Highland League round-up
Saturday August 4th
Academy look four-midable in opening-day win
Academy are sitting proudly on top of the Highland League
after a convincing 4-1 victory over Strathspey Thistle at Seafield
Park.
The home side defended solidly for most of the first half
but the Scorries took charge following Sam Mackay's stunning opener 10 minutes
before half-time.
After playing a neat one-two with Davie Allan, Mackay looked
up and unleashed a 35-yard screamer into the top corner.
Academy doubled their lead on 52 minutes. Craig Shearer had
two attempts blocked by the defence before new signing Lukasz Geruzel pounced
to fire in his first league goal for the club.
Davie Allan added the third on 78 minutes, getting on the
end of a cutback from his brother Ross.
The home side pulled one back a minute later through
substitute Gavin Smith.
However, Academy restored their three-goal cushion with five
minutes to go. Stevie Cunningham slid an inch-perfect pass to the overlapping
Richard Macadie and his low cross was turned in by Davie Allan for his second
goal of the afternoon.
Allan was Academy's top scorer last term with 24 goals in
all competitions and he will be delighted with his impressive start to the new
campaign.
It's not the first time Academy have shot to the top of the
table after an opening-day win against Strathspey. It also happened at the
start of the 2009/10 season when the Grantown Jags were given a painful
introduction to life in the Highland League with an 8-1 hammering at Harmsworth
Park.
Elsewhere on Saturday, big-spending Brora Rangers issued a
statement of intent as they inflicted a rare home defeat on the champions
Forres Mechanics.
There was a rapturous reception as the Can-Cans' title flag
was unveiled before kick-off at Mosset
Park, and the home
supporters had more to cheer about when debutant Scott Lawrie put Forres in
front two minutes before the break.
However, Liam Baxter levelled with a quarter of an hour
remaining and Dale Gillespie struck a last-minute winner to give Brora a
winning start.
Last season's runners-up, Cove Rangers, had a 2-1 victory
over Buckie Thistle at Allan Park. Goals by Danny Milne and Ryan Stott put the
home side in command before Shaun Carrol reduced the deficit.
Huntly were 2-1 winners over Fraserburgh in an
incident-filled match at Christie Park.
Andrzej-Slawomir Kleczkowski put the home side in front in
the first half and they doubled their lead after the break through a Ryan
Christie own goal.
Kleczkowski was red-carded with 10 minutes left and
Fraserburgh got back into it in the closing stages when Christie made amends
for his earlier aberration by scoring from the penalty spot.
However, Huntly's 10 men held on to take all three points.
Clachnacuddin won by the same score at Rothes. Paul Brindle
and Scott Graham were on target for the Lilywhites, with Michael Dunn replying
for the home side.
A first-half strike by Conor Gethins was enough to give Nairn
County a 1-0 victory over Inverurie Locos
at Harlaw Park,
while Deveronvale and Formartine United fought out a goalless draw in Banff.
There was disappointment for the two Highland League clubs
in Scottish Cup first-round action.
Keith were beaten 1-0 at home by St Cuthbert Wanderers,
while Fort William
lost 3-1 to Preston Athletic at Claggan
Park.
Fixtures: Tuesday, August 7 – AJG Parcels North of Scotland
Cup, second round: Nairn
County v Lossiemouth.
Wednesday, August 8 – AJG Parcels North of Scotland
Cup, second round: Clachnacuddin v Wick
Academy (8pm); Strathspey Thistle v
Forres Mechanics; Thurso v Brora Rangers (at Harmsworth
Park).
Saturday, August 11 – Highland League: Brora Rangers v Cove
Rangers; Clachnacuddin v Inverurie Locos; Formartine United v Turriff United;
Fraserburgh v Fort William; Keith v Rothes; Lossiemouth v Forres Mechanics;
Nairn County v Huntly; Strathspey Thistle v Deveronvale; Wick Academy v Buckie
Thistle.
