Saturday February 2nd
Weir's classy finish keeps Academy five points clear
Supersub Gary Weir grabbed the only goal as Academy
maintained their five-point lead at the top of the Highland League with a
hard-fought win against 10-man Inverurie Locos at Harmsworth Park.
On a heavy pitch that cut up badly as the game wore on,
there was little scope for the Scorries to play their usual silky football.
Instead it was a case of grinding out a result against an Inverurie side that
had suffered only one away defeat in the league going into this match.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men after 16 minutes when
Nicky Gordon was red-carded for apparently lashing out at Joe Steven as they
battled for possession on the Wick byline.
Academy were restricted to half-chances until Weir, who
had replaced Lukasz Geruzel after half-time, made the breakthrough on 65
minutes.
Taking a pass from Stevie Cunningham just outside the
box, directly in front of goal, Weir found the net with a perfectly executed
chip over the stranded Andy Reid.
It was the only real moment of class in the entire game
and it was enough to give Academy their sixth win in a row, with five clean
sheets during that run.
It extended the Scorries' 100 per cent home record in the
league to nine matches, keeping them well clear of the chasing pack on a day
when Cove, Clach, Formartine and Nairn all picked up maximum points.
Academy's next opponents, Nairn County, signalled their
title intentions with a fine 4-2 away victory over Fraserburgh with Conor
Gethins netting a hat-trick.
The Broch took the lead in the second minute when Steven
Main forced the ball home, but the Wee County were level five minutes later as
Gethins scored with a curling effort from the edge of the box.
Gethins then beat the offside trap to put Nairn in front
on 32 minutes and they extended their lead a minute from the break with a
tap-in from substitute Steven Ellis.
Fraserburgh's Scott Barbour reduced the deficit in the
63rd minute when Nairn keeper Callum Donaldson could only spill a Graham
Johnston shot.
The home side were reduced to 10 men with four minutes to
go when Ryan Christie committed a second bookable offence in conceding a
penalty. Gethins despatched the spot-kick to complete his treble.
Formartine registered their eighth away win of the league
campaign as they beat Buckie Thistle 4-1 at Victoria Park.
Craig McKeown's opener for the Pitmedden side was
cancelled out by Nikki Smith before the interval. Formartine made sure of the
points in the second half with goals from Neil McVitie and Hamish Munro before
McKeown added his second of the afternoon.
Buckie's Lewis Mackinnon was sent off in the closing
stages.
Second-placed Cove Rangers gave their goal difference a
major boost with a 9-0 win against Strathspey Thistle at Allan Park. Danny
Milne and Jamie Lennox helped themselves to hat-tricks, while Blair Yule, Ryan
Stott and Martin Johnson also got on the scoresheet.
All but one of the goals came in the first half, so
unfortunately it was a case of history repeating itself for the Grantown Jags.
In their first-ever HFL match, in August 2009, they found themselves 8-0 down
at half-time to Academy at Harmsworth Park.
Clach maintained their challenge with a 1-0 win at
Lossiemouth, Sean Ellis getting the goal in the fifth minute.
There was a four-goal haul for Andrzej-Slawomir
Kleczkowski in Huntly's 7-0 victory over Rothes at Christie Park. Russell
Guild, Adam Naismith and Neale Davidson got the others.
Brora Rangers came from behind to beat Keith 4-1 at
Dudgeon Park. Cammy Keith gave the Maroons an early lead but the Cattachs hit
back with doubles from Steven Mackay and Zander Sutherland.
Second-half goals from Stephen Gauld and Mike McKenzie
gave Turriff United a 2-0 win at Fort William.
