Cup woe for Clach after seven-goal thriller at Wick
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CLACH suffered a heartbreaking exit from the AJG Parcels North of Scotland Cup at Harmsworth Park on Wednesday night as Wick Academy edged a 4-3 thriller.
The Lilywhites looked dead and buried as they trailed 3-0 early in the second half. They then staged a superb recovery to get back on level terms, only for substitute Bryan McKiddie to pop up with a late winner for the home side.
Wick started strongly, dictating the play and stringing together some impressive passing moves, and it came as no surprise when they went in front after 25 minutes.
Richard Macadie won possession on the left and fed the ball to Sam Mackay, who touched it on to Gary Weir 12 yards out. The striker steadied himself and tucked it low to the right of Clach’s new keeper Jamie Fraser.
Wick doubled their lead on 37 minutes. Mackay and Davie Allan combined on the right to tee up Macadie for a strike from the edge of the box. The ball appeared to take a slight deflection as it flew past Fraser into the far corner.
The Scorries seemed to be cruising into the semi-finals as they added another goal four minutes after the break. A sweeping move saw Weir and Stevie Cunningham link up to create another opening for Macadie, and his low shot had too much power for Fraser to keep out.
There looked to be no way back for Clach at this stage. But Iain Polworth’s men refused to give up and they pulled one back on 52 minutes, Gordon Morrison heading home unchallenged after Blair Lawrie delivered a deep cross from the right.
Six minutes later Clach struck again. Martin Laing chased a long ball through the middle and he outstripped a couple of defenders before rounding keeper James More and slotting it confidently into the net.
Amazingly, the Lilywhites levelled the tie on 67 minutes and again it was Laing who did the damage. It was a similar kind of goal, with the former Caley Thistle youngster using his pace to get on the end of an incisive attack through the middle before ramming the ball past More.
Wick were now looking seriously rattled – and this is a side who haven’t lost a home game to Highland League opposition since October 2011 and are on a run of 18 straight league wins on their own ground.
The Lilywhites almost took a sensational lead as Alistair MacLeod headed over from directly in front of goal following a Lawrie corner.
However, Wick rallied in the closing stages and Fraser was forced to make some fine reaction saves before the decisive goal arrived in the 87 minute. McKiddie seized possession on the edge of the box, directly in front of goal, and his raking shot found the net via Fraser’s right-hand post.
Wick will now face either Brora Rangers or Thurso in the last four.
Clach’s North Cup hopes are over for another season – but to their credit they made a real fight of it with that stirring second-half display.
Wick Academy: More, Sinclair (McKiddie 62), Manson, Farquhar, Steven, Shearer, Mackay, Cunningham (R. Allan 82), Weir (Geruzel 62), Macadie, D. Allan. Subs not used: Pickles, Gray.
Clachnacuddin: Fraser, Skinner, Finnis, Laing, A. MacLeod, B. MacLeod, Dougal (Callum 78), Mackay, Morrison, Whyte, Lawrie (MacDonald 85). Subs not used: Davidson, Grant, Robertson.
Referee: Graham Fraser.
