Skip to the content
Menu

Whitletts Vics : Match Report & Signing News

WHITLETTS VICTORIA 3 - IRVINE VICTORIA 0

Whitletts moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a comfortable win over bottom club Irvine Victoria at Dam Park.

It wasn’t a game that set the heather on fire and at time the Ayr sides performance was lacklustre but there was never any danger in what the outcome was going to be.

The home side started strongly. Marc Dyer had an early strike that flew just past the angle and then Irvine keeper Blair Cousar had to race from his penalty area to block a Michael Reilly effort with his legs. Jordan Boyd then had a chance after a miscued defensive header but the ball wouldn’t fall kindly for him and the danger was cleared.

Boyd then had a shot saved by Cousar and Reilly’s follow up effort was blocked by a desperate challenge from a defender and then Boyd again had another great chance when presented with a free header from a Louis Kerr corner kick which he put over the bar.

A goal was on the cards and it came in the 34th minute. At the second attempt Sean Ewart crossed to the back post when Thomas Donovan, under pressure from a defender, bundled the ball home.

Three minutes later Whitletts doubled their advantage. After Cousar saved Donovan’s 20 yard strike, Louis Kerr picked up the loose ball and set up Reilly who fired into the empty net.

Dyer had a couple of efforts early in the second half. The first a low ball across goal which Donovan failed to connect with, the second a shot from the edge of the box which was saved by Cousar.

Had any of them gone in it could have been a case of how many but Irvine weren’t going to roll over and they started seeing more of the possession, particularly in the Whitletts half of the park with causing any real danger to trialist keeper Chris Wright in the Whitletts goal.

Danny Wilson fizzed a free kick just over for the visitors while Wright made a fine save to deny Ayr United youngster Gabe Skeoch.

Reilly did have the ball in the net again midway through the half but it was ruled out for offside but there was a growing sensation that Whitletts had fallen out of the game in an attacking sense with the visitors pressing them further and further back.

With 20 minutes remaining only a superb last ditch tackle from Callum Walsh prevented Ewan McLuckie from giving the visitors a way back into the match but as the match reached its’ conclusion it was the home side who were doing the pressing. Cousar had to be alert to push a deflected Boyd cross out from under his crossbar and with two minutes of the ninety remaining the Irvine keeper again denied the Whitletts striker as he came off his line to block.

Boyd then raced clear only for his effort to be blocked again by Cousar and Donovan’s follow up effort was deflected wide.

At the other end Ewan McLuckie was denied a goal for Irvine when Martin Findlay cleared his back post effort off the line but most of the chances were at the other end. Boyd and Reilly both had efforts blocked while two minutes into injury time Isaac Kerr put a more satisfactory scoreline on the proceedings as he rose to head home a Donovan corner.

A vital three points for Whitletts which can now give them some breathing space between them and the clubs currently occupying the relegation places.

Whitletts Victoria
1. Wright 2. Findlay 3. Ewart 4. I.Kerr 5. Walsh 6. Davidson (Patterson 77) 7. Reilly (A.Brown 90) 8. Dyer 9. Boyd 10. Donovan 11. L.Kerr (Millar 71)
Subs (not used) 13. Wilson 14. M.Brown

Irvine Victoria
1. Cousar 2. Macaulay 3. Craig 4. Holden 5. Smith 6. Farrell (P.Singleton HT) 7. McLuckie 8. Miller 9. Bembo (Sommerville 58) 10. Wilson 11. Skeoch
Subs (not used) 15. Running 16. McCann 17. Walker

Referee: Liam Gallagher

 

DYER JOINS VICS

Whitletts Victoria are delighted to announce the signing of Marc Dyer from Craigmark Burntonians.

The 25 year midfielder has joined the Vics after 4 years at Station Park where, as captain, he led the Club to promotion to the Championship and helped consolidated their place in the second tier last season.

Moving on the opposite direction are midfielder David Cunningham in a permanent deal and striker Jordan Baird who will join the Station Park club on loan until the end of the season.

Vics boss George Grierson is delighted to sign Dyer.

“Marc Dyer is a player whom I’ve admired for a long time. He’s a quality player who will provide the drive that we’ve been missing from the middle of the park this season. He’s a strong physical player but also very talented and will fit in well with our style of play and is one who I’d like to build a team around for years to come” said Grierson.

David Cunningham, who along with Baird was on loan at Girvan, will move to Station Park on a permanent basis while Baird will join on loan until the end of the season.

“David Cunningham is a very good footballer and a really good guy but his game time was limited with us and he was loaned to Girvan to give him necessary game time” said Grierson. “When Craigmark expressed their interest in him it became clear that this was a move that would benefit all parties and I wish David every success for the future.”

“Jordan is a player who if he applies himself properly could have a big future in the game. Having been on loan at Maybole and then Girvan, he will now join Craigmark until the end of the season. With each loan deal he has stepped up a division and will now be playing at the level of the game that we compete. This is the challenge now for him to continue his development, showcase his talent and show us the player that we all know is there.”