Wick Academy player-manager Gary Manson was pleased to finish a season of progress in style with a victory against Keith.
The Scorries triumphed 4-0 at Kynoch Park to leapfrog the Maroons and finish 12th in the Breedon Highland League.
After finishing 16th last season Academy are four places and 10 points better off this term.
This was also just Wick’s second away league win of the campaign and Manson said: “I was really pleased. I said to the players that we showed every aspect of the game that we should be showing.
“It was like a play-off, whoever won finished 12th and we wanted it to be us.
“It’s no secret we’ve been poor away from home this season so to round the season off with a 4-0 away win is really pleasing.
“It’s been a season of progress and we’ve progressed as the season has gone on.
“If you look at the points tally, goals for and goals against compared with last season there has been improvements in all those areas.
“So we definitely have made progress this season.”
This victory also marked the end of Jack Halliday’s Wick career.
Manson added: “Jack’s going to be a huge miss, he’ll be very difficult to replace.
“There’s not many midfielders like him with the pace and power he’s got. Jack can drive past a player without even trying too much.
“He’s a big character on the pitch and in the changing room so we’ll have to go some to replace him.
“Although he leaves a hole in our team we’ll try our best to kick on next season.”
Sharp Scorries make Maroons pay
Wick made a dream start when they took the lead in the sixth minute. Halliday’s neat flick found Marc MacGregor 15 yards out who produced a deadly low finish in off the left post.
Midway through the first period Kyle Henderson weaved away from Ryan Robertson, but was thwarted by goalkeeper Darren McConnachie.
In the 28th minute Keith could have levelled when Michael Ironside almost capitalised on a defensive mix-up.
The ball was hacked behind for a corner and from Connor Killoh’s delivery Robertson’s effort from six yards was blocked.
Halliday stung McConnachie’s palms with a 20-yard free-kick before the Scorries doubled their lead in the 36th minute.
McConnachie did well to save Halliday’s strike from the right side of box, but Kyle Henderson retrieved the loose ball and teed up Ross Gunn to finish from eight yards.
In the 43rd minute MacGregor found space on the right side of the area, but his effort came back off the left upright.
In the second period the game appeared to be petering out until Craig Gill was sent off on 75 minutes.
Referee Owen Lawrence showed the Keith midfielder a straight red card for making contact with Gunn’s face as he tried to get up following a sliding challenge between the pair.
Halliday took the resultant free-kick on the left and Owen Harrold netted from close range.
In the 84th minute the visitors completed the scoring with Gordon MacNab breaking clear on the left before finding Henderson for an easy finish.
Poor end for Keith
Keith finished two places higher then last season and with six more points.
Boss Craig Ewen said: “We were terrible from start to finish, I can’t put my finger on why.
“I’m not sure what happened to us, but we were second best all over the park.
“We didn’t pass it well, we didn’t compete well enough, we didn’t track runners and we were arguing with each other when boys made a mistake.
“For the first part of the second half I didn’t really see Wick scoring again, but I didn’t see us scoring either.
“The red card was the final nail in the coffin, from where I was I didn’t see much in it.
“Knowing Craig Gill as a guy I don’t think there’s any malicious intent in him, but the referee made his decision.
“It was a really bad day at the office and not how we wanted to finish our season.
“We think it’s as poor a performance as we’ve had all season, it’s our heaviest home defeat.
“It’s a sad way to finish because we’ve been really competitive at home all season, but we were miles off the pace.”
Brora Rangers 4-2 Turriff United
Ally MacDonald ended his time with Brora Rangers by beating Turriff United and expressed his gratitude at being part of a glorious era for the Cattachs.
MacDonald has stepped down as player-manager following the 4-2 win at King George V Park in Golspie and ends a trophy-laden tenure with the Sutherland club.
Having first signed for Brora in 2010, MacDonald helped the Cattachs win four Breedon Highland League titles, six North of Scotland Cups and three GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cups – the last of which was this season.
It wasn’t just MacDonald who bowed out on Saturday. Goalkeeper Joe Malin, midfielder Dale Gillespie and attacker Paul Brindle have all retired.
MacDonald said: “I’ve spent a third of my life at Brora so the club has been a massive part of my life.
“But in football people move on and clubs move on and to bow out alongside the guys and to have spent most of my career with them has been a privilege.
“I’m grateful for the success we’ve had and the relationships I’ve made with people at Brora.
“Guys like Joe, Dale and Paul are legends of the club. Players can go through careers and not win things, but we’ve been hugely fortunate in our time.
“We’ll all look back with fond memories and appreciate everything about it.”
Although he’s stepped down as manager, MacDonald may continue to play next term.
The 35-year-old added: “I’ve had interest from various levels. I’m taking time out for a couple of months, but I’m not hanging up the boots.
“I’m stepping away because of the demands of management, but I would be open to continuing to play.”
Cattachs do the business
Brora opened the scoring on 12 minutes when Tony Dingwall’s cross from the right was headed into his own net by Max Foster.
It was 2-0 soon after when Ali Sutherland cut in from the left and finished.
Sutherland was the creator of the Cattachs’ third goal after half an hour. His cross from the left was headed home by Dingwall at the back post.
After the break Colin Williamson notched Brora’s fourth following some penalty box pinball.
🔴 4 – 0 ⚪️ 63’ Shortly after the fourth, Super Joe Malin is replaced by Danny. The ground applauds our stopper as he leaves the field pic.twitter.com/xP8eqLadcP
— Brora Rangers (@brorarangers) April 27, 2024
In the 71st minute good play from John Allan set-up Ewan Clark to pull a goal back for Turra.
Clark turned provider for Allan to net United’s second in the closing stages.
The game also marked the end of goalkeeper David Dey’s time with Turriff, the 26-year-old is retiring due to arthritis.
Boss Warren Cummings said: “We were very soft with the goals we conceded.
“If you give a team like Brora the amount of rope we gave them you’re always going to be left with too much to do.
“There’s a lot we can do to improve next season, but we’ll meet that challenge head on.
“David is a big loss for us, apart from being a very good goalkeeper he’s a very good person.
“We’ll miss David on and off the pitch, I can’t talk highly enough of him and we wish him the best for life away from football.”
