Just before the half-hour it was three when Macadie whipped
a free-kick into the mix and Craig Shearer rose unchallenged and he powered
home his header.
3 – 0
A minute later Davie Allan again broke the Huntly back-line
skipping past everyone in his path before cracking a fine shot off the base of
keeper Sutton's left hand post.
Half time 3 – 0
5 minutes into the second half Huntly had their best chance
of the game when Adam Naismith found a bit of room with ball at feet 25 yards
from goal and he got a great strike on target but Michael Gray went air-born
and got a hand to the ball to tip it over his cross-bar. Barry Somers then
headed the resulting corner-kick wide of target.
53 minutes in and Huntly's task looked impossible when Michael
Clark took Sam Mackay down from behind as he pushed towards goal and referee Billy
Baxter flashed Clark a straight red card and Huntly went down to 10 men.
Huntly rallied and had a 15 minute spell where Academy
struggled to gain any penetration. The closest they came in this spell was to
force two corners, the second of which bounced free in the box and the young
keeper Sutton did well to finally pounce on the ball.
Huntly then broke up-field and Adam Naismith had another
long-range crack at goal but this time Gray got his body behind the ball and
made a safe catch.
Gary Manson came on for Stewart Ross just past the hour and
with his first real touch of the ball he hammered a 30 yard belter off the Huntly
cross-bar.
It looked as if another goal would elude the home side when
Mackay struck a good chance into the side-netting, and Macadie then got onto
the end of a long ball with acres of room on the edge of the Huntly box but his
flashing drive went just wide of the right hand post.
In the 74th minute however the fourth goal was
claimed when Weir got his head to a corner-ball and powered home with a good
finish from 4 yards out.
4 – 0
2 minutes latter Weir hit his second when Davie Allan again
sprinted into space before crossing to Weir to slide in and bundle home.
5 – 0
Academy pushed for more and had 3 or 4 further good chances.
Weir hit a shot over the top of target, a Mackay shot looked bound for the top
corner but swerved just past the corner of post and cross-bar, Davie Allan drove a wicked shot across target
that skimmed the outside of the post and Macadie dinked a great little chip
just onto the roof of the net.
In the 90th minute it looked as if a chance was
finally going to be converted when Davie Allan broke through and went
one-on-one with keeper Sutton but the young goalie kept his cool and made a
brave save.
In the last kick of the ball substitute Martin Gunn looked
to roll back the years as he latched onto a corner ball, taking it as sweet as
a nut on the volley but unfortunately he couldn't keep the effort down and it
went sailing over the target.
Full time 5 – 0
The result sees us eat into Keith's goal difference
advantage. They are only a goal better off on goal difference with a game in
hand against champions Forres on Wednesday night. The fight for the last
remaining challenge cup slot may go right to the last games, so an exciting end
to the season looks to be in prospect.
Sponsor's man of the match Gary Weir
Pictured receiving his award
from Murray Lamont on behalf of match sponsor Mackays Hotel Wick
