Academy went down to 10 men in the 26th minute when referee Graham
Elder deemed that Michael Steven had made a dangerous tackle on Jimmy Budge and
the Academy number 22 got a straight red card.
From the resulting free-kick Jack Halliday smacked a cracker that was
goal-bound but James More got down well to his left to palm the ball around the
post.
Davie Allan as terrorizing the Halkirk defence. He broke through again but
Jordan Howden recovered well and made a good tackle. The ball broke back
up-field but Gary Manson played Allan again in on goal but he rifled his shot straight
to keeper Clark.
Academy went three goals to the good six minutes from the break with a well
worked goal. Mackay played ball through the legs of John Budge and Stevie
Cunningham ran into the box, committed Clark
and rounded the stranded keeper to stroke home into an empty net.
3 – 0
Half Time: Wick
Academy 3 Halkirk 0
Halkirk should have pulled a goal back early into the second half. Shaun
Sinclair gave the ball away to Chris Sutherland and he homed in on goal. More
blocked his first shot, but it fell again to Sutherland again but More again
blocked his second attempt.
Halkirk also went down to 10 men with 4 minutes of the second half played
when Colin Davidson took down Sam Mackay
in the middle of the box denying him a crack on goal. Mackay took the penalty
which was blasted high to the right of Clark, but the Halkirk keeper made a
good two handed save to knock it over the cross-bar.
Academy increased their lead in the next attack. Mackay broke down the left
and smashed home a 25 yard on the run into the bottom corner of the net. Clark did get a hand to the ball but he couldn't keep it
out.
4 – 0
Halkirk kept plugging away and Martin Banks thought he'd pulled a goal back
when he broke onto the box. More came and narrowed the angle and Bank's attempt
shaved the outside of his right hand post.
Academy went nap in the 57th minute Mackay swung the ball across
from the right and Gary Manson picked it up before smashing a left foot shot
off the underside of the bar for a really well taken goal.
5 – 0
Clark was a busy man in the Halkirk goal as
he made a double save from Macadie and Cunningham.
McKiddie then slipped the ball through the middle of the Halkirk defence for
Allan. His shot beat Clark but hit the outside
of the right hand post.
Academy's sixth was not much longer in the making. Halkirk were struggling
at the back since the loss of Davidson and Mackay found himself free in the
box from a Cunningham pass and went
round Clark and slammed home.
6 – 0
Halkirk pulled a goal back nine minutes from fulltime. Luke Sawyer broke and
cut the ball into the penalty area. Chris Sutherland managed to get in front of
More and got a foot to the ball to turn it home.
6 – 1
Sawyer again delivered a great ball for Jimmy Budge but he blasted over the
cross-bar from 8 yards out.
Academy got their second penalty of the match with seven minutes left in the
clock. Macadie played Allan into the box and keeper Clark
took him down. Clark got a yellow card and Macadie took the spot kick which he
powered home to Clark's right.
7 – 1
Time: Wick Academy 7 Halkirk United 1
Sponsor's man of the match Gary Manson
Pictured receiving his award
from Stewart Gunn on behalf of Associate match sponsor J Gunn & Co
