Saturday October 20th
Extra-time heartbreak for Scorries in North Cup showdown
Academy suffered heartbreak in the AJG Parcels North of Scotland
Cup for the second time in three years as they were edged out 2-1 by Nairn
County after extra time at Grant
Street Park
in Inverness.
A bumper crowd of almost 1400 – the vast majority of them
Wick supporters – saw substitute John Cameron clinch victory for Nairn after
the Scorries had fought back well following the loss of an early goal.
It proved to be a tense, absorbing tussle rather than the
wide-open goalfest some had predicted, with both defences working hard to close
down the opposition dangermen.
Academy were looking to make up for the disappointment of
their defeat to Forres in the 2010/11 final but they found themselves up
against it when Nairn took the lead after six minutes. Conor Gethins sliced
open the defence with a killer ball to Robbie Duncanson, who thumped a
first-time shot low past Michael Gray.
It took a while for Academy to get going, but they
deservedly grabbed an equaliser with 77 minutes played. A well-struck free kick
by Richard Macadie was tipped over by Callum Donaldson and, from the resultant
corner, the ball was bundled into the net with Craig Shearer getting the
credit.
Donaldson was called into action again to push over a
powerful effort from Davie Allan near the end of the regulation 90 minutes. But
the decisive blow was struck by Cameron in the first period of extra time when
he created space for himself in the box and side-footed the ball beyond Gray.
Huntly moved above Academy into second place in the Highland
League after a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Fort
William at Claggan
Park. Andrzej-Slawomir
Kleczkowski got the goal with 12 minutes remaining.
Cove Rangers strengthened their grip on top spot with a
comfortable 5-0 win against Rothes at Allan Park. Goals by Martin Johnston and
Jordan Leyden had the home side two up inside eight minutes, with Connor
Scully, Roy McBain and Leyden again adding
further goals in the second half.
At Bellslea
Park, Formartine United
emerged as 3-2 winners over a Fraserburgh side that played most of the match
with 10 men after their keeper Paul Leask was sent off with 20 minutes gone.
Leask was shown the red card for bringing down Mike Ewen in
the box, with Stuart Soane beating stand-in keeper Michael Fletcher from the
spot.
Fraserburgh were awarded a penalty of their own 10 minutes
into the second half and Scott Barbour levelled the scores. Michael McGinlay
restored Formartine's advantage with a free kick after 71 minutes and Ewen
extended the lead two minutes later.
A couple of minutes after that another penalty award went
the Broch's way and Barbour reduced the deficit with his second of the
afternoon.
Forres Mechanics' unimpressive home form continued as
Inverurie Locos fought back from two down to beat the champions 3-2 at Mosset
Park.
The Can-Cans led at the interval through a Simon Allan
penalty and Ryan Green doubled their lead early in the second half. But a Clark
Bain header began the Inverurie revival, with Neil Gauld adding a double to
give the visitors all three points.
Goals by Donnie Munro and Nikki Smith inside the opening quarter
of an hour were enough to give Buckie Thistle a 2-0 victory over Turriff United
at Victoria Park. Buckie's Lewis Mackinnon and Turriff's Mark Simpson were
given their marching orders after they clashed in the closing stages.
Lossiemouth moved off the bottom of the table after Tony
Ross's 70th-minute goal gave them a 1-0 win against Strathspey Thistle at Grant
Park. It was the Coasters' first league victory this term.
A double by Craig Campbell helped Brora Rangers to a
surprise 4-1 home win against Deveronvale. Ross Grant and Dale Gillespie
(penalty) were also on target for the Sutherland side, with Craig Morrison
pulling one back for Vale.
