May I start by wishing a Happy New Year to all “ Can Cans “ fans around the world and hope that 2016 brings to everybody all the good things that 2015 didn’t.
This is my first piece since mid November as I have missed our last three away fixtures, due to work commitments, (a 3-0 win at Fort William followed by losses to Cove Rangers & Inverurie Locos ) and our last four home fixtures due to postponements because Mosset Park was waterlogged from all the bad weather we have experienced – all very disappointing.
I have had to spend my Saturday afternoons staying at home on the warmth with a beer or three in front of the TV watching Soccer Saturday as the goals get scored, when the real fan only wants to be out in the cold and wet, standing on the terraces roaring on their team, hopefully on to victory – oh the hardship.
Anyway, onto football matters, we welcomed Wick Academy as our “ First Footers “ to Mosset Park on January 3, it was with great surprise and delight that the game was given the go ahead despite the recent bad weather, although the pitch looked very heavy and cut up very easily, both teams put on a really decent display and a draw was probably the right result.
We started brightly and Dachi Khutsishvili got the first goal of 2016 after only four minutes as we dominated the early exchanges.
However Wick got themselves back into the game after 20 minutes with a very lucky equaliser, a dipping shot from just outside the area from Sam Mackay somehow managed to squirm under Stuart Knight and trickle very slowly over the line. Forres created most of the chances before halftime but it remained level at 1-1 at the change over.
Wick came more into the game in the second half but it was Forres who regained the lead when Liam Baxter somehow managed to get a second chance as his first shot was blocked and he toe poked home, much to the home fans delight.
Wick had the better chances from then on and it looked like only a matter of time before they would draw level, and draw level they did with only six minutes left. Their midfielder Allen found himself in acres of space on the right side (looked suspiciously offside) and his shot across Knight nestled in the far bottom corner to finish the game at 2-2.
A hard fought and very welcome point.