Forres Mech 2
Wick Academy 2
League

Match Report

Gordon Connelly picked up his first point as Academy manager as the Scorries and Forres shared the spoils with a 2-2 draw at Mosset Park.

Grant Steven sat out the first game of a 2 match ban. Ross Allan will probably miss the rest of the season following his broken arm sustained against Lossiemouth, and the Pickles brothers were also missing with the Orkney ferry crossing not taking place due to the rough weather. Some good news though for Scorries fans as Davie Allan played the last half-hour or so as he returned from a hamstring injury.

Weir and Geruzel fired in a goal apiece in a 2 minute first half spell that had the Scorries in the box-seat but a minute into first half injury time Kris Duncan headed a goal back for the hosts. Simon Allan curled in a 25 yard equaliser just before the hour mark but Forres has to endure a nervous final 6 minutes when Scott More was sent off. Academy came close to stealing a late winner from Geruzel and Allan but the scores ended even at 2-apiece.

The first real chance of the game fell to the home side after 11 minutes Stuart Soane got a shot on target that James More did well to get down to and he turned it around his post for a corner with a one handed save. From the corner Soane got his head on the ball and More made another good save.

3 minutes later Academy took the lead. Stevie Cunningham took a free-kick from about 10 yards inside the Forres half. He fired it into the Forres penalty box where a defender got his head on it but the ball fell to Gary Weir and he smacked a first time volley on the angle into the net from 8 yards out.

0 - 1

2 minutes later Academy doubled their advantage. More took a bye-kick which he punted up-field. Weir got onto the end of it and laid it off to Lukasz Geruzel. The big Polish striker switched play wide to Richard Macadie who was in acres of space. He squared the ball across goal for Geruzel to follow in with the simplest of finishes from 9 yards out.

0 - 2

Forres created a good chance on 25 minutes. Simon Allan took a throw-in on the right and found Lee Fraser in the Academy box. He turned on the ball and fired it just wide of More's left hand post.

Forres were having a good spell and had another chance just after the half-hour mark. Craig McGovern fired in a cross from the left that bounced over Craig Shearer's head and fell to Scott Moore and he rifled a shot goal-bound that More managed to tip onto his post and out for a corner.

A minute later Academy should have gone 3 up. Geruzel fed Weir up the right channel and he slid Macadie in one-on-one with Keeper Knight who managed to get a foot to the ball to deny Macadie.

3 minutes before half-time Forres missed a glorious chance to pull a goal back. Craig McGovern fired in a low cross from the left that found Stuart Soane un-marked 6 yards from goal but amazingly his shot across goal went past the post when it looked easier to score.

A minute into first-half injury time Forres fired themselves right back into the game. A long ball was played into the Academy box and Soane got his head to it flicking it onto Kris Duncan who headed the ball inside Mores's right hand post.

1 - 2

Half Time - Forres Mechanics 1 - Wick Academy 2

No changes from either side at half time and Academy twice manage to get in behind the Forres defence early-doors but take the wrong options and can't threaten goal.

On 57 minutes Forres had a great chance. Simon Allan took a corner on the right and Stuart Soane powered a header just high of the target from 7 yards out at the back post.

2 minutes later and Forres squared the scores. Simon Allan picked the ball up out on the right touch-line. He cut in un-opposed and from 25 yards out curled a great shot into the top corner of the Academy net.

2 - 2

Forres keep pressing and have another chance. Craig McGowan turned on the edge of the box and fired in a left foot shot that looked as if it was going to creep in at the base of the post but More made another fantastic save getting a hand to the ball to turn it away.

69 minutes played and its Forres again on the attack from a kick-out from keeper Stuart Knight dropped to Stuart Soane. He played the ball over the top of the Academy defence to Kris Duncan but he fired his shot from just inside the box over the cross-bar.

Davie Allan is brought on in place of Stevie Cunningham for his first game back from injury as Gordon Connelly looks to change Academy fortunes.

Bad news for the Scorries as Shaun Sinclair has to be withdrawn with an injury and he is replaced with Bryan McKiddie.

A long ball is played up the left wing by Forres to Ross Archibald who cut into the penalty area but More came to narrow the angle and saved with his feet.

It's an incident packed end to the game as Forres are reduced to 10 men with 6 minutes left to play when referee Graham Beaton flashed a red card to Scott More for a tackle on Michael Steven.

Academy now pushed for the winner. Substitute Davie Allan picked the ball up just inside his own half and drove forward before setting up Geruzel on the edge of the box and his first time left foot shot smacked off the post.

In the final action of the game Alan Farquhar pushed out with ball at his feet before passing to Davie Allan who took a few strides into the Forres box forward before rifling a shot just over the target.

Full Time - Forres Mechanics 2 - Wick Academy 2

Match report written by John Briskham