Whitletts Vics - Match Reports
GIRVAN 0 - WHITLETTS VICTORIA 11
Whitletts Victoria got the new season off to the best with an eleven goal route of South Ayrshire rivals Girvan at Hamilton Park.
The Dam Park side were minus some key players due to holiday’s and suspension but that was nothing compared to Girvan who are rebuilding under Billy Thomson and who had to call up a trialist keeper late on to play in the match.
With manager Steph McMillan on holiday, Jonny Baillie took charge of Vics and from the off the visitors pressed forward looking for an early breakthrough and it came in the sixth minute. The trialist keeper initially made a superb one handed save to deny Rikki Hanvey but Tony Balfour pounced and from his cross the keeper flapped at the ball and Michael O’Connor fired home from close range.
The second came in the 17th minute. A superb pass from O’Connor sent Balfour on his way but his first time strike crashed back off the post and Jim Wilson just failed to capitalise on the loose ball. But within seconds the ball was back in the danger zone and O’Connor lofted the ball across goal for Wilson to head home at the back post.
It could have been worse for the home side when a Balfour strike was ruled out for an infringement and then last season’s top scorer just failed to connect with an O’Connor cross in front of goal.
O’Connor then saw his angled drive from just outside the box fly just past the angle but Girvan settled and had a 10 minute spell when they looked likely to get back into the game but the closest they came was when Craig Harvey turned a couple of Vics defenders inside the box before firing just wide.
O’Connor again went close with a shot from the edge of the box but a third goal always looked likely for the visitors and it came in the 42nd minute after a defensive mix up between the keeper and boss Thomson left Wilson the simplest of opportunities to score from six yards.
Right on half time Girvan should have reduced the leeway but Harvey was denied by a superb block by Ally McInnes.
Any hopes the home side had of getting back into the game were over in the 47th minute when O’Connor struck a stunning 25 yard free kick into the roof of the net.
Balfour was desperate to join his strike partners on the scoresheet but he was denied again when referee Drew Kirkland adjudged the striker had fouled a defender before scoring.
The fifth arrived in the 53rd minute. Rikki Hanvey rolling the ball home from the edge of the area after Balfour saw his strike blocked by the keeper. Five minutes later it was six. Only seconds after coming on as a substitute Shaun Allan skipped past the challenges of two defenders and although the keeper parried his cross, Balfour was onhand to finally get his name on the scoresheet.
It should have been seven in the 63rd minute when a neat move involving Wilson and Balfour saw the latters’ shot blocked by the keeper before setting up O’Connor with cross to the back post but somehow the striker headed wide from just six yards but that only delayed the inevitable as in their next attack, Balfour broke to byeline taking the ball past the keeper to score from the tightest of angles.
To their credit Girvan never threw in the towel and only another fine save by McInnes denied Lee Sloan.
In the 68th minute it was 8-0. O’Connor playing a neat one-two with Wilson before firing home to complete his hat trick. Five minutes later Wilson matched that feat, bundling a Balfour cross home from close range.
With quarter of an hour remaining Vics hit double figures as Hanvey netted his second from close range and with eight minutes remaining the scoring was completed with Wilson netting his fourth of the game, tapping a Balfour cross home from close range.
This was a powerful start to the season by a Vics side that looked hungry and was ruthless in front of goal. The challenge now will be for the players to maintain this level of performance for the rest of the campaign.
WHITLETTS VICTORIA
1. McInnes 2. Reynolds (Kerr 54) 3. Longair 4 Buchanan (Baillie 83) 5. Holland 6. Love 7. Hanvey 8. Wallace (Allan 57) 9. Wilson 10. O’Connor 11. Balfour
GIRVAN
1. McLeish 2. McMichael 3. Davidson 4. Thomson 5. Cunningham 6. Sloan 7. Gracie 8. Mitchell 9. Harvey 10. Ashworth 11. McVittie
Subs (not used) 12. Clark 14. Wright 15. Strachan
REFEREE: Drew Kirkland
WHITLETTS VICTORIA 6 - ANNBANK UNITED 2
Tony Balfour hit FIVE as Whitletts maintained their positive winning start to the season in the Ardagh Cup.
It was Annbank who threatened first when Adam Forsyth worked is was to the byeline but his low driven cross found no takers. Within two minutes Vics’ had the ball in the net but Raymond Buchanan’s header was ruled out by referee Ross Menzies for a push.
Not to be outdone however, the big central defender did get his name on the scoresheet two minutes later. From a free kick the ball was floated into the penalty area and Buchanan header beat Ronald Davis to settle into the corner of the net.
Vics’ doubled their advantage in the 17th minute. Tony Balfour latching onto a through ball to drill past Davis from 18 yards. Balfour almost got a second three minutes later but this time his angled shot came crashing back off the post.
Although the home side had the advantage and looked more threatening, Annbank were not out of the game however and in the 22nd minute former Whitletts midfielder Cammy Barr reduced the leeway when an Ally McInnes parry from a Forsyth drive broke unkindly off Graham Longair and Barr followed the ball to head home from under the crossbar
Whitletts responded and both Balfour and Wallace when close with shots from the edge of the box while Balfour was given a great chance to ioncrease Vics’ advantage when one on one with the keeper but this time the former Kello number 1 came out on top.
A second for the Vics hitman did come in the 35th minute. Jim Wilson played a pass inside Robert Kirkland and Balfour blasted the ball high past Davis.
Five minutes before the break, Balfour completed his hat trick, lofting the ball over the keeper who had came too far off line. Ricky Hanvey then tried to get in on the act but his drive was turned over the bar by the Bankies keeper.
Annbank made a strong start to the second half and only two minutes after the restart Kris Stewart ran onto to poke the ball past the advancing McInnes.
Whitletts should have had a penalty when Mick O’Connor was clearly pulled back inside the box as he was about to shoot but referee Ross Menzies waved aside home appeals.
Annbank were pressing for a third but Vics’ withstood what the New Pebble Park side had to offer and then hit them with a sucker punch 1-2 with Balfour scoring twice in a two minute spell. With 57 minutes on the clock Balfour latched onto a Hanvey pass down the left to drill and angles shot past Davis and two minutes later netted his fifth of the night breaking down the right into the box before curling a left footed effort past Davis into the net.
Whitletts continued to press forward. O’Connor saw his long range effort spilled by David but there were no takers while the Bankies keeper did well to deny Shaun Allan. Annbank had their chances too and with five minutes to go they should have added a third. A Callum Nairn drive was parried by McInnes but with the goal at his mercy, Adam Forsyth somehow fired over the bar from six yards.
Michael O’Connor then had a close range header pushed onto the bar by David who then also saved the strikers follow up on the line while Buchanan almost got his second at the death but this time his header flew just over the angle with Davis beaten.
WHITLETTS VICTORIA
1 McInnes 2. Simpson 3. Longair 4. Buchanan 5. Holland 6. Love 7. Hanvey 8. Wallace 9. O’Connor (Baillie 90) 10. Wilson (Nisbet 57) 11. Balfour (Allan 61)
Subs (not used) 21 Patterson
ANNBANK UNITED
1 Davis 2. Anderson 3. Ferry 4. Stewart 5. Kirkland 6. Roy (Donnelly HT) 7. Hill 8. Barr (Nairn 71) 9. Forsyth 10. McCubbin 11. Tait
Subs (not used) 12. Yuppal 16. Collins 17. McNamara
REFEREE: Ross Menzies
Whitletts Victoria got the new season off to the best with an eleven goal route of South Ayrshire rivals Girvan at Hamilton Park.
The Dam Park side were minus some key players due to holiday’s and suspension but that was nothing compared to Girvan who are rebuilding under Billy Thomson and who had to call up a trialist keeper late on to play in the match.
With manager Steph McMillan on holiday, Jonny Baillie took charge of Vics and from the off the visitors pressed forward looking for an early breakthrough and it came in the sixth minute. The trialist keeper initially made a superb one handed save to deny Rikki Hanvey but Tony Balfour pounced and from his cross the keeper flapped at the ball and Michael O’Connor fired home from close range.
The second came in the 17th minute. A superb pass from O’Connor sent Balfour on his way but his first time strike crashed back off the post and Jim Wilson just failed to capitalise on the loose ball. But within seconds the ball was back in the danger zone and O’Connor lofted the ball across goal for Wilson to head home at the back post.
It could have been worse for the home side when a Balfour strike was ruled out for an infringement and then last season’s top scorer just failed to connect with an O’Connor cross in front of goal.
O’Connor then saw his angled drive from just outside the box fly just past the angle but Girvan settled and had a 10 minute spell when they looked likely to get back into the game but the closest they came was when Craig Harvey turned a couple of Vics defenders inside the box before firing just wide.
O’Connor again went close with a shot from the edge of the box but a third goal always looked likely for the visitors and it came in the 42nd minute after a defensive mix up between the keeper and boss Thomson left Wilson the simplest of opportunities to score from six yards.
Right on half time Girvan should have reduced the leeway but Harvey was denied by a superb block by Ally McInnes.
Any hopes the home side had of getting back into the game were over in the 47th minute when O’Connor struck a stunning 25 yard free kick into the roof of the net.
Balfour was desperate to join his strike partners on the scoresheet but he was denied again when referee Drew Kirkland adjudged the striker had fouled a defender before scoring.
The fifth arrived in the 53rd minute. Rikki Hanvey rolling the ball home from the edge of the area after Balfour saw his strike blocked by the keeper. Five minutes later it was six. Only seconds after coming on as a substitute Shaun Allan skipped past the challenges of two defenders and although the keeper parried his cross, Balfour was onhand to finally get his name on the scoresheet.
It should have been seven in the 63rd minute when a neat move involving Wilson and Balfour saw the latters’ shot blocked by the keeper before setting up O’Connor with cross to the back post but somehow the striker headed wide from just six yards but that only delayed the inevitable as in their next attack, Balfour broke to byeline taking the ball past the keeper to score from the tightest of angles.
To their credit Girvan never threw in the towel and only another fine save by McInnes denied Lee Sloan.
In the 68th minute it was 8-0. O’Connor playing a neat one-two with Wilson before firing home to complete his hat trick. Five minutes later Wilson matched that feat, bundling a Balfour cross home from close range.
With quarter of an hour remaining Vics hit double figures as Hanvey netted his second from close range and with eight minutes remaining the scoring was completed with Wilson netting his fourth of the game, tapping a Balfour cross home from close range.
This was a powerful start to the season by a Vics side that looked hungry and was ruthless in front of goal. The challenge now will be for the players to maintain this level of performance for the rest of the campaign.
WHITLETTS VICTORIA
1. McInnes 2. Reynolds (Kerr 54) 3. Longair 4 Buchanan (Baillie 83) 5. Holland 6. Love 7. Hanvey 8. Wallace (Allan 57) 9. Wilson 10. O’Connor 11. Balfour
GIRVAN
1. McLeish 2. McMichael 3. Davidson 4. Thomson 5. Cunningham 6. Sloan 7. Gracie 8. Mitchell 9. Harvey 10. Ashworth 11. McVittie
Subs (not used) 12. Clark 14. Wright 15. Strachan
REFEREE: Drew Kirkland
WHITLETTS VICTORIA 6 - ANNBANK UNITED 2
Tony Balfour hit FIVE as Whitletts maintained their positive winning start to the season in the Ardagh Cup.
It was Annbank who threatened first when Adam Forsyth worked is was to the byeline but his low driven cross found no takers. Within two minutes Vics’ had the ball in the net but Raymond Buchanan’s header was ruled out by referee Ross Menzies for a push.
Not to be outdone however, the big central defender did get his name on the scoresheet two minutes later. From a free kick the ball was floated into the penalty area and Buchanan header beat Ronald Davis to settle into the corner of the net.
Vics’ doubled their advantage in the 17th minute. Tony Balfour latching onto a through ball to drill past Davis from 18 yards. Balfour almost got a second three minutes later but this time his angled shot came crashing back off the post.
Although the home side had the advantage and looked more threatening, Annbank were not out of the game however and in the 22nd minute former Whitletts midfielder Cammy Barr reduced the leeway when an Ally McInnes parry from a Forsyth drive broke unkindly off Graham Longair and Barr followed the ball to head home from under the crossbar
Whitletts responded and both Balfour and Wallace when close with shots from the edge of the box while Balfour was given a great chance to ioncrease Vics’ advantage when one on one with the keeper but this time the former Kello number 1 came out on top.
A second for the Vics hitman did come in the 35th minute. Jim Wilson played a pass inside Robert Kirkland and Balfour blasted the ball high past Davis.
Five minutes before the break, Balfour completed his hat trick, lofting the ball over the keeper who had came too far off line. Ricky Hanvey then tried to get in on the act but his drive was turned over the bar by the Bankies keeper.
Annbank made a strong start to the second half and only two minutes after the restart Kris Stewart ran onto to poke the ball past the advancing McInnes.
Whitletts should have had a penalty when Mick O’Connor was clearly pulled back inside the box as he was about to shoot but referee Ross Menzies waved aside home appeals.
Annbank were pressing for a third but Vics’ withstood what the New Pebble Park side had to offer and then hit them with a sucker punch 1-2 with Balfour scoring twice in a two minute spell. With 57 minutes on the clock Balfour latched onto a Hanvey pass down the left to drill and angles shot past Davis and two minutes later netted his fifth of the night breaking down the right into the box before curling a left footed effort past Davis into the net.
Whitletts continued to press forward. O’Connor saw his long range effort spilled by David but there were no takers while the Bankies keeper did well to deny Shaun Allan. Annbank had their chances too and with five minutes to go they should have added a third. A Callum Nairn drive was parried by McInnes but with the goal at his mercy, Adam Forsyth somehow fired over the bar from six yards.
Michael O’Connor then had a close range header pushed onto the bar by David who then also saved the strikers follow up on the line while Buchanan almost got his second at the death but this time his header flew just over the angle with Davis beaten.
WHITLETTS VICTORIA
1 McInnes 2. Simpson 3. Longair 4. Buchanan 5. Holland 6. Love 7. Hanvey 8. Wallace 9. O’Connor (Baillie 90) 10. Wilson (Nisbet 57) 11. Balfour (Allan 61)
Subs (not used) 21 Patterson
ANNBANK UNITED
1 Davis 2. Anderson 3. Ferry 4. Stewart 5. Kirkland 6. Roy (Donnelly HT) 7. Hill 8. Barr (Nairn 71) 9. Forsyth 10. McCubbin 11. Tait
Subs (not used) 12. Yuppal 16. Collins 17. McNamara
REFEREE: Ross Menzies