Buckie Thistle 5-2 Wick Academy

Buckie Thistle midfielder Jack MacIver set up four goals and scored an outstanding free-kick as the Jags came from a goal down to defeat Wick Academy at Victoria Park.

Josh Peters also grabbed a double for the home side, with headers from Jack Murray and Sam Morrison completing the nap hand.

Wick stunned their hosts with the opener after only six minutes, Kyle Henderson's looping cross from the right controlled well by the unmarked Marc MacGregor, and he poked the ball beyond Knight from close range.

The home side levelled in the 25h minute when MacIver cut the ball back from the byline, and Peters’ sublime touch took him past his man to fire low into the net from 12 yards.

Scott Adams then had a goalbound effort blocked by Robert McLean after he linked up well with Peters down the left flank.

Buckie were on top now and went ahead in the 33rd minute when MacIver’s corner picked out Jack Murray, who crashed a header past Graeme Williamson at the near post.

Six minutes from half time MacIver curled a tremendous free kick into the top left hand corner of the net from 22 yards to make it three-one.

Max Barry almost made it four before the break when he blasted his shot just over the crossbar from a clever reverse pass by Adams.

The visitors also began the second half the better side, and the excellent Richard Macadie brought a fine save from Knight from the edge of the penalty area in the first minute of the second period.

Buckie didn’t heed the warning though, and two minutes later a fine move ended with Jack Halliday placing his shot into the far corner from 18 yards to pull it back to three-two.

Knight made a fine save to push Henderson’s drive from 18 yards wide of the post, the Jags number one then produced an even better double save from the same player’s curling cross and the follow up effort from Gary Pullen.

The home side made a double change on 55 minutes, Cohen Ramsay and Lyall Keir replacing Darryl McHardy and Scott Adams.

MacIver showed great skill to surge forward and play in substitute Keir just beyond the hour mark, but Keir’s touch past Williamson was too heavy and went out of play for a goal kick.

Ryan Fyffe replaced Joe McCabe at right back after he took a thigh knock on 68 minutes.

Keir was again proving a threat down the left and his low ball in just evaded the inrushing Peters, then the young winger cut inside past two men only to shoot straight at Williamson from 15 yards.

Wick had Owen Rendall sent off on 75 minutes after a clash with Barry, who was also booked for his part in the incident.

Sam Morrison clinched all three points for the homesters when he found space to head home another MacIver corner from the right.

Peters completed the scoring with his second and Buckie’s fifth of the afternoon, racing onto MacIver’s through ball to fire low past Williamson from the right of the six-yard box.

The victory takes the Jags within a point of second place Formartine with three games in hand, after the North Lodge Park men were beaten at Banks o’ Dee.

Up next is the Third Round of the Scottish Cup and a trip to East of Scotland Premier League leaders Broxburn Athletic on Saturday.

Buckie Th: S. Knight; J. McCabe (R. Fyffe 68), S. Morrison, J. Murray, D. McHardy (C. Ramsay 55); S. Pugh, D. Wood; J. MacIver, M. Barry, S. Adams (L. Keir 55); J. Peters
Subs not used: E. Storrier, L. Mackinnon, H. Munro, J. MacLeod

Scorers: J. Peters (25, 89), J. Murray (33), J. MacIver (39), S. Morrison (81)