Wick Academy manager Gary Manson is confident their first win of the season will come soon after earning an impressive point against Rothes.
The Scorries came from behind to draw 1-1 at Mackessack Park with Gordon MacNab’s second half strike cancelling out Ross Gunn’s opener.
Academy have drawn six and lost two from their first eight Breedon Highland League fixtures, boss Manson is encouraged by performances.
He said: “It’s probably two points dropped on reflection of the whole game.
“I thought we did enough to warrant the three points; I think we shaded the chances, possession and the territory.
“Watching the game you’d never think that Rothes were the team that have reached a cup final and been unbeaten this season.
“Looking at the game you might have thought it was a top of the table clash.
“It’s just a matter of time before that win comes, the weeks are dragging on, but it’s just a matter of time.”
‘I can’t point the finger’
The goal Wick conceded was preventable with Joe Anderson – who otherwise had an excellent game – caught in possession on the edge of his box.
Manson added: “The goal we lose is a bit sloppy, but I can’t point the finger too much.
“We were short of players and Joe Anderson played centre-back at 16-years-old and other than that he was exceptional.”
Speysiders strike first
The first half was a slow burner with Wick’s Mark Macadie having a shot saved by Sean McCarthy early on and MacNab flashing a 25-yard drive narrowly over.
For Rothes Fraser Robertson headed straight at Graeme Williamson from Allen Mackenzie’s deflected cross.
But the Speysiders took the lead on 37 minutes with Gunn dispossessing Anderson on the edge of the area before rounding Williamson to net.
Before the first half was over Alan Pollock sent a header wide and then curled a shot over as the hosts looked for a second goal.
After the break Wick caused a lot more problems in attack.
McCarthy did well to hold a Ryan Campbell free-kick, a volley from 40 yards by MacNab swerved just wide and then twice in quick succession Jack Henry almost broke through on goal.
But midway through the second period the men from Caithness did equalise with Rothes having failed to fully clear and MacNab sending a right-footed shot from 20 yards low into the bottom left corner.
To their credit both sides pushed to get a winner in the final quarter, but it was Wick who looked the more likely side to get it.
Steven Anderson almost profited from Bruce Milne and McCarthy’s mix-up in the 78th minute and shortly after Henry shot over having been teed up inside the area by Jack Halliday.
In the closing stages sub Craig Gunn weaved in from the right flank and found Macadie on the left side of the area, but McCarthy made a good save at his near post.
The Rothes goalkeeper also kept out Halliday’s shot from 14 yards in the 88th minute.
‘That wasn’t acceptable’
Rothes remain unbeaten with 13 points from seven games.
But when asked for his thoughts on proceedings, boss Ross Jack said: “Woeful, we were absolutely rubbish. First half we played not too badly.
“But second half I don’t know how Wick didn’t win the game because we were absolutely dreadful.
“Sean McCarthy made a few good saves, but if we’d taken our chances in the first half it might have been different.
“But I can’t defend the players – they’ve been on a great run – but that wasn’t acceptable.
“The only positive is that Wick only scored one goal because we never looked like scoring at all.
“We huffed and puffed but never looked like scoring after our first.”
