Weir did well to get a shot on target under pressure that went straight to Martin, and up the other end of the park McCarthy did brilliantly well to dive to his left and claw away a header from Grant Munro that looked goal-bound.
10 minutes before the interval Brora doubled their advantage. Zander Sutherland whipped a free-kick into the Academy box and Gillespie found himself in space and knocked home with a free header.
0 – 2
Half Time – Wick Academy 0 – Brora Rangers 2
10 minutes into the second half and any chance of the Scorries getting back into the game looked to have gone when Davie Allan raised his hands to Martin MacLean who had come in on Steven Anderson with a tough tackle and referee Simon MacLean sent Allan for an early bath with his second booking of the match.
The fighting spirit of this Academy team then came to the fore. Marc MacGregor came on for Gary Weir and he swung a cross from the wing into the box for Richard Macadie to rise the highest and he guided a perfect header into the net from 8 yards out, game on!
1 – 2
The 10 men of Academy were giving it their all by this stage. Sam Mackay had a neat exchange with Steven Anderson that set Mackay off on the rampage. He drove up the left flank, cut inside the box and slid the ball across the face of the six yard box for MacGregor to run onto and tap home into an empty net. The Harmsworth roar must have been heard all over the town as the home support erupted.
2 – 2
At the death Brora came close to a winner. A whipped cross from the right wing flashed across the Academy box for Steven Mackay to storm in at the back post but he was inches short on getting a touch on the ball to turn it home.
Academy held fast for the remaining minutes and when referee MacLean blew for full-time the draw felt as good as a win.
Full Time – Wick Academy 2 – Brora Rangers 2
Brora remain top of the table following today’s games but they are now level on 79 points with Cove Rangers, Cove however have two games in hand.
