Academy Lads Earn Full Marks For Pre-Season
On July 5 – a whole month ago – the annual Dodo and Clair McLean Memorial Day was staged at Sir George's Park (The Dammies to most of us). For those of you too young to know, Donald (Dodo) was a stalwart of the Academy team of the 1980s. With most of their regular North Caley side either on holiday or playing in one of the County League's 16 teams, Thurso always find it difficult to field a squad that can really test Academy in this now traditional opening fixture. Credit Alan Sinclair, himself an Academy stalwart of more recent years, for assembling a team who battled to the end. Thurso held out for half an hour before Gary Weir scored twice in a couple of minutes. Benn Murray netted a 37th minute header for the Vikings so the Scorries turned round just 2-1 up. A couple of weeks of gruelling (I've always wanted to slip that word into a match report) training (I hope they were working hard at gruelling training sessions, that's why we pay them such huge wages!) paid off in the second half. So in the end it wasn't a gruelling encounter as such, Academy winnig 6-1. Sam Mackay netted a hat-trick, including a penalty kick after Ross Allan was tripped. Ross was enjoying his first game in 4 months after being out of action with a broken arm. Michael Steven was also on the score sheet with a header. Let's hope our new mascot Norrie the Scorrie has a gruelling season with lots of Scottish cup ties to attend.
The next Saturday, Ross County arrived at Harmsworth Park with a 19 man squad including 6 unnamed trialists. It was World Cup Final weekend and appropriately players of several nationalities were on view. Former County youth keeper Sean McCarthy was in goal for Academy having just been released by our opponents and Grant Campbell was given a midfield role on his return to HP. Few in the 300 plus crowd could have anticipated the outcome. County's United Nations squad many of whom will probably feature in next week's opening SPFL game were stunned as Academy attacked and passed the ball round them. Antonio Reguero had to look lively to save efforts from Stevie Cunningham and Sam Mackay in the first quarter of an hour but dived the wrong way when Richard Macadie fired a penalty past him in the 26th minute. Davie Allan had been scythed down in the box but recovered to continue creating havoc with his speed on the right wing. The Premier Division team were level on the half hour when one of their trialist defenders who netted from close range. Academy grew in confidence in the second half and Macadie almost converted a cross from Allan. McCarthy was enjoying a promising debut and had a stroke of luck when Jake Jervis rose above the defence to send a header crashing against the post. After 73 minutes it was 2-1 for Wick when Macadie supplied a perfectly flighted cross and Gary Weir nodded it into the bottom left corner.
McCarthy pulled off a fine save to keep out a 6 yard header from Yoann Arquin and Scorrie fans celebrated a memorable victory. Academy lined up: McCarthy, M Steven (Webster 85), Manson (R Allan 70), Farquhar, G Steven, Campbell, Pickles (Halliday 85), Cunningham (Weir 45), Mackay (Budge 85), Macadie, D Allan. Unused: Williamson.
Like me, manager Gordon Connelly was away on holiday so Richard Hughes was still in charge and must have felt very proud of his team. ‘Tichie' himself enjoyed a memorable pre-season moment nearly 30 years ago when he headed Academy's goal past Henry Smith of Hearts in a pre season game at Harmsworth Park. Hearts entertained a 2400 crowd (would you believe we sold 900 programmes that night?) with a 6-1 win and led the Premier League for most of that season.
There have been plenty more big pre-season occasions since. The Centenary Tournament in 1993 was all Academical (plus Golspie) and Hamilton enjoyed their visit so much they vowed to come back again. The players had a really gruelling week in July 1995 – Hibernian on the Tuesday, Falkirk on Thursday and Fraserburgh on Saturday, all at HP and watched in total by nearly 4000 fans (ok, many of them were at all three games but you know what I mean!). Our Sponsors at that time presented The Norfrost Trophy for the Hibs game and the next summer Hamilton Accies kept their promise and along with Cowdenbeath came North for a weekend tournament.
Anyway back to the more recent past. Orkney AFA brought their team across the Pentland Firth on Saturday 19th for the annual Ken Green Challenge Cup game and they too found Academy in devastating form. Lucasz Geruzel set the ball rolling with a 13th minute goal and converted a penalty ten minutes later. Macadie bagged four exquisite goals in 18 second half minutes (65, 71, 77, 83) while Davie Allan also scored in the 73rd. Weir completed the rout in the final minute. Team: More, Campbell, M Steven, Budge, Manson, Cunningham, Halliday, R Allan, Pickles, Weir, Geruzel. Subs: G Steven, Mackay, Macadie, McKiddie, D Allan, McCarthy. A gruelling game for Orkney facing such a fine all round Academy team effort. Gordon Connelly commented: ‘The players had put in an excellent performance against Ross County and the issue was could they keep up the same standard. The most pleasing factor for me was that we were able to bring in young players like John Budge and Jack Halliday and have Ross Allan back after being out injured for so long. It was a good exercise, we tried out a few formations – some worked, some didn't, so these are things we will work on'.
Next visitors on Tuesday 22nd were Elgin City. I reclaimed the microphone from Ewan MacKenzie and Alan Farquhar who had made the announcements for the Ross County and Orkney games. Thanks, guys! In the first half Academy moved the ball well and although our former youngsters Craig Gunn and Shane Sutherland looked threatening when they were on the ball, Gary Manson and Alan Farquhar were well in control. The ball went out for throw in the 44th minute so I dashed into the office to collect the tickets for the 50/50 draw. A roar from the crowd indicated a goal and sure enough James Pickles had headed in Gary Manson's cross. Pickles fired another from a tight angle (54) and Macadie (55) steered in a Davie Allan cross to make it 3-0 and the score did not flatter Academy. Elgin's two ex Academy strikers led an Elgin revival. On 70 minutes Gunn showed a turn of speed and powerful shot to score from 18 yards. Gunn then set up Sutherland (77) who hammered the ball in from 6 yards. Macadie (82) again converted a cross from Allan before Gunn netted the rebound (84) when James More saved his spot kick.
Wick: McCarthy (More 45), M Steven (Budge 81), Manson (R Allan 64), Farquhar, G Steven, Cunningham, Pickles, Mackay (McKiddie 64), Macadie, Weir (Geruzel 59), D Allan.
The only disappointment of an entertaining second half was that we did not see a wee cameo performance of right wing wizardry from Barry Wilson. The Elgin boss was listed as a sub but his non appearance was more likely due to him waiting on knee surgery rather than Gordon Connelly's quip that the bookies were working out on odds on which Academy player would be the first to nutmeg their former boss!
The game rounded off an excellent month of preseason for Wick. Well done boys – keep up the good work.
