Wick Academy manager looking for reaction against Banks O’ Dee
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Manager Gary Manson accepts that Wick Academy have “hardly laid a glove” on Banks O’ Dee since the Aberdeen club joined the Highland League in 2022 – but the Scorries will be aiming to change that when the teams meet at Harmsworth Park this weekend.
Academy have been strong at home this season with eight wins, four draws and four defeats. In contrast, they have managed just one victory and one draw from 15 away fixtures – the latest loss coming on Wednesday night when they were beaten 3-1 at Forres.
The Scorries have an unenviable record of no goals scored and 18 conceded in their three encounters with Banks O’ Dee so far.
Saturday’s game is the last home fixture of 2023/24 for Manson’s side.
“I said to the boys after the game on Wednesday night, since Banks O’ Dee have come in we’ve hardly laid a glove on them, so that’s what we’ll be looking to do – be competitive, first and foremost,” the manager said.
“The boys will be down after Wednesday night. Hopefully we’ll see a reaction from them on Saturday and they can at least be competitive with them.
“I’m sure we will be – we’ve got a good record at home this season. We’re competing with the top teams quite well, so hopefully we’ll give them a good game and finish the season at home strongly.”
A header by Calum Howarth gave Forres a 12th-minute lead at Mosset Park. In-form striker Marc Macgregor fired in Academy’s equaliser on 59 minutes but Forres regained the initiative three minutes later with a Craig Mackenzie penalty.
Ben Kelly sealed the points with two minutes of the 90 remaining.
Manson said: “In the first half we were far too passive. We weren’t getting up to the speed of the game at all.
“We were poor all over the park in every aspect of the game in the first half. But we had a few words at half-time and changed things, and the second half was a lot better.
“We got the goal and we had two good chances before the goal as well. Marc has got six goals in his last seven games so he’s finishing the season really well.
“When we scored we were on top. I was expecting us to kick on then and maybe look for a second and a third goal, but to concede a penalty a few minutes after scoring was criminal.
“It took the stuffing out of us a wee bit because we were on top at that time. We’d just got the equaliser and our tails were up and then it was a sucker punch. Conceding a penalty in that manner wasn’t great.
“For the third one we were chasing the game. We were throwing bodies forward to try and get an equaliser and they hit us with a long ball and a flick-on and the guy was in.”
Buckie Thistle are within touching distance of their first Highland League title in seven years after going top of the table on Wednesday.
In the midst of a run of six league games in 13 days, the Jags cruised to a 7-0 victory away to bottom club Strathspey Thistle – having thumped the same opponents 6-1 two nights earlier at Victoria Park.
Buckie now have a potentially crucial two-goal advantage over Brechin City, with the top two level on 78 points.
The scorers were Joe McCabe, Scott Adams (2), Jack Murray (3) and Cohen Ramsay as Buckie boosted their goal difference.
Graeme Stewart’s side finish with a home game against Keith on Saturday, while Brechin travel to face Brora Rangers.
Results – Saturday: Brechin City 6, Forres Mechanics 1; Brora Rangers 1, Banks O’ Dee 2; Buckie Thistle 6, Deveronvale 1; Formartine United 6, Rothes 1; Huntly 0, Nairn County 0; Inverurie Locos 1, Clachnacuddin 0; Lossiemouth 0, Turriff United 0; Strathspey Thistle 1, Fraserburgh 5; Wick Academy 2, Keith 0.
Monday: Buckie Thistle 6, Strathspey Thistle 1. Tuesday: Keith 0, Brechin City 1. Wednesday: Formartine United 1, Inverurie Locos 1; Forres Mechanics 3, Wick Academy 1; Fraserburgh 2, Brora Rangers 0; Strathspey Thistle 0, Buckie Thistle 7.
Fixtures – Saturday, April 20: Brora Rangers v Brechin City; Buckie Thistle v Keith; Clachnacuddin v Lossiemouth (2pm); Deveronvale v Formartine United; Forres Mechanics v Turriff United; Fraserburgh v Strathspey Thistle; Wick Academy v Banks O’ Dee (all 3pm unless stated).
Wednesday, April 24: Brora Rangers v Wick Academy (8pm).
Saturday, April 27: Brora Rangers v Turriff United; Keith v Wick Academy (3pm).
