Wick Academy aiming to be harder to break down
Wick Academy manager Gary Manson admits it has been too easy for opposing teams to create chances in recent games – so the focus will be on rectifying that in Saturday's Highland League clash with Fraserburgh at Harmsworth Park.
The Scorries have let in 13 goals over the course of their last two outings, an 8-0 loss to Ross County in the North of Scotland Cup and a 5-1 league defeat at the hands of Turriff United.
Fraserburgh are fifth in the table with 12 points from their opening five fixtures, while Academy are 14th with four points from the same number of games.
Manson said: "We're working this week on trying to be a bit harder to break down, harder to score against, because in the last two games we've been conceding far too many goals.
"Against Turriff it was a strange old game. We should have been about four or five up at half-time.
"Watching the game back on video, we were just far too open – easy to play against, easy to create chances against, and if you give teams enough chances they're going to score goals against you.
"That's one thing we're speaking about and working on this week – trying to be a bit more pragmatic.
"The chances that we're conceding and the goals that we're conceding, it's quite poor and it's something that we need to shore up on. Hopefully on Saturday we'll see the benefits of what we've been doing this week."
Academy had no fixture last weekend.
"It has given us an extra week to help get some injuries cleared up, so it wasn't a bad thing," Manson said.
However, James Mackay will be sidelined for months after injuring a knee in the Turriff game.
The 29-year-old midfielder joined Academy in the summer, having had previous Highland League experience with Fort William, Brora Rangers, Strathspey Thistle and Rothes.
"We're looking at probably 12 weeks for him, I would think," Manson said.
"He's made one start and two or three substitute appearances and that's it so far, so he's hardly got going.
"It's a shame for him but it's just something that we've had to live with over the last two or three years – injuries come thick and fast."
Owen Rendall and Jamie Flett are both unavailable this weekend, while fellow Orcadian Toby Macleod will be a longer-term absentee.
Keith produced the shock result of the season so far with a shoot-out victory over Buckie in the quarter-finals of the Highland League Cup on Saturday. The Maroons won 3-1 on penalties after a 0-0 draw at Kynoch Park.
Keith are joined by Brora Rangers, Fraserburgh and Brechin City in the last four.
Brora thumped Forres Mechanics 4-0 at Dudgeon Park, while Fraserburgh won 3-1 at Strathspey Thistle. Brechin City beat Inverurie Locos 2-0 in the other tie.
In the league, Huntly scored three goals in the opening six minutes on their way to a 4-2 victory over Turriff United.
Nairn County beat Lossiemouth 4-1 at Grant Park, while Formartine United had a 5-0 victory over Deveronvale.
Brora, Nairn and Ross County progressed to the last four of the North of Scotland Cup after comfortable wins in their respective quarter-finals in midweek.
Brora thumped Clach 7-3 at Dudgeon Park and Nairn triumphed 5-0 at Forres, while Academy's conquerors Ross County had a 3-0 victory at Golspie.
The last quarter-final, between Rothes and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, is scheduled for Wednesday, September 27.
Results – North of Scotland Cup quarter-finals: Brora Rangers 7, Clachnacuddin 3; Forres Mechanics 0, Nairn County 5; Golspie Sutherland 0, Ross County 3.
Highland League fixtures for Saturday: Banks O' Dee v Buckie Thistle; Brechin City v Strathspey Thistle; Clachnacuddin v Formartine United; Deveronvale v Huntly; Keith v Brora Rangers; Nairn County v Inverurie Locos; Rothes v Lossiemouth; Turriff United v Forres Mechanics; Wick Academy v Fraserburgh (3pm).