On the quarter-hour Mackay teed the ball up for Martin Gunn and he had a magnificent
25 yard effort tipped over the top of the Rothes cross-bar by keeper Horne.
Mackay fed the ball to the feet of Macadie but Horne was alive to the danger
and came to make a good block.
2 minutes later Michael Fletcher had another long range effort that whistled
just over the top of the target.
The visitors opened the scoring on the 27th minute against the
run of play. Sean McKinstry fired a cross cum shot in from the left flank that
seemed to catch on the wind and just evaded the outstretched hand of More and
landed in the back of the net at the far post.
0 – 1
Academy kept pressing and Macadie again had a shot on target that was saved
by Horne. Horne than pulled off another great save as he cleared another
Macadie effort off the line,
5 minutes before the half-time break Davie Allan breezed past his defender
and cut into the box but is attempt was cleared at the near post for another
corner. Macadie swung the corner into the box and it fell to Weir but he had an
air shot and the danger was again cleared.
Half time 0 – 1
One minute from the re-start Davie Allan was in on goal one-on-one with
Horne but the Rothes keeper again denied the Scorries with a good block with
his feet, he was starting to look un-beatable!
Davie Allan had another attempt pushed behind by Horne for a corner before
his brother Ross swung a cross in onto the head of Macadie but he sent his
header high of target.
The chances kept coming for Academy but unbelievably they still couldn't
convert. Weir had a shot deflected for a corner in the 57th minute,
Macadie broke clean through with just Horne to beat but he dinked his effort
onto the roof of the net, and Weir had 2 shots blocked in the box.
Weir was substituted for young James Mackay in the 65th minute as
Academy hunted down an equaliser.
It nearly came 2 minutes later when Sam Mackay weaved past the Rothes
defence and marched into the box but his attempt was agonisingly cleared off
the line.
Academy's goal eventually came in the 74th minute. Macadie broke
up the right and picked out Davie Allan with a perfect cut-back and the Academy
striker hammered home his 24th goal of the season to put the
Harmsworth Park into ruptures.
1 – 1
Academy hunted for the winner and Sam Mackay had a shot that he ballooned over
the top of the target before young James Mackay delivered a great cross for Sam
who took it first time in the middle of the box, but Horne was up to the challenge
and tipped the shot for a corner.
4 minutes from the final whistle Craig Shearer looked as if he'd won the
game when he cracked a thunder-bolt on target but Horne was not to be beaten
and he threw himself across his goal-line and palmed the shot away for a
corner.
In the last attempt of the game substitute Gary Manson let fly from 20 yards
but the ball flashed just past the post.
Full time 1 – 1
There followed a nervous wait as everyone waited on word from Kynoch Park
and the Harmsworth roar must have been heard across the town as news came in
that Deveronvale had beaten Keith 3-2, meaning that Academy finished a point above
Keith and would join Inverurie Locos in next seasons SFA Challenge Cup.
Sponsor's man of the match Martin Gunn
Pictured receiving his award
from Stewart Gunn on behalf of match sponsor J Gunn & Co
