Match Report : Ardeer Thistle v Whitletts Victoria
ARDEER THISTLE 1 - WHITLETTS VICTORIA 2
Whitletts geared up for their forthcoming big cup double header against giants Arthurlie and Bathgate by ending Ardeer’s unbeaten league run in an entertaining match at Ardeer Stadium.
Manager Steph McMillan turned back the years as former Talbot and Beith legend Derek McCulloch played as a trialist and his experience at the back gave Vics a solid foundation to build on as they started the match in determined fashion.
And it didn’t take the Ayr side long to make their early play count as they took a third minute lead thanks to Michael O’Connor. Thistle keeper Paul McCann spilled a Tony Balfour shot and O’Connor was on hand to capitalise by taking the loose ball round the keeper before tapping home.
Vics were dominant early on an Balfour had a great chance in the eighth minute to increase the visitors advantage but his shot was held by McCann.
McCulloch was marshalling the Vics defence and the former Hurlford boss was instrumental creating a chance for the visitors in the 16th minute when his superb ball from the back found Bryan Patterson and from his cross, O’Connor was denied by a fine save from McCann at his near post.
Vics suffered a blow in the 20th minute when Ardeer’s Derek McGrory picked up a yellow card for a tackle on Marc Cameron that left the Vics’ midfielder in agony and eventually replaced by Dominic Boyle. Cameron had been dealing with everything that came into the middle of the park and Vics’ lost a bit of momentum because of the enforced substitution and Ardeer almost captalised immediately on the counter attack when Ross Stewart and Kevin Ramsay broke clear but the latter was denied by a superb block from Lee Holland before Vics’ scrambled the ball to safety.
Whitletts were still the dominant team however and Balfour again was unlucky with a strike from the edge of the box that flew just wide of McCann’s goal.
It seemed only a matter of time before Vics would increase their advantage and they did just that in the 36th minute when from a Balfour corner, Bryan Patterson rose to head past McCann. Sixty seconds later O’Connor again had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for a narrow offside decision.
Five minutes into the second period, Vics’ had a great chance to end the match as a contest when a great ball from Martin Lawrie picked out Tony Balfour whose first time drive crashed back off the post and O’Connor could only fire the rebound straight at McCann.
The home side were determined to keep their unbeaten league run in tact and began to work their way into the game and in the 54th minute reduced the leeway. Steven Gregory worked his way to the byeline to set up Lee Munro whose netbound effort struck his own player and in the scramble that followed Ross Stewart poked the ball past Fraser Stewart.
For the next 20 minutes it was the home side who were doing all the pressing and the Vics’ defence was put under severe pressure and they almost snatched an equaliser in 65th minute but this time Stewart couldn’t connect properly with Greg Kean’s cross with the goal at his mercy.
A minute later from an Ardeer corner, Gregory saw his header cleared at the far post by McCulloch as the home side pressed for the equaliser but Vics’ regained their composure and in the 76th minute a handball by Craig Breen stopped Tony Balfour bearing in on goal but referee Gerard Pilu adjudged the big defender not to be last man and only produced a yellow card. From the resulting free kick however Vics’ almost grabbed a third. Lawrie played in Boyle down the left and from his cross Holland only just failed to connect in front of goal.
It was end to end now but it was VIcs who were creating the better chances and Balfour fired wide with an angled drive and the wee striker was denied again moments later when a Boyle through ball set him clear but McCann reacted quickly to come off his line and make a fine block.
A much better display from Vics who can now look forward to next weeks’ visit of Premier Division Arthurlie in the West of Scotland Cup.
Ardeer Thistle :
1. McCann 2. Ramsay 3. S.Gregory 4. Breen 5.McGrory 6. McIntosh (Maxwell HT) 7. J.Reid ( Paton 83) 8. S.Reid 9. Stewart 10. Munro 11. Kean
Subs (not used) 12. Colligan 15.D.Gregory 17. Smith
Whitletts Victoria :
1. Stewart 2. Longair 3. Lawrie 4. McCulloch 5. Holland 6. Cameron (Boyle 24) 7. Simpson 8. Allan (Barr 70) 9. O’Connor 10. Balfour 11. Patterson (Kerr 62)
Subs (not used) 21. Callaghan
Referee: Gerard Pilu
Whitletts geared up for their forthcoming big cup double header against giants Arthurlie and Bathgate by ending Ardeer’s unbeaten league run in an entertaining match at Ardeer Stadium.
Manager Steph McMillan turned back the years as former Talbot and Beith legend Derek McCulloch played as a trialist and his experience at the back gave Vics a solid foundation to build on as they started the match in determined fashion.
And it didn’t take the Ayr side long to make their early play count as they took a third minute lead thanks to Michael O’Connor. Thistle keeper Paul McCann spilled a Tony Balfour shot and O’Connor was on hand to capitalise by taking the loose ball round the keeper before tapping home.
Vics were dominant early on an Balfour had a great chance in the eighth minute to increase the visitors advantage but his shot was held by McCann.
McCulloch was marshalling the Vics defence and the former Hurlford boss was instrumental creating a chance for the visitors in the 16th minute when his superb ball from the back found Bryan Patterson and from his cross, O’Connor was denied by a fine save from McCann at his near post.
Vics suffered a blow in the 20th minute when Ardeer’s Derek McGrory picked up a yellow card for a tackle on Marc Cameron that left the Vics’ midfielder in agony and eventually replaced by Dominic Boyle. Cameron had been dealing with everything that came into the middle of the park and Vics’ lost a bit of momentum because of the enforced substitution and Ardeer almost captalised immediately on the counter attack when Ross Stewart and Kevin Ramsay broke clear but the latter was denied by a superb block from Lee Holland before Vics’ scrambled the ball to safety.
Whitletts were still the dominant team however and Balfour again was unlucky with a strike from the edge of the box that flew just wide of McCann’s goal.
It seemed only a matter of time before Vics would increase their advantage and they did just that in the 36th minute when from a Balfour corner, Bryan Patterson rose to head past McCann. Sixty seconds later O’Connor again had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for a narrow offside decision.
Five minutes into the second period, Vics’ had a great chance to end the match as a contest when a great ball from Martin Lawrie picked out Tony Balfour whose first time drive crashed back off the post and O’Connor could only fire the rebound straight at McCann.
The home side were determined to keep their unbeaten league run in tact and began to work their way into the game and in the 54th minute reduced the leeway. Steven Gregory worked his way to the byeline to set up Lee Munro whose netbound effort struck his own player and in the scramble that followed Ross Stewart poked the ball past Fraser Stewart.
For the next 20 minutes it was the home side who were doing all the pressing and the Vics’ defence was put under severe pressure and they almost snatched an equaliser in 65th minute but this time Stewart couldn’t connect properly with Greg Kean’s cross with the goal at his mercy.
A minute later from an Ardeer corner, Gregory saw his header cleared at the far post by McCulloch as the home side pressed for the equaliser but Vics’ regained their composure and in the 76th minute a handball by Craig Breen stopped Tony Balfour bearing in on goal but referee Gerard Pilu adjudged the big defender not to be last man and only produced a yellow card. From the resulting free kick however Vics’ almost grabbed a third. Lawrie played in Boyle down the left and from his cross Holland only just failed to connect in front of goal.
It was end to end now but it was VIcs who were creating the better chances and Balfour fired wide with an angled drive and the wee striker was denied again moments later when a Boyle through ball set him clear but McCann reacted quickly to come off his line and make a fine block.
A much better display from Vics who can now look forward to next weeks’ visit of Premier Division Arthurlie in the West of Scotland Cup.
Ardeer Thistle :
1. McCann 2. Ramsay 3. S.Gregory 4. Breen 5.McGrory 6. McIntosh (Maxwell HT) 7. J.Reid ( Paton 83) 8. S.Reid 9. Stewart 10. Munro 11. Kean
Subs (not used) 12. Colligan 15.D.Gregory 17. Smith
Whitletts Victoria :
1. Stewart 2. Longair 3. Lawrie 4. McCulloch 5. Holland 6. Cameron (Boyle 24) 7. Simpson 8. Allan (Barr 70) 9. O’Connor 10. Balfour 11. Patterson (Kerr 62)
Subs (not used) 21. Callaghan
Referee: Gerard Pilu