Forres Mechanics 4 Wick Academy 2: Kane able to see off visitors with second half brace
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A STRONG late showing secured a second home win in a week for Forres Mechanics as they defeated Wick Academy 4-2 at Mosset Park.
The Cans had just one outfielder above the age of 21 in their starting line-up but turned in a mature, battling performance as four goals from teenagers saw off a good Wick side.
Ben Barron and Ryan MacLeman scored as the game reached the break at 2-2, before Kane Davies' double saw Forres pick up all three points.
Assistant manager Stephen Maclean said: "They finished eighth last season, have a really good side and play really good football so to come out on top against them is pleasing.
"We were saying at half-time that it could have gone either way sitting at 2-2 and one of our biggest weaknesses this season has been the second half of most games.
"We have been really pleased with how much football the boys have been playing, but concerned about a lack of dig sometimes and being bullied by teams.
"But when it got niggly, we stood up and came out on top – tat's what got us the win, that we were prepared to battle."
Mechanics took the lead inside two minutes when Lucas Davidson, usually a central midfielder but deputising at left-back, controlled Stuart Knight's long throw out and whipped in a great cross for Ben Barron to diving header into the corner.
Wick levelled the scores on nine minutes when Mark Macadie got in down the right and cut back for Sean Campbell to turn home from eight yards.
Barron went close to doubling his and Forres' tally on 13 minutes when he turned Dale Wood's deflected cross over the bar from close range.
Wood, playing in central midfield, then played a superb outside of the foot pass to set Kane Davies through, but Davies dragged his shot wide.
Wick got their noses in front before the half hour after a mistake from Stuart Knight in the Forres goal, with a 25-yard effort from Mark Macadie squirming through the keeper.
The visitors weren't ahead for long, though, with Knight atoning for his error by sending a long ball up the park to assist Ryan MacLeman, who clipped over Wick goalkeeper Graeme Williamson and in for 2-2.
Connall Ewan should have completed a quickfire Forres turnaround just minutes later but the defender couldn't quite sort his feet out quickly enough and was denied on the line.
Wick would have been wondering how they weren't ahead at half-time after Mark Macadie squared for Mark Munro to tap in to an empty net, but the forward's finish was tame and the ball was cleared off the line.
Mechanics picked up the pace after the hour mark and went 3-2 ahead thanks to a mistake from Williamson – who let a Kane Davies free-kick from 25 yards squirm under his body and in.
Ben Barron thought he had secured the win on 76 minutes when he turned in after Ryan MacLeman's shot proved to hot too handle for Williamson, but the flag was up.
The win was secured eight minutes from time and it was Kane Davies again – this time with a fine swerving effort from 25 yards which evaded the fingertips of Williamson.
Substitute Shaun Morrison could have added to the score in stoppage time but turned over MacLeman's cutback on the stretch.
The Can-Cans travel to Pitmedden on Saturday to take on Formartine United.
Maclean added: "Formartine are in that group we are looking to take points off of to make sure we finish higher than we did last season
"This week has been brilliant with six points against teams that finished above us last season. Nine would be unreal."
