Sam Mackay picked up a booking before Zander Sutherland
delivered a great cross into the Academy box but Scott Graham headed the ball
straight to McCarthy.
Academy then passed up another goal scoring opportunity.
Richard Macadie picked the ball up just inside his own half and played an
inch-perfect ball over the top of the Brora defence to Davie Allan but he fired
his attempt over the crossbar from 18 yards out.
In the last action of the first half Steven Mackay headed
over the crossbar and Brora were then forced into an early change as John
Pickles was taken off with an injury and he was replaced by Grant Munro.
Half Time – Brora Rangers 1 – Wick Academy 0
Gordon Connelly made his first change at the start of the
second half with Gary Weir coming on for James Pickles.
Academy started the second half on the front foot and
created a great chance within a minute of the re-start. Sam Mackay sent a great
ball up to Steven Anderson who played a neat one-two with Davie Allan which
allowed Anderson into the edge of the box but he shot just high of the target.
A minute later Richard Macadie sent Davie Allan
on a raid up the left flank and he drove to the bye-line before crossing to substitute Gary
Weir who side-stepped a challenge and managed to get a shot off which flashed across
the face of the goal and just past the outside of the far post.
Academy kept plugging away and created another good chance.
Mackay crossed to Macadie who flicked it onto Weir who turned with the ball and
fired across goal but this time Mallin made the save pushing the ball for a
corner.
Academy were really turning the screw. Danny Mackay played a
long ball up the wing to Davie Allan who laid it across the box to Sam Mackay but
he drove his attempt just wide of goal from 20 yards out.
On 76 minutes Academy turned the pressure into an equalizer.
A long ball over the top found Davie Allan who drove into the box and from 16
yards out he let rip. Joe Mallin did manage to get a hand to it but this time couldn't
stop it from ending up in the back of the net.
Brora Rangers 1 – Wick Academy 1
Brora almost regained the lead a few minutes later when Dale
Gillespie controlled a long diagonal ball which was fired into the Academy box.
He took it down but his right foot shot hit off the top of the bar and over for
a bye-kick.
Brora made two late subs as the clock wound down with Martin
Maclean and Scott Graham coming off for Stuart Kettlewell and Paul Brindle.
Full Time – Brora Rangers 1 – Wick Academy 1
So it's straight to penalty kicks. Sam Mackay converted the
first one and Sean McCarthy then saved Zander Sutherland's attempt to give
Academy an early advantage. Gary Manson then fired wide of target kissing off the outside of the post and Steven
Mackay scored to square things up again. Davie Allan and Richard Brittain both
found the net with the next attempts. Gary Weir then converted to keep the pressure
on the home side and Sean McCarthy stepped up and made another save to
deny Stuart Kettlewell. That left Michael Steven to claim the prize and he made
no mistake in netting to send the Scorries into the next round with a well
deserved victory.
Wick Academy win 4-2 on Penalty Kicks.
