IT'S ENOUGH TO GET ON YOUR WICK

The (English) FA Trophy is going ahead today despite the weather and I would have gone to a game, had there been a fixture near enough for comfort. The present weather is not encouraging me to venture out so I made biscuits instead and am listening to the wireless.

The Scottish FA Challenge Cup is also running this weekend, with the Third Round very much in action, although the weather has postponed three fixtures already. There were 16 fixtures due to be concluded this weekend. Dumbarton and Stirling are league clubs that have fallen to the rain and Wick Academy, members of the Highland League, eventually called off their tie against Linlithgow Rose after the opposition had arrived at the ground, following a road journey of 258 miles OR 5 hours. Wick is almost at John O' Groats and Linlithgow just north of Stirling.

The only Scottish Junior FA East regional Super League club left in the draw, Rose will be spitting feathers, having made the long trip for nothing. Founded in 1889 the club has gradually become established as a successful member of the Scottish Junior FA, meeting up with such beautifully named rivals as Penicuik, Musselburgh Athletic, Bonyrigg Rose and Hill of Beath Hawthorn. They all must mean something!

Wick Academy, founded in 1893, play in the "higher" Highland League and perform at a level similar to Huntly, Lothian Thistle HV, Inverurie Loco Works and Cumbernauld Colts. The club was founded on the basis of the local school and joined the Wick League in 1896 and became eligible for the Scottish Cup in 1911.

Wick's Sam MacKay will be miffed, having won the "Goal of the Round" twice in the last two rounds, was hoping to make "history". He can still do it, of course but momentum is momentum! His goals appear on this link, against Whitehill Welfare and Nairn.

http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=1957&newsCategoryID=7&newsID=15717