| Date | Saturday, 12 July 2014 |
|---|---|
| Competition | FRIENDLY |
| Fixture/Score | Wick Academy 2:1 Ross County |
| Venue | Harmsworth Park |
| Attendance | 500 |
| Referee | Graeme Elder |
| Comments | Match Report Report from Wick Academy Archive by Ken Wood Wick Academy 2 Ross County 1 Ross County arrived at Harmsworth Park with a 19 man squad including 6 unnamed trialists. It was World Cup Final weekend and appropriately players of several nationalities were on view. Former County youth keeper Sean McCarthy was in goal for Academy having just been released by our opponents and Grant Campbell was given a midfield role on his return to HP. Few in the 300 plus crowd could have anticipated the outcome. County's United Nations squad many of whom will probably feature in next week's opening SPFL game were stunned as Academy attacked and passed the ball round them. Antonio Reguero had to look lively to save efforts from Stevie Cunningham and Sam Mackay in the first quarter of an hour but dived the wrong way when Richard Macadie fired a penalty past him in the 26th minute. Davie Allan had been scythed down in the box but recovered to continue creating havoc with his speed on the right wing. The Premier Division team were level on the half hour when one of their trialist defenders who netted from close range. Academy grew in confidence in the second half and Macadie almost converted a cross from Allan. McCarthy was enjoying a promising debut and had a stroke of luck when Jake Jervis rose above the defence to send a header crashing against the post. After 73 minutes it was 2-1 for Wick when Macadie supplied a perfectly flighted cross and Gary Weir nodded it into the bottom left corner. McCarthy pulled off a fine save to keep out a 6 yard header from Yoann Arquin and Scorrie fans celebrated a memorable victory. Academy lined up: McCarthy, M Steven (Webster 85), Manson (R Allan 70), Farquhar, G Steven, Campbell, Pickles (Halliday 85), Cunningham (Weir 45), Mackay (Budge 85), Macadie, D Allan. Unused: Williamson. Like me, manager Gordon Connelly was away on holiday so Richard Hughes was still in charge and must have felt very proud of his team. ‘Tichie' himself enjoyed a memorable pre-season moment nearly 30 years ago when he headed Academy's goal past Henry Smith of Hearts in a pre season game at Harmsworth Park. Hearts entertained a 2400 crowd (would you believe we sold 900 programmes that night?) with a 6-1 win and led the Premier League for most of that season. There have been plenty more big pre-season occasions since. The Centenary Tournament in 1993 was all Academical (plus Golspie) and Hamilton enjoyed their visit so much they vowed to come back again. The players had a really gruelling week in July 1995 - Hibernian on the Tuesday, Falkirk on Thursday and Fraserburgh on Saturday, all at HP and watched in total by nearly 4000 fans (ok, many of them were at all three games but you know what I mean!). Our Sponsors at that time presented The Norfrost Trophy for the Hibs game and the next summer Hamilton Accies kept their promise and along with Cowdenbeath came North for a weekend tournament. |
| Ross County | |
| Manager | Derek Adams |
| Starting 11 | 1: Antonio Reguero Chapinal, 2: Timothy Dreesen 1, 20: Jordi Balk, 22: Rosario Latouchent, 19: James Fenlon, 7: Joseph Cardle, 11: Melvin De Leeuw, 8: Richard Brittain, 4: Rocco Quinn, 15: Yoann Arquin, 9: Jake Jervis |
| Bench | 21: Mark Brown, 5: Scott Boyd, 6: Steven Saunders, 18: Benedict Frempah, 17: Steven Ross, 0: Mark Klok, 14: Darren Maatsen |
| Wick Academy | |
| Manager | Gordon Connelly |
| Starting 11 | Sean McCarthy, Grant Campbell, Grant Steven, Michael Steven, Stevie Cunningham, Alan Farquhar, Richard Macadie 1 (1 pen), Sam Mackay, Gary Manson, James Pickles, David Allan |
| Bench | Graeme Williamson, John Budge, Ross Allan, Jack Halliday, Mark Webster, Gary Weir 1 |