Wick Academy ‘need to put together 90-minute performances’
Wick Academy will be hoping to end a run of four consecutive defeats in all competitions when they travel to Fraserburgh in the Highland League on Saturday.
The Scorries dropped to 15th in the table after last weekend’s 2-1 home loss to Inverurie Locos, while Broch are eighth.
A repeat of the result from the opening day of the season, when Academy ran out 2-0 winners over Fraserburgh at Harmsworth Park, would do nicely for manager Gary Manson.
“That was a prime example of concentrating for the full 90 minutes, taking your chances when they arrive, and then needing a little stroke of luck from time to time as well,” he said.
“From memory, Fraserburgh had a couple of chances in that game that you would normally expect them to take – but on that day they didn’t.”
The loss to Locos made it six home league defeats in a row for the Scorries.
Academy looked flat in the first period and were two goals down at the break. Thereafter they posed much more of a threat and Gary Pullen reduced the deficit.
“Every single game is difficult in the Highland League, it’s just the way it is,” Manson said.
“If you’re not showing the right quality in the right moments for the full 90 minutes then you’ll come on the wrong side of results more often than not.
“It’s just something the boys need to learn, and put together 90-minute performances and see where that takes us.
“I thought the whole second half was just night and day to what the first half was. The wind maybe had a slight bearing on it.
“We were expecting them to set up slightly differently to how they did, and maybe that took us a little time to adjust.
“I felt we showed them too much respect in the first half and allowed them to play the ball forward into midfield and forward areas too easily.
“We spoke about it at half-time and certainly asked our midfield players to get a bit closer and tighter, not allow them so much time on the ball and be slightly more aggressive.
“I thought from the first whistle in the second half we were more at it and we were showing more intensity in our play.”
George Ewing has been thriving in the under-18s and he impressed when he came off the bench last Saturday. The 17-year-old midfielder from Orkney is a “top talent”, according to Manson.
“George is a young player who is showing enormous amounts of potential,” the manager said. “It’ll just be a matter of time before he is a mainstay in the team.
“It’s just picking and choosing when to start him and when not to.
“He’s a top talent. He showed that at the end of last year and showed it all through pre-season.
“When he does get his next chance from the start I’m sure he’ll take it. It could well come this weekend.”
Owen Harrold, Mark Macadie and Alan Hughes are injured, while Pullen, Matthew Robertson and Owen Rendall are unavailable for the trip to Bellslea Park.
Highland League fixtures for Saturday, November 23: Banks O’ Dee v Formartine United; Brechin City v Keith; Clachnacuddin v Lossiemouth; Fraserburgh v Wick Academy; Inverurie Locos v Deveronvale; Nairn County v Buckie Thistle; Rothes v Forres Mechanics; Strathspey Thistle v Huntly; Turriff United v Brora Rangers.
