Univ. Stirling 1
Wick Academy 0
Scottish Cup (Round 1 - Replay)

Match Report

Traveling without the services of Sam Mackay, Grant and Michael Steven, Academy were on the back foot as early as the second minute when, with their first attack, Stirling were able to find space down the left with Paul McCafferty -The University winger's pass found David O'Brien at the corner of the 6 yard box and he wasted no time in firing the ball past Wick keeper Sean McCarthy. 1 nil to the home team.

Academy regrouped quickly and Ross Allan and Steven Anderson both found space down the left but the Stirling defense were quick to snuff out the danger.

7 minutes in and Wick had appeals for a penalty waved away by referee David Dickinson when a Steven Anderson shot cannoned off the arm of Stirling defender Dominic Slattery.

5 minutes later Steven Anderson brought out a good save by Uni keeper Kevin Walker when, after good work down the left wing, he cut into the 6 yard and unleashed a shot to the near post. Walker was at full stretch to push the ball away for a corner.

Sean McCarthy was the next keeper called into action when a Stirling shot looked bound for the bottom corner of the net until the Wick keeper got down low to his right to push the ball into the path of Gordon McNab who turned and cleared the ball up field.

With Steven Anderson and Marc Macgregor operating down the left and Richard Macadie working down the right Wick were making progress up until the 18 yard box but much like the first fixture at Harmsworth Park actual goal chances were hard to come by and, it was University of Stirling who looked like increasing their lead after 30 minutes when a shot by Eachainn Miller had Sean McCarthy at full stretch once again to turn the ball away.

1 nil to the University of Stirling at half time

3 minutes into the second half and Stirling were on the attack again - Paul McCafferty made a break down the left wing, cut into the edge of the penalty box, but his cross was just missed on the penalty spot by the sliding Rory MacEwan . Wick then came close to drawing level in the same minute when a 40 yard shot by Marc Macgregor had the Stirling keeper back peddling but the ball went agonizingly over the crossbar.

Then came the first of three times the woodwork came to the rescue of Academy - Paul McCafferty finding space inside the 18 yard box unleashed shot that crashed off Sean McCarthy's near post.

A half time downpour and the frequent heavy showers had by now made the 3g surface decidedly slippery underfoot and as a result the game began to open up.

The woodwork came to the visitor's rescue and denied Stirling's Paul McCafferty for a second time on the hour mark when again the Stirling man left keeper McCarthy rooted to the spot only to see the ball rebound to safety.

The first booking of the afternoon came in the 65th minute when University of Stirling substitute Angus Mailer sliding tackle took out Wick's Jack Henry. The Stirling man could have easily seen a second yellow a minute later when he dropped in knee on to Ross Allan's back while the Wick man was on his knees in the penalty box.

70 minutes - Substitution: Richard Macadie made way for Korbyn Cameron.

Paul McCafferty was by now revelling in the wet conditions and Wick hearts were in their mouths when the Stirling man's cross in from the left was cut out by Andrew Hardwick's flying header - with the clearance going perilously close to keeper McCarthy's near post.

David O'Brien was the next Stirling player to make his way into the 18 yard box, weaving passed Wick's Danny Mackay into the 6 yard box. O'Brien had his run halted by Andrew Hardwick, whether by means fair or foul was hard to tell, but with O'Brien on the ground Wick were able to get the ball clear.

In the 76th minute it was Steven Anderson's turn to show the crowd what he could do and after a driving run down the left he powered his way past Lewis Hunter, Dominic Slattery and finally Rory MacEwan into the edge of the 6 yard box - as the ball ran loose on the edge of the box Jack Henry took over but his shot was wide of goal.

85 minutes - substitution: Brandon Sinclair replaced by Aidan Reid

With 5 minutes to go substitute Korbyn Cameron found space on the 18 yard line but his goal bound shot was cleared by Stirling's Alex Webb.

A final flourish saw some last ditch defending by both teams but it was Wick who felt most aggrieved in the last few minutes when they had another penalty appeal turned down by referee Dickinson when Marc Macgregor looked to all in the ground to have been felled by Stirling defender Alex Webb.

Wick's Ross Allan picked up the second yellow card of the afternoon as he up ended Angus Mailer in the dying minutes.

Stirling now go on to face Montrose in the second round.

Match report written by Mel Roger