whyte and Kyle Scott struck in the closing three minutes to
salvage a point for Forres.
Cove Rangers kept up the chase
with an easy 8-0 win at Fort
William.
Martin Johnston helped himself to
four goals, including a penalty. There was a hat-trick for Danny Milne, while
Michael Taylor also got his name on the scoresheet.
Academy's next league opponents,
Huntly, had to settle for a point in their encounter with Rothes at Christie
Park. Ruari Watt put Rothes in front six minutes into the second half but
Andrzej-Slawomir Kleczkowski fired home an equaliser on the hour mark and it
finished 1-1.
Brora suffered their second 6-0
defeat in the space of four days as Buckie Thistle swept to a comfortable
victory at Dudgeon
Park.
There were two goals each for
Zander Sutherland and Hamish Munro, with Donnie Munro also on target and Daniel
Mackay netting an own goal.
Mackay and Buckie's Martin
Charlesworth were red-carded following an off-the-ball incident.
Michele Lombardi's stoppage-time
goal sealed a 3-2 victory for Deveronvale against a battling Strathspey Thistle
side at Princess Royal Park.
Vale established a two-goal lead
through Lombardi and Graeme Watt but the Grantown Jags hit back with goals from
Mateusz Bobrowski and Gavin Smith before half-time. Lombardi's second of the
afternoon secured Vale's first win under new boss Charlie Duncan.
Second-half goals from Mark Cowie
and Steven Davidson gave Fraserburgh a 2-0 victory over Nairn
County at Bellslea
Park.
Scott Graham hit a double for
Clachnacuddin as they beat Lossiemouth 3-2 at Grant
Street.
Graham's early strike was
cancelled out by Kevin Grant but the Lilywhites regained the lead before the
break through Colin Williamson. Nikki Smith got a second equaliser for the
Coasters before Graham sealed all three points in the last minute.
In the Friday night game, a
first-half penalty by Bobby Mann was enough to give Formartine United a 1-0
home win against 10-man Inveurie Locos.
Mann had earlier had a spot-kick
saved by Inverurie keeper Andy Reid, who was then sent off for the foul that
led to the second penalty award. Daniel Bell took over in goal but couldn't
keep out Mann's effort.
