Tuesday and Wednesday May 7th
and 8th
Academy up to 3rd with win over Nairn County
Academy
leapfrogged Nairn County into third place in the Highland League after Gary
Weir's late strike secured a hard-earned 1-0 victory at Harmsworth Park on
Wednesday night.
There
were just four minutes left when Davie Allan powered his way through on the
right and set up Weir for a close-range finish that kept the Scorries' 100 per
cent home record intact.
Barry
Wilson's side have now won all 15 of their home games in the HFL in 2012/13,
and this latest victory puts them within four points of second-placed Cove
Rangers.
Academy
started brightly and came close on 14 minutes when Stevie Cunningham played in
Sam Mackay for a shot that was blocked by Callum Donaldson. Weir seized
possession on the left side of the box and flashed a rising shot just beyond
the far post.
Craig
Shearer was next to have a go for the home side, getting on the end of Richard
Macadie's cross and hooking a volley over the bar.
There
was a lengthy stoppage around the half-hour mark when Academy's Michael Steven
was left with a bloodied nose after a clash with Adam Naismith.
Weir
threatened again on 35 minutes when he wriggled through the Nairn defence only
for Donaldson to come out and clutch the ball at his feet.
The
Wee County gradually forced their way into the game and Robbie Duncanson
delivered a defence-splitting pass to Conor Gethins, whose low shot from the
left was saved by Michael Gray at the second attempt.
Duncanson
also initiated the next Nairn chance as he worked the ball to Glenn Main on the
edge of the box. Main tried to catch out Gray with a chipped effort but the
keeper was alert to the danger and made a clean catch.
Mo
Morrison, who had avoided a booking after hauling down Sam Mackay, was
yellow-carded for a foul on Allan inside the Wick half a couple of minutes from
half-time.
With
63 minutes gone Gethins threaded a clever ball through to Steven Ellis but his
effort was blocked by the ever-reliable Alan Farquhar, who went on to be named
as the sponsors' man of the match.
Missing
their Polish frontman Lukasz Geruzel, the Scorries were beginning to run out of
ideas in the final third. However, they created a chance out of nothing when
Allan was sent through on goal only for Donaldson to touch the ball round for a
corner.
A
similar opening fell to Weir with 10 minutes to go when a long diagonal pass
from Mackay found the striker in acres of space. Weir's first touch was too
heavy, though, and he was left beating his fist on the turf in sheer
frustration as Donaldson gathered comfortably.
Weir
was not to be denied, though, and his 86th-minute goal means that Academy are
now just two wins away from completing the entire league season with a 100 per
cent home record. They have gone 27 league matches undefeated at Harmsworth
Park, a run stretching back 19 months.
Formartine
United beat Buckie Thistle 3-0 in the other Wednesday night game, and they can
now win the League title if they can beat Nairn County today.
A
brace in either half from Mike Ewen and a bullet header late on from Craig
McKewon sealed the 3 points for the hosts.
Ewen's
first goal came on 20 minutes when a long ball from McKewon picked him out and
he side-stepped his defenders and drilled the ball home past keeper Kevin Main.
Ewen's
second came in the 78th minute when he capitalise in a defensive mix-up in the
Buckie box, nipping in to steal the ball and stick it into an empty net.
4
minutes from full-time the Formartine centre-half Craig McKewon headed home
from 8 yards out to put the game to bed.
Keith
and Turriff United had met in the Tuesday night game and they shared the points
with a 1-1 draw.
The
home side went into the lead with a goal from Chris Eadie and that looked to be
enough to earn the win but for a late equaliser when a Ritchie Ligertwood
header found the net.
