Brora went down fighting
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Wick Academy 3, Brora Rangers 0
THE year ended badly for Brora Rangers when they were beaten by three clear goals by north rivals Wick Academy in front of 1200 fans at Harmsworth Park last Saturday.
However, the scoreline somewhat flattered the home side as Brora enjoyed long spells of possession without breaching a well-organised Wick defence.
Wick’s Richard Macadie had the first real chance of the match when he got on the end of a Steve Cunningham cross but his header flew well over Ally Ridgers’ crossbar.
But it was Brora who should have gone ahead shortly afterwards. Ross Grant won the ball in the middle of the park and he played in Steven MacKay who was left one-on-one with Wick’s Michael Gray. However, as Gray scrambled back towards his goal-line MacKay swept his shot past the keeper’s left hand post.
At the other end Lukasz Geruzel forced Ridgers to parry his drive from the edge of the 18-yard box. The big striker was first to react to the rebound but his follow-up looped onto the top of the crossbar before going behind for a goal kick.
Macadie was also denied by the woodwork when his effort shaved the outside of the upright.
Wick made the breakthrough in the 35th minute when Macadie threaded the ball through to Geruzel and the striker lashed a 15-yard drive into the net past the helpless Ridgers.
The home side finished the half strongly and MacKay had the ball in the Brora net on the stroke of half time but he was ruled off-side.
Brora dominated the early exchanges of the second half without creating any clear cut chances. The nearest they came to getting on the scoresheet was a blistering free kick from Steven MacKay in the 67th minute which just cleared the crossbar.
However, any chance of a getting back into the match was dashed seven minutes later when Wick were awarded a penalty. David Allan was adjudged to have been fouled by Russell Duncan in the box and Geruzel made no mistake form 12 yards.
There was no way back for Brora in the 84th minute when Geruzel turned supplier with a cross for MacKay who lashed the ball home at the back post.
Brora Rangers – Ridgers, Duncan, Golabek, Hind, Lamb, M MacLean, Gillespie (Greig 82), Hart, Grant, MacKay (Baxter 77), MacDonald. Subs not used – K MacLean, Skinner, Allan.
n BRORA will be looking to get the New Year off to a winning start tomorrow when they host Lossiemouth at Dudgeon Park – kick-off 3pm.
