Strathspey Thistle unlucky not to grab first point of the season
Strathspey Thistle were unlucky not to take a point from their long midweek trip to Wick Academy last night.
The Jags have lost the first three games of the new Highland League season but last night showed the new-look squad is not far off challenging sides in the lower half of the table.
Marc MacGregor scored in the 23rd minute and the visitors then suffered a big blow on the cusp of half-time when Gary Pullen added a second.
But it was a much improved showing in the second half with James McShane pulling a goal back in the 54th minute.
There were so many close shaves around the Academy goalmouth in the closing stages.
But unfortunately Thistle could not find an equaliser to give them their first point of the season.
Jags manager Bobby Beckwith reflected: “We tweaked it a little bit at half-time, told them we had to squeeze them a bit more, and we had enough chances to win three games.
“It shows we’re going in the right direction.
“We’ve had a hard start with Huntly away, then Brora on Saturday, and then we’ve had to come up here on a Wednesday night.
“Wick are a very strong side and there won’t be many teams who come here and get any points.
“We should have taken a point but fair play to Wick.”
Wick Academy manager Gary Manson admitted the Scorries rode their luck at times last night and was relieved to take the three points.
“I’ve been there many times as a player,” he said.
“You’ve played well in the first half, you’ve got two goals, probably should have had three or four, and just naturally, subconsciously, you take your foot off the pedal a little bit.
“No matter how much we speak about it at half-time – which I can assure you we did – they were under no illusions that it wasn’t going to be straightforward in the second half, Strathspey would come out fighting, and so it proved.”
Beckwith had been unhappy with the scheduling of the fixture with the 100 mile plus trip on a work day evening.
He had commented ahead of the game: “I will never understand what the thinking was when arranging this match. It will be another tough game.”
Conor MacPhee, Dylan Lawrence, Gordon McNab and Liam Struan were all missing to injury while Ali Nixon was away and not available for selection.
The Jags next host Forres Academy at home this Saturday.
Highland League results from Wednesday: Brechin City 2, Inverurie Locos 0; Buckie Thistle 1, Fraserburgh 3; Clachnacuddin 0, Nairn County 2; Deveronvale 2, Huntly 2; Formartine United 1, Turriff United 2; Forres Mechanics 1, Brora Rangers 4; Keith 1, Banks O’ Dee 2; Lossiemouth 3, Rothes 2; Wick Academy 2, Strathspey Thistle 1.
Fixtures for Saturday, August 10: Banks O’ Dee v Nairn County; Brora Rangers v Formartine United; Fraserburgh v Brechin City; Huntly v Buckie Thistle; Inverurie Locos v Clachnacuddin; Rothes v Keith; Strathspey Thistle v Forres Mechanics; Turriff United v Lossiemouth; Wick Academy v Deveronvale (all 3pm).
