Match Report - By Steven Mew

City moved to the top of the Highland League table as a hat-trick from Dayle Robertson helped City to a convincing victory against Wick Academy at Harmsworth Park yesterday afternoon.

At a tricky venue where the likes of Fraserburgh and Buckie Thistle have both come undone already this season, City put in a fine showing and the game was effectively over as a contest by half time.

Manager Patrick Cregg was forced into one change from last weekend with Marc Scott unavailable, so Craig Tosh took his place in the starting 11. Cregg himself was serving a one match ban from his sending off against St Johnstone earlier in the month, with Assistant Logan McConachie taking charge in the dugout.

The visitors should have been ahead within the first couple of minutes when Macleod’s looping cross found Loudon – he skipped inside before being denied by the keeper and Robertson was unable to prod home the rebound with the goal at his mercy.

However, DAYLE ROBERTSON was not to be denied on 10 minutes as he opened the scoring. A strike from Loudon inside the box deflected kindly for Robertson just a few yards from goal and he nodded into the net despite the best efforts of Reid to keep it out.

With 20 minutes on the clock, Brad McKay went into the book for tugging down David Allan on the edge of the box – the resulting free kick struck the wall before the rebound from Owen Rendall was fired over the bar.

Midway through the half, Lewis Martin fired over from 20 yards and shortly after, a free kick from Ewan Loudon struck the defensive wall.

City kept probing, with Kevin McHattie having a shot blocked before a free kick by Spencer Moreland was headed at the keeper by Craig Tosh.

Six minutes before the break, City got the second goal that they deserved and it came in spectacular fashion. Ewan Loudon teed up KEVIN MCHATTIE 25 yards from goal and he arrowed a powerful drive into the corner. It was one of those strikes hit so sweetly that it would have still gone in had it been 10-15 yards further out.

Things would get even better for City just three minutes later when Euan Spark was bundled over in the box by goalkeeper Jayden Reid, with referee Harry Bruce having little hesitation in pointing to the spot. DAYLE ROBERTSON stepped up and showed great confidence and he smashed his penalty high into the net to put City firmly in command.

Michael Cruickshank replaced Kevin McHattie at the break and City went out in the second half looking for more goals. Within two minutes of the restart, Lewis Martin threaded a fine ball through for Fraser Macleod but he was denied by the feet of Reid.

Cruickshank then shot over from range before MacLeod was again denied, this time the keeper did well to push away his low shot before Martin fired a strike just inches past the post.

City kept up the pressure with McKay heading wide from Moreland’s corner and just a few minutes later, a low cross from Spark found Tosh inside the box but he couldn’t keep his shot down.

Tosh would come close again when a quick corner routine saw Moreland play the ball into Tosh just inside the box – his strike was pushed out by Reid into the path of Spark who couldn’t react quick enough to guide his shot goalwards.

Despite City’s dominance, the hosts managed to pull a goal back against the run of play midway through the second half. A long ball upfield was misjudged by Spark and GORDON MACNAB nipped in behind the defence, before sidestepping the challenge of McKay before placing his shot into the corner.

Any hope that the Scorries had of getting back into the game were diminished ten minutes later when DAYLE ROBERTSON grabbed his hat-trick to make it 4-1. Brad McKay fired an in-swinging cross into the box and Robertson nipped in ahead of the goalkeeper to knock the ball home for his 6th goal of the season.

As the game approached stoppage time, substitute Anthony McDonald swung in a free kick where very nearly sneaked in at the back post, however Reid managed to get a hand to it to push the ball away.

Overall it was another impressive showing and the result, coupled with Brora Rangers’ defeat at home to Keith, saw City move to the top of the table ahead of a midweek home fixture against Deveronvale on Wednesday evening (8pm kick off).

Other Results - Breedon Highland League

Brora Rangers 2 Keith 3

Deveronvale 1 Buckie Thistle 7

Forres Mechanics 3 Lossiemouth 2

Fraserburgh 1 Banks O' Dee 0

Huntly 1 Clachnacuddin 2

Rothes 0 Inverurie Locos 4

Strathspey Thistle 0 Formartine United 4

Turriff United 0 Nairn County 2