Match Report : Craigmark v Whitletts
CRAIGMARK BURNTONIANS 1 - WHITLETTS VICTORIA 4
Whitletts recovered from an early set back to cruise to victory against a Craigmark side that finished the match with only nine men.
In only the second minute Vics’ defender Connor Simpson stumbled over the ball and Aidan Keegan calmly lofted the ball over Jordan Callaghan to give the home side a surprise lead.
Three minutes later the Ayr side were back on level terms after Michael O’Connor was bundled down inside the box by Stephen MacKay and the Vics’ frontman dusted himself down to send ‘Mark keeper the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Whitletts were dominant in the tricky conditions with the long grass not conducive to passing football and Stevie Kerr almost gave them the lead with a header that flashed just wide of the post.
Kerr looked keen in midfield and in the 20th minute he got on the end of a Tony Balfour cross but this time his header was blocked by Worrall.
Moments later Balfour fired just wide as the visitors applied the pressure and they got the goal their play deserved in the 23rd minute after Worrall spilled an Elliot Duffy shot and Balfour pounced to fire home from close range.
Balfour grabbed his second in the 33rd minute as he shrugged off the attention of Lewis Kirkwood to get on the end of an O’Connor flick to fire past the keeper.
Even this early on the match was over as contest though to their credit Craigmark continued to battle. Balfour almost completed a first half hat trick with a thunderous left foot drive that Worrall did well to parry clear and the ‘Mark keeper was on hand again just before the interval to deny O’Connor at his near post after a well worked free kick by the Vics’ striker and Martin Lawrie
Balfour then side stepped the challenges of two ‘Mark defenders but his curling effort slipped narrowly over the bar as Whitletts had to settle for a 3-1 interval lead.
Craigmark made a double substitution at the interval bringing on Calum Coughtrie and Fraser Steel and the later almost made an instant impression but his header flashed just wide.
Tony Balfour then bundled an O’Connor cross inches wide as they continued to dominate proceedings and any hope the home side had of getting back into the match ended in the 64th minute when John Henderson saw a straight red card following a very late challenge on Cammy Barr.
Three minutes later they were down to nine men with MacKay picking up a second yellow after a foul on Keiran NIsbet.
Whitletts continued to press forward and in the 70th minute Nisbet broke into the box from the left and his shot was parried by Worrall. Balfour’s follow up was blocked and Stevie Kerr fired the rebound inches wide. O’Connor then just failed to connect with a Nisbet cross as the visitors looked to press home their advantage but despite all the pressure, it wasn’t until eleven minutes from the end that Worrall was beaten again. Again from a Nisbet cross, Stevie Kerr headed home from ten yards to get the goal that his effort and general all round play thoroughly deserved.
Dom Boyle then had a shot from a Balfour cross blocked by the keeper as Whitletts ran out comfortable winners to claim all three points.
Craigmark Burtonians
1. Worrall 2, MacKay 3. Barrett 4. Bowman (Coughtrie HT) 5. Kirkwood 6. McIntyre 7. Poulter (Steel HT) 8. Henderson 9. Smith 10. McCartney 11. Keegan (B.Kerr 73)
Sub (not used) 12. Barnard
Whitletts Victoria
1. Callaghan 2. Simpson (Baillie 73) 3. Lawrie 4. Longair 5. Buchanan 6. Kerr 7. Duffy (Patterson 64) 8. Barr (Boyle 64) 9. O’Connor 10. Balfour 11. Nisbet
Subs (not used) 16. Holland
Referee: Drew Kirkland
Whitletts recovered from an early set back to cruise to victory against a Craigmark side that finished the match with only nine men.
In only the second minute Vics’ defender Connor Simpson stumbled over the ball and Aidan Keegan calmly lofted the ball over Jordan Callaghan to give the home side a surprise lead.
Three minutes later the Ayr side were back on level terms after Michael O’Connor was bundled down inside the box by Stephen MacKay and the Vics’ frontman dusted himself down to send ‘Mark keeper the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Whitletts were dominant in the tricky conditions with the long grass not conducive to passing football and Stevie Kerr almost gave them the lead with a header that flashed just wide of the post.
Kerr looked keen in midfield and in the 20th minute he got on the end of a Tony Balfour cross but this time his header was blocked by Worrall.
Moments later Balfour fired just wide as the visitors applied the pressure and they got the goal their play deserved in the 23rd minute after Worrall spilled an Elliot Duffy shot and Balfour pounced to fire home from close range.
Balfour grabbed his second in the 33rd minute as he shrugged off the attention of Lewis Kirkwood to get on the end of an O’Connor flick to fire past the keeper.
Even this early on the match was over as contest though to their credit Craigmark continued to battle. Balfour almost completed a first half hat trick with a thunderous left foot drive that Worrall did well to parry clear and the ‘Mark keeper was on hand again just before the interval to deny O’Connor at his near post after a well worked free kick by the Vics’ striker and Martin Lawrie
Balfour then side stepped the challenges of two ‘Mark defenders but his curling effort slipped narrowly over the bar as Whitletts had to settle for a 3-1 interval lead.
Craigmark made a double substitution at the interval bringing on Calum Coughtrie and Fraser Steel and the later almost made an instant impression but his header flashed just wide.
Tony Balfour then bundled an O’Connor cross inches wide as they continued to dominate proceedings and any hope the home side had of getting back into the match ended in the 64th minute when John Henderson saw a straight red card following a very late challenge on Cammy Barr.
Three minutes later they were down to nine men with MacKay picking up a second yellow after a foul on Keiran NIsbet.
Whitletts continued to press forward and in the 70th minute Nisbet broke into the box from the left and his shot was parried by Worrall. Balfour’s follow up was blocked and Stevie Kerr fired the rebound inches wide. O’Connor then just failed to connect with a Nisbet cross as the visitors looked to press home their advantage but despite all the pressure, it wasn’t until eleven minutes from the end that Worrall was beaten again. Again from a Nisbet cross, Stevie Kerr headed home from ten yards to get the goal that his effort and general all round play thoroughly deserved.
Dom Boyle then had a shot from a Balfour cross blocked by the keeper as Whitletts ran out comfortable winners to claim all three points.
Craigmark Burtonians
1. Worrall 2, MacKay 3. Barrett 4. Bowman (Coughtrie HT) 5. Kirkwood 6. McIntyre 7. Poulter (Steel HT) 8. Henderson 9. Smith 10. McCartney 11. Keegan (B.Kerr 73)
Sub (not used) 12. Barnard
Whitletts Victoria
1. Callaghan 2. Simpson (Baillie 73) 3. Lawrie 4. Longair 5. Buchanan 6. Kerr 7. Duffy (Patterson 64) 8. Barr (Boyle 64) 9. O’Connor 10. Balfour 11. Nisbet
Subs (not used) 16. Holland
Referee: Drew Kirkland