Wick Academy 1
Nairn County 5
League

Match Report

Academy's stretch of six league wins was brought to an abrupt end today at Harmsworth Park at the hands of Nairn who ran out deserving 5-1 winners. The result is Academy's biggest defeat at Harmsworth Park since August 2014.

Jack MacLean set the visitors on their way after 10 minutes and although Academy did have a few half-chances they looked really out of sorts and Nairn went into the interval with the one goal advantage.

Two goals in three minutes at the start of the second half from Kenny McKenzie and Jordan Macrae saw Nairn in the driving seat and although Steven Anderson pulled one back on 65 minutes Nairn never really looked as if they were going to lose this one. Jack Maclean went on to score his second and Wayne Macintosh made it five in injury time to wrap up the points.

In the first real chance of the game Jack MacLean gave the visitors the lead when he found himself with room to spare 6 yards from goal and he headed home a Greg Main cross from the right wing.

0 - 1

Three minutes later Academy had a great chance to level. Good pressure saw them flood the Nairn penalty area and after an initial scramble in the box a shot form James Pickles was blocked and fell to Grant Steven. He pulled the trigger from 10 yards out but his shot smashed off the crossbar.

Gary Kerr had the ball in the net on 17 minutes but his celebrations were cut short as it was disallowed for off-side.

Nairn kept Academy at bay and Richard Macadie fired over the target from distance. James Pickles also had a crack from long-range and his attempt shaved the top of the Nairn crossbar.

Half Time - Wick Academy 0 - Nairn County 1

Nairn really flew out of the blocks at the start of the second half and within a minute Kenny McKenzie doubled their advantage. He pounced on a poor back-pass from Danny Mackay and made no mistake in slotting the ball under Sean McCarthy and into the net.

0 - 2

Three minutes later Nairn were in again. This time Jordan Macrae found himself free in the Academy box and he powered home his header into the top corner of the net from a Callum MacLean cross.

0 - 3

On 65 minutes Academy pulled a goal back. Sam mackay swung a free-kick into the Nairn box which they failed to clear. The ball fell to Steven Anderson and he smashed a low drive into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

1 - 3

In the next attack Academy looked as if they had pulled back another when a diving header from Michael Steven looked goal-bound but the young Nairn keeper Dylan MacLean made a good save.

Nairn put the game to bed on 12 minutes from full-time when Jack MacLean bagged his second of the game. He broke through the Academy defence and got onto the end of a long pass before coolly firing the ball across the face of McCarthy and into the opposite corner of the net.

1 - 4

In the last kick of the game Academy's bad day got even worse when Sean McCarthy had an air-kick at a pass-back from Michael Steven allowing Wayne MacKintosh a free run in on goal and he slotted the ball home into an empty net.

1 - 5

Full Time - Wick Academy 1 - Nairn County 5

Match report written by John Briskham