Wick Academy boss Gary Manson is hopeful his side’s Scottish Cup tie with Musselburgh Athletic finally gets the go-ahead.
The preliminary round tie has been postponed twice – last Saturday and Tuesday night – and the two teams will try for a third time this afternoon.
The pitch at Harmsworth Park, Manson acknowledges, is not the greatest for drainage, and rainfall across the north this week could scupper the game once again.
Wick were due to have a home league game against Clach on Saturday before the tie was rescheduled, with the latter now playing against Inverurie Locos instead.
Manson said: “It’s probably about 50-50 at the moment but fingers crossed it is on, as the longer it’s dragged on it gets a bit farcical.”
Wick Academy v Musselburgh Athletic Tuesday 15th Dec – match postponed. Rescheduled to Sat 19th 3.00pm. @MusselburghAth
https://t.co/kZWNc9Oisp— Wick Academy FC (@WickAcademyFC) December 14, 2020
The winner of the tie, however, will have to travel to Cowdenbeath on Boxing Day for a first round game, which Manson struggles to see the logic of.
He added: “Whoever in the SFA thought Boxing Day games for semi-professiontal teams was a good idea, I don’t know.
“Most people are on holiday in that period, when you could play it on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. It’s not logical from that point of view.
“If we do get through and the game is on Boxing Day, we’ll have to set off about 7am. It’s a long day and it takes a bit of the enjoyment out of it.”
In the absence of the two games, Wick have reverted to training, with league games against Brora Rangers and Buckie Thistle already under their belt.
Should the game go-ahead tomorrow, they will be without Jack Halliday (knee) while Danny Mackay (concussion) will be assessed.