Lilywhites Pole-axed at Wick
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CLACH boss Iain Polworth has made a point of playing down his team’s chances of winning the Highland League title – and he is unlikely to be having a change of heart on the evidence of the 4-0 defeat at Wick Academy on Wednesday night.
The Lilywhites did have most of the possession at Harmsworth Park, but they lacked the killer instinct of the home side, who reclaimed top spot after Polish striker Lukasz Geruzel hit a hat-trick following Gary Weir’s early opener.
The Merkinch outfit were without Gordon Morrison for the trip north, while Academy duo Richard Macadie and Davie Allan sat this one out through suspension.
Clach showed plenty of urgency in the opening stages, but it was Wick who made the breakthrough in the fifth minute on their first foray up the slope. Geruzel delivered a low cross from the right and Weir touched it in neatly at the near post.
Five minutes later the Scorries doubled their lead as Geruzel turned on the left-hand side of the box and drilled a low shot past John Campbell in the Clach goal.
Wick’s front two combined again for the third after 18 minutes. Weir did the spadework on the right, advancing on Campbell before picking out Geruzel, and the big Pole duly slammed the ball into the net.
Three shots, three goals, and pretty much game over – even though Clach hadn’t been playing at all badly.
Their frustration was growing, and Chris Ross’s sense of injustice was clear to see when he was harshly booked for simulation. The Clach man went tumbling to the ground following a collision with home keeper Michael Gray as they raced to reach the ball on the edge of the box.
Midway through the first half Wick failed to clear from a free kick and Brian Macleod flicked the ball towards goal only to be denied by a wonder save from Gray, who flung himself to his right to push it away.
The Lilywhites were camped in the Wick half for most of the second period and forced a succession of corners but the home side soaked up the pressure comfortably enough.
With some of his key players missing, Wick manager Barry Wilson had named himself as a substitute and with seven minutes to go the ex-Caley Thistle stalwart decided he fancied a piece of the action as he came on for Ross Allan.
Over 20 years have passed since Wilson was handed his Ross County debut by his father Bobby – who was watching from the Harmsworth Park stand – and the 41-year-old clearly isn’t intending to hang up his boots quite yet.
Academy finished with a flourish as Geruzel burst through on 87 minutes and lifted the ball high past Campbell to complete his treble.
This was Wick’s sixth clean sheet in their last eight games and they remain unbeaten at home in the league since October 2011.
Wick Academy: Gray, M. Steven, Manson, Pickles, G. Steven, Shearer, Mackay (Hughes 90), Cunningham, Weir (Sinclair 75), Geruzel, Allan (Wilson 83). Subs not used: McKiddie, More.
Clach: Campbell, Scott-Woodhouse (Urquhart 46), Callum (M. Ellis 72), Milne, Williamson, Macleod, Ross, Pollock, S. Ellis (Brindle 78), Graham, Finnis. Subs not used: Dougal, Macdonald.
Referee: Graham Elder.
*** Formartine United’s title hopes suffered a setback as they were beaten 2-1 by Forres Mechanics at Mosset Park.
The Can Cans were gifted an eighth-minute lead through a Craig McKeown own goal, and Ross Archibald added the second with 25 minutes gone.
Formartine’s Mike Ewen reduced the deficit with nine minutes left, but Forres held on to collect all three points.
In the only other HFL match to go ahead on Wednesday, Kris Duncan struck twice and Bob Morrice was also on target in Deveronvale’s 3-0 away win against 10-man Huntly. The home side had Marek Mádle red-carded in the first half.
