Wick Academy 2
Buckie Thistle 0
League

Manager's Programme Notes

Interview by Alan Hendry Caithness Courier.

Tom McKenna praised the work ethic of his Wick Academy players as they saw off Buckie Thistle on Saturday to strengthen their bid for a top seven place in the Highland League.
“I thought the effort the lads put in was unbelievable,” the manager said after Marc Macgregor’s double had secured a 2-0 win on a day when a strong wind and a heavy surface combined to make it virtually impossible to play flowing football.
It means the Scorries remain unbeaten in their last eight league games, a run that includes six wins and two draws. Their last league defeat was against Formartine United at the end of December.
“Conditions were difficult. Both sides are known for being good footballing teams but it was very difficult to try and produce any football,” McKenna said.
“But I thought our lads were superb with their work ethic from start to finish and the football they did try to play. I thought we were convincing winners, to be honest.
“We dominated through-out and it was really pleasing to see. It was a fantastic shift by the lads, especially on a heavy pitch. The work-rate was absolutely commendable.
“It takes us a wee bit away from Buckie now. They pressed now and again but we were dominant over the 90 minutes and it was a good convincing three points for us.”
Unbeaten in the league in 2019, McKenna’s men look in good shape as they prepare to face the top two teams – Cove Rangers (away) and Brora Rangers (home) – in their next two fixtures.
“It’s a great run. We have two difficult games coming up, but the lads must be really confident,” the manager said. “The players are in a good place after eight league games undefeated, sitting in seventh place and with games in hand over other teams. They’re winning games quite well.”
McKenna was happy to see Marc Macgregor getting among the goals again.
“He was out for a wee while. He has come back and looks fresh and sharp and he’s enjoying his foot-ball again, which is good,” McKenna said.
“He’s in a rich vein of form at the moment.”

Buckie Thistle’s assistant manager Lewis MacKinnon admitted Academy were the fitter team.
“It was tough conditions, but it was the same for both teams and I think Wick adapted better,” MacKinnon said.
“They played on this pitch a couple of nights ago [a 2-0 win against Nairn on Wednesday] and I thought their legs might go, but actually they were the fitter team and that was one of the things that disappointed me.
“I didn’t think there was much in the game. Just before half-time is never a good time to concede a goal.
“Steven Ross had a good chance but he took a heavy touch – unfortunately that was probably our only chance of the game. In the second half I thought there was a foul on Callum Murray in the box. They broke away and got a bit of luck.
“The big striker just seemed to hang a leg out and the wind took it in, so there was a bit of a fortune there, the rub of the green.
“Nothing really dropped for us. We huffed and puffed. It was a tight game between two teams in mid-table but unfortunately we are carrying on the trend of a good performance one week and then a poorer performance.
“We need more consistency. We had four or five changes from the last game. It was a disappointing day.
“Seventh place is our target as we can’t catch the teams above. We’ve got five games to go after this – very winnable games – so we’ll be going all out to win those and finish seventh. That has become our target.
“We need to finish the season on a high, so we’ll look to get a run of wins together to the end of the season.”