Wick Academy 2 Buckie Thistle 3: Jags start shortened season with win
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BUCKIE Thistle manager Graeme Stewart believes his side are among as many as seven clubs who could challenge for the Highland League title.
The Jags got their 2020/21 campaign off to an ideal start with a 3-2 victory over Wick Academy in a gripping encounter at Harmsworth Park on Saturday.
And, with the fixture list shortened to 15 games because of Covid-19, Stewart reckons any team that can put together a winning run in the early weeks of the season will be entitled to see themselves as title contenders.
“If you go on a four or five-match winning run at the start of the season you’re in with a chance, there’s no doubt about it, because teams will start getting nervous – so this is a unique season,” Stewart said.
“It’s a strange season but it’s one where teams can come from nowhere and win it. I would think seven teams have got a realistic chance and that’s amazing.
“I would include us in that, but if everyone is being honest I would think Brora and Fraserburgh are the two favourites. The rest of us are hoping they slip up.”
After a goalless first half against Wick, Kyle Macleod’s header from a Scott Adams’ on 55 minutes gave Buckie the lead. Craig Gunn equalised ten minutes later for the home side, before Macleod’s second header, this time from a Mark Mclauchlan cross, put the Jags back in front.
Andy MacAskill was up ended in the box just a few minutes later and got up to fire a third in from the penalty spot.
Ryan Campbell pulled one back late on for Wick – who also saw Gunn denied by the linesman’s flag at the death – but the Jags held on to take three points from the season opener.
“Any win away at Wick is a great win,” Stewart said.
“We said before the game – we didn’t care how we got there, we just had to win the game, and luckily enough the boys did.
“I think we slightly edged it and we had the better chances, but we made it nervy for ourselves at the end after they scored their second goal.
“They came strong at the end. If we had got a draw I would have been gutted but I wouldn’t say we dominated that game.
“It was our first game, we had a seven-hour trip, our goalkeeper was out and a few other little things went against us. Considering all those things, I was delighted. I would have taken anything and luckily we got it.”
Stewart said his players had responded well after the disappointment of their Highland League Cup final defeat to Rothes at the end of October. The Jags had beaten league champions Brora Rangers in the semis after the latter stages of the 2019/20 tournament were rearranged.
“The boys have been brilliant,” Stewart added. “We lost the cup final but we beat Brora.
“Maybe the players were guilty of thinking after beating Brora that the final was going to be easier. That might not be the case, but you could probably argue that point.
“Trust me, the guys don’t want to feel that way again because that was a horrible feeling – it took a week to get over.
“It wasn’t nice getting beaten but it was great getting to a final and that’s where we want to be.
“Buckie should always be challenging at the top.”
The Jags host Inverurie Loco Works on Saturday afternoon.
