WICK ACADEMY ARE TAUGHT LESSON BY BUCKIE IN SECOND HALF

Buckie Thistle eventually ran out comfortable winners but had to work hard to take the Highland League points against injury-hit Wick Academy.

Lewis MacKinnon's early goal was cancelled out by Gary Weir but a quickfire Donnie Munro double just after the break and a Martin Charlesworth goal secured the points.

Buckie manager Gregg Carrol said: "It was a professional performance, we scored early with a Lewis MacKinnon header but when Gary Weir levelled a couple of minutes later we were on the backfoot but those two quick goals from Donnie Munro early in the second half settled it.

"We still have our fate in our hands.  If we win our last four games we will retain our title.

"This was referee Scott MacDonald's last Buckie game before he retires at the end of the season.  We've had our ups and downs over the years but he's a good lad and I hope they give him the Highland League Cup Final to give him a memorable send-off."

Wick co-manager Ian Munro said: "When we lost the early goal we needed to recover quickly and we did with Gary Weir's equaliser.  We matched Buckie in virtually every department in the first half but all credit to them, after the break they stuck to their game plan by sending the ball over the top of our defence and running on to it and it paid dividends."

The visitors opened the scoring in the seventh minute with a powerful six-yard header from MacKinnon but two minutes later Weir levelled with a drive which went in off the base of the post.

Two goals in as many minutes from Munro, a tap-in and superb 15-yard volley, settled the issue and Martin Charlesworth's 76th minute goal added the gloss.

Report from Press & Journal