When a promising Wick passing move broke down on the 18 yard
line, Nairn set up a slick counter attack up the right. Glenn Main crossed low
to Bradley Halsman who mis-kicked and Adam Naismith fired the loose ball over
the bar.
Midway through the half, James Pickles tackled Robert
Duncanson on the 18 yard line as Nairn piled on the pressure. From his
clearance Stevie Cunningham's shot deflected to Weir whose progress was halted
near the area.
Play followed this pattern for the rest of the half with
Nairn creating but missing chances and Wick failing to break down the visitors'
defence. McCarthy dived to his left to save Duncanson's low drive and a Kyle
Wilkie shot was headed away by Alan Farquhar.
Half Time – Wick Academy 0 – Nairn County 0
Early in the second half Urquhart shot wide from near the
penalty spot and a 20 yard Duncanson effort flew too high.
Academy's best chance so far saw Mackay one on one with
keeper Callum Donaldson who stopped him with a right footed tackle.
Just after the hour a lofted free kick from Cunningham was
headed away from the Steven brothers and when a corner came to Michael Steven
on the 18 yard line he was penalised for raising his foot attempting a waist
high volley.
The defining moment of the game saw a ball from the Nairn
right to the feet of Gethins on the left and he ghosted past the Wick defence
to drill the ball low into the far corner of the net.
0 – 1
Like the relentless heavy rain, Wick maintained their 100%
effort. A Cunningham free kick bounced in the box and Donaldson had to stretch
to touch it over his bar for the first in a series of four Wick corners. First
there was a scramble in the 6 yard box, next a deflected shot from Grant Steven,
then a header behind from centre back Martin MacDonald.
Ross Allan made some determined runs up the left, combining
well with Macadie. Academy renewed their strike force introducing Steven
Anderson and Lukasz Geruzel and the big Polish target man head-flicked the ball
forward to the young recruit from Lybster who battled past a couple of
defenders before Donaldson smothered the ball.
With time running out, Anderson
cut into the box from the right but his shot hit MacDonald.
Full Time – Wick Academy 0 – Nairn County 1
