Stephen O'Neill then had a dipping shot that went just over the cross-bar,
and Declan McManus had a right foot shot on the run that went just past Gray's
right hand post.
At the top end of the park Academy worked the ball to the edge of the Aberdeen box where
Macadie laid the ball into the feet of Lukasz Geruzel but the big centre
forwards left foot shot whistled just past the post.
Aberdeen
leveled the scores with a well worked goal on 27 minutes. Cameron Smith cut in
from the right wing and he slid the ball through to Ryan Fraser and he made the
room he needed to slide the ball home.
1 – 1
3 minutes later Academy won a free-kick just inside the Aberdeen half. Manson floated the ball into
the Don's box where Geruzel got his head to it but he couldn't direct the
attempt on target.
4 minutes before the half-time break Academy once again took the lead.
Macadie played the ball to Geruzel and he held off his marker and fired home.
2 – 1
Nicky Low ended an entertaining half by rifling a shot straight at Gray.
Half Time 2 – 1
Academy started the second half with Mackay firing a shot into the arms of
keeper MacAulay, but Declan McManus past up a sitter in the 51st
minute when he had space in the Academy box but he sliced his shot wide of
target when it seamed easier to find the net.
Gray pushed a shot from Stephen O'Neill around his post for a corner.
Academy failed to deal with the corner ball and the ball fell to the feet of
McManus and he tapped home from 2 yards out.
2 – 2
The second half saw both sides using their complement of substitutes but
this didn't spoil the flow of the game as it continued to entertain. Mackay and
Macadie combined well at the edge of the Aberdeen
box but Macadie pulled his shot wide of target.
Weir came on for Geruzel, who had played very well, and almost made an
immediate impact. Davie Allan stormed down the flank and hit the bye-line, cut
inside his marker and flashed the ball
across goal where Weir got a foot to it but the ball spun up and smacked off
the crossbar.
Play surged to the other end of the park and James More, who had come on for
Michael Gray, made a great diving save palming the ball past his post to deny
Cameron Smith.
More was called into action again minutes later when he again denied Smith
blocking his shot with his feet.
Michael Steven fired the ball straight to keeper MacAulay from and Alan
Hughes corner, and Aberdeen
broke from the kick-out. The ball was floated into the box and McManus got his
head to it and directed it beyond More for his second of the game.
2 – 3
Academy however kept to their task and got a deserved equalizer 3 minutes
from the full-time whistle. Davie Allan powered down the left wing and
delivered a perfect pass for Weir to collect and take into the box before
firing under the body of keeper MacAulay
3 – 3
Full time 3 – 3
Sponsor's man of the match Ross Allan
Pictured receiving his award
from Robert Gunn on behalf of match sponsor Wick Fire and Rescue Services
