Match Report : Whitletts Vics
KELLO ROVERS 2 - WHITLETTS VICTORIA 4
Whitletts Victoria returned to winning ways to keep alive their promotion hopes in a match played in difficult conditions at Nithside Park.
With a strong wind at their backs, Vics defender Raymond Buchanan tried an audacious shot straight from the kick off that Rovers keeper Derek Gall fumbled before collecting at the second attempt.
Whitletts had the better of the early play, pinning the home side back into defence but it was Kello who created the first real attempt on goal when Keiran Pagan managed to turn two Vics’ defenders inside the box before firing just over the bar.
Shaun Allan hooked a shot wide of goal from six yards after Gall had flapped at a Tony Balfour corner but Kello were growing into the game and in the 17th minute Vics’ keeper Jordan Callaghan had to be alert to tip over a Calum Kilpatrick cross but from the resulting corner the home side snatched the lead. As the visitors failed to clear their lines, the ball was returned to the danger zone and Stuart Bell swivelled to fire past Callaghan.
That goal shook the Ayr side into action and within four minutes they were back on level terms. Marc Cameron played a Balfour cross into the box to Michael O’Connor and his low shot on the turn beat Gall from 10 yards.
Moments later alert goalkeeping saw Callaghan quickly close down Liam Fleming as he raced onto a long pass. However Whitletts continued to look the more dangerous side and in the 28th minute, Balfour almost gave the Dam Park side the lead when he beat 2 defenders only to be denied by a combination of keeper Gall and a goal line clearance from Kilpatrick. Seconds later Balfour was sent clear only to be denied again by a fine save from Gall with O’Connor failing to capitalise on the rebound.
Gall again came to the home sides rescue in the 36th minute after O’Connor and Balfour combined but again the Kello number one blocked Balfour’s strike and neither striker could capitalise on the rebound.
A goal had to come for the visitors and six minutes from the interval they took the lead. A throw in down the left released Balfour who raced clear to beat the advancing Gall at his near post.
It was all Whitletts and they went close again with a Balfour free kick from 25 yards that Gall parried over for a corner. As Kello cleared the resulting corner a Dom Boyle drive from distance was pushed onto the bar by Gall and was cleared behind by a defender before Balfour could pounce.
The third goal did arrive however in the 43rd minute when a through ball released O’Connor and the Vics’ striker slipped the ball past the Kello keeper.
Whitletts were good value for their interval lead and continued in similar vein in the second period, despite now playing into a strong wind. From a Keiran Nisbet cross a netbound header from substitute Bryan Patterson was blocked by a defender while at the other end, a goal line clearance from Dom Boyle cleared the danger after Callaghan had blocked a deflected header by Buchanan.
The Ayr side looked to have increased their advantage in the 57th minute when Balfour got on the end of an O’Connor cross but a Kilpatrick diving header cleared the danger despite appeals that the ball had crossed the line.
Two minutes later, Galls’ attempt to keep the ball in play only succeeded in setting up O’Connor wide on the right and from his cross Boyle scooped the ball wide at full stretch from the edge of the six yard box.
Balfour latched onto a Nisbet pass but fired over while moments later the little striker turned provider after his good play set up Patterson who was denied by a fine save from Gall.
Kello offered little but Vics’ paid the penalty in the 68th minute when a wind assisted kick from Gall was left by a static Vics defence and Fleming ran on to beat Callaghan to the ball to reduce the leeway.
Within five minutes however, Whitletts had restored their two goal advantage when Kello’s Derek MacDonald turned a Balfour cross from the left into his own net.
Whitletts continued to do most of the pressing as they ran out comfortable winners and this win will give the Ayr side a confidence boost as they head to Irvine for Wednesday night’s vital clash with promotion favourites Irvine Victoria
KELLO ROVERS
1. Gall 2. Kilpatrick 3. McDonald 4. Shaw 5. S. Fleming 6. Hampson 7. L. Fleming 8. Bell 9. Aitken 10. Jardine 11. Pagan Sub 12 (not used) 12 Sivewright
WHITLETTS VICTORIA
1. Callaghan 2. Simpson 3. Lawrie 4. Holland 5. Buchanan 6. Cameron (Patterson 34) 7. Boyle 8. Allan (Kerr 76) 9. O’Connor 10. Balfour 11. Nisbet (Longair 74)
Referee: Calum Haswell
Whitletts Victoria returned to winning ways to keep alive their promotion hopes in a match played in difficult conditions at Nithside Park.
With a strong wind at their backs, Vics defender Raymond Buchanan tried an audacious shot straight from the kick off that Rovers keeper Derek Gall fumbled before collecting at the second attempt.
Whitletts had the better of the early play, pinning the home side back into defence but it was Kello who created the first real attempt on goal when Keiran Pagan managed to turn two Vics’ defenders inside the box before firing just over the bar.
Shaun Allan hooked a shot wide of goal from six yards after Gall had flapped at a Tony Balfour corner but Kello were growing into the game and in the 17th minute Vics’ keeper Jordan Callaghan had to be alert to tip over a Calum Kilpatrick cross but from the resulting corner the home side snatched the lead. As the visitors failed to clear their lines, the ball was returned to the danger zone and Stuart Bell swivelled to fire past Callaghan.
That goal shook the Ayr side into action and within four minutes they were back on level terms. Marc Cameron played a Balfour cross into the box to Michael O’Connor and his low shot on the turn beat Gall from 10 yards.
Moments later alert goalkeeping saw Callaghan quickly close down Liam Fleming as he raced onto a long pass. However Whitletts continued to look the more dangerous side and in the 28th minute, Balfour almost gave the Dam Park side the lead when he beat 2 defenders only to be denied by a combination of keeper Gall and a goal line clearance from Kilpatrick. Seconds later Balfour was sent clear only to be denied again by a fine save from Gall with O’Connor failing to capitalise on the rebound.
Gall again came to the home sides rescue in the 36th minute after O’Connor and Balfour combined but again the Kello number one blocked Balfour’s strike and neither striker could capitalise on the rebound.
A goal had to come for the visitors and six minutes from the interval they took the lead. A throw in down the left released Balfour who raced clear to beat the advancing Gall at his near post.
It was all Whitletts and they went close again with a Balfour free kick from 25 yards that Gall parried over for a corner. As Kello cleared the resulting corner a Dom Boyle drive from distance was pushed onto the bar by Gall and was cleared behind by a defender before Balfour could pounce.
The third goal did arrive however in the 43rd minute when a through ball released O’Connor and the Vics’ striker slipped the ball past the Kello keeper.
Whitletts were good value for their interval lead and continued in similar vein in the second period, despite now playing into a strong wind. From a Keiran Nisbet cross a netbound header from substitute Bryan Patterson was blocked by a defender while at the other end, a goal line clearance from Dom Boyle cleared the danger after Callaghan had blocked a deflected header by Buchanan.
The Ayr side looked to have increased their advantage in the 57th minute when Balfour got on the end of an O’Connor cross but a Kilpatrick diving header cleared the danger despite appeals that the ball had crossed the line.
Two minutes later, Galls’ attempt to keep the ball in play only succeeded in setting up O’Connor wide on the right and from his cross Boyle scooped the ball wide at full stretch from the edge of the six yard box.
Balfour latched onto a Nisbet pass but fired over while moments later the little striker turned provider after his good play set up Patterson who was denied by a fine save from Gall.
Kello offered little but Vics’ paid the penalty in the 68th minute when a wind assisted kick from Gall was left by a static Vics defence and Fleming ran on to beat Callaghan to the ball to reduce the leeway.
Within five minutes however, Whitletts had restored their two goal advantage when Kello’s Derek MacDonald turned a Balfour cross from the left into his own net.
Whitletts continued to do most of the pressing as they ran out comfortable winners and this win will give the Ayr side a confidence boost as they head to Irvine for Wednesday night’s vital clash with promotion favourites Irvine Victoria
KELLO ROVERS
1. Gall 2. Kilpatrick 3. McDonald 4. Shaw 5. S. Fleming 6. Hampson 7. L. Fleming 8. Bell 9. Aitken 10. Jardine 11. Pagan Sub 12 (not used) 12 Sivewright
WHITLETTS VICTORIA
1. Callaghan 2. Simpson 3. Lawrie 4. Holland 5. Buchanan 6. Cameron (Patterson 34) 7. Boyle 8. Allan (Kerr 76) 9. O’Connor 10. Balfour 11. Nisbet (Longair 74)
Referee: Calum Haswell