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The spoils were shared at Harlaw Park but Locos will feel frustrated that they weren’t able to convert more opportunities to take maximum points against Wick Academy. The scoring was done and dusted in the first five minutes of a game that nonetheless continued to entertain despite the lack of further goals.
Lloyd Robertson returned from injury to make his first appearance of the season while Jay Halliday and Max Foster were both named on the bench following spells on the treatment table. There was also a place on the bench for goalkeeper Kyle Irvine, whose transfer from Banks o’ Dee had been announced before kick off.
As with last week, Locos got off to the perfect start as Reuben Skea scored after just three minutes, sending a shot just inside the left upright. Unlike seven days ago, however, the next goal came at the other end, with another well struck effort from George Ewing from the edge of the box. Few in the ground would have expected that to be the end of the scoring as Locos immediately looked to get themselves back in front. Ethan Cairns’ back post header glanced off the crossbar before Callum Duncan fired just over. Louis Amann was called into action, getting down low to turn ?? effort behind and Duncan tried his luck again but Lewis Gallacher kept out his shot that looked destined for the top corner.
After the break, it was almost one-way traffic. Skea tested Gallacher while Duncan and Thomas Reid fired just off target. Daniel Agnew nearly caught the keeper out with a cheeky lob and many more efforts were blocked and crosses cleared by a determined Scorries defence. In the last action of the game, Mark Souter reached a forward ball before Gallacher and the keeper flattened him just outside the penalty area. To the surprise of just about everybody, a yellow card was issued and Locos couldn’t make anything of the free kick before the final whistle was blown.
This was perhaps a more dominant display than the one that secured a big win last week and it was certainly a hard earned point from the visitors who, despite being on the back foot for much of the contest, were resolute throughout.
Dean Donaldson was pleased with his side’s performance but lamented the lack of a cutting edge. “We had the best of the first half, but they obviously created as well then we had the whole of the second half but couldn’t seem to break them down” he said. “I thought we passed the ball really well, some of the movement was good. We got plenty of shots away but the keeper’s made good saves or we’ve not hit the target. We just weren’t ruthless enough”. The manager did acknowledge this point as another to build on and will be looking to do that at Nairn County next Saturday.
