Whitletts Vics - Match Report
DARVEL 3 - WHITLETTS VICTORIA 1
Whitletts promotion hopes took a severe blow as they went down to three second half goals to league leaders Darvel at Recreation Park. It was cruel on a Vics’ team that created numerous chances in the game only to lose out to two sucker punch counter attacks.
The incessant rain made it a heavy pitch and difficult conditions for both sides and it is a credit to them that they produced an entertaining match.
The first chance of the game fell to the home side in the 4th minute when Greg Vernon found himself in acres of space but blazed his shot over the bar. And immediately from Ally McInnes kick out, Vics’ took the lead. Tony Balfour picked the ball up out wide on the left and his cross cum shot evaded David Markey in the Darvel goal and went into the net off the post.
Two minutes later Ricky Hanvey was denied when he was set up by Balfour only for his shot to be blocked by Markey’s feet.
In the 9th minute, McInnes made a fine save to deny Mark Gilmour and minutes later the ‘Vale midfielder fired just wide of McInnes’ left post.
Whitletts were creating the clearer cut chances and when Euan Blair headed a corner back across goal, George Wallace’s shot produced a great save from Markey. Markey came to his sides rescue again midway through the half when he parried a Balfour drive round the post.
Darvel had their chances too and Jordan Ryan saw his header from a Murray Johnston cross come back off the face of the crossbar. At the other end Wallace was again denied when his header was scrambled off the line before Michael O’Connor could capitalise while Ricky Hanvey sidestepped a challenge inside the Darvel area and curled a shot just past the far post as Vics’ had to settle for a one goal advantage at the break.
It was a similar story in the second half and Balfour squandered a great chances after just four minutes when he shrugged of the attentions of two defenders to race clear but his angled drive slipped agonisingly wide of the post.
With the pitch cutting up, Darvel began to get a grip on the game and Ryan should have equalised when he was left in the clear but he fired straight at McInnes but in the 62nd minute ‘Vale were back on level terms. As Vics’ failed to clear the danger inside their own box the ball fell to Donald White who curled his shot past McInnes into the net.
Five minutes later Darvel were in front. As a Vics’ attack broke down, the ball was launched downfield. Martin Reynolds failed to cut out the ball leaving Vernon to race clear and round McInnes before rolling the ball into the net.
Whitletts responded and they were denied an equaliser in the 73rd minute when Alan Love’s shot was cleared off the line by Jackson Biggar. Two minutes later it was the woodwork that came to ‘Vale’s rescue. Wallace set up substitute Jim Wilson and the strikers drive looked a goal all the way only to strike the inside of the post and bounce back out from the goal!
Inside the last ten minutes it was still Whitletts pressing for the equaliser. Balfour had time to chest a Hanvey cross but could only fire straight at Markey while a Hanvey free kick from 20 yards stuck the post. A neat move from a Love cross saw Wallace head the ball into the path of Balfour but Markey dived at the feet of Sean Ewart just as the youngster seemed set to score. And from the resulting Darvel attack Vernon broke clear only for his shot to come back off the base of the post for Ryan to follow up and complete the scoring.
This was a sore one for Vics’ to take. On another day it could easily have been a very different outcome but at the moment nothing just seems to be going right for the Dam Park side.
Darvel
1. Markey 2. Biggar 3. White 4. Gaw 5. McPherson 6. Henderson (Lyle 76) 7. Gall (Moodie 67) 8. Gilmour (Bryant 76) 9. Ryan 10. Vernon 11. Johnston
Subs (not used) 14. Kirkwood GK. Sneddon
Whitletts Victoria
1. McInnes 2. Russell (Ewart 67) 3. Blair (Longair 64) 4. Reynolds 5. Wallace 6. Holland 7. Love 8. Kerr 9. Balfour 10. O’Connor (Wilson 55)11. Hanvey
Subs (not used) 14. Simpson 17. Nimmo
Referee: Stephen Graham
Whitletts promotion hopes took a severe blow as they went down to three second half goals to league leaders Darvel at Recreation Park. It was cruel on a Vics’ team that created numerous chances in the game only to lose out to two sucker punch counter attacks.
The incessant rain made it a heavy pitch and difficult conditions for both sides and it is a credit to them that they produced an entertaining match.
The first chance of the game fell to the home side in the 4th minute when Greg Vernon found himself in acres of space but blazed his shot over the bar. And immediately from Ally McInnes kick out, Vics’ took the lead. Tony Balfour picked the ball up out wide on the left and his cross cum shot evaded David Markey in the Darvel goal and went into the net off the post.
Two minutes later Ricky Hanvey was denied when he was set up by Balfour only for his shot to be blocked by Markey’s feet.
In the 9th minute, McInnes made a fine save to deny Mark Gilmour and minutes later the ‘Vale midfielder fired just wide of McInnes’ left post.
Whitletts were creating the clearer cut chances and when Euan Blair headed a corner back across goal, George Wallace’s shot produced a great save from Markey. Markey came to his sides rescue again midway through the half when he parried a Balfour drive round the post.
Darvel had their chances too and Jordan Ryan saw his header from a Murray Johnston cross come back off the face of the crossbar. At the other end Wallace was again denied when his header was scrambled off the line before Michael O’Connor could capitalise while Ricky Hanvey sidestepped a challenge inside the Darvel area and curled a shot just past the far post as Vics’ had to settle for a one goal advantage at the break.
It was a similar story in the second half and Balfour squandered a great chances after just four minutes when he shrugged of the attentions of two defenders to race clear but his angled drive slipped agonisingly wide of the post.
With the pitch cutting up, Darvel began to get a grip on the game and Ryan should have equalised when he was left in the clear but he fired straight at McInnes but in the 62nd minute ‘Vale were back on level terms. As Vics’ failed to clear the danger inside their own box the ball fell to Donald White who curled his shot past McInnes into the net.
Five minutes later Darvel were in front. As a Vics’ attack broke down, the ball was launched downfield. Martin Reynolds failed to cut out the ball leaving Vernon to race clear and round McInnes before rolling the ball into the net.
Whitletts responded and they were denied an equaliser in the 73rd minute when Alan Love’s shot was cleared off the line by Jackson Biggar. Two minutes later it was the woodwork that came to ‘Vale’s rescue. Wallace set up substitute Jim Wilson and the strikers drive looked a goal all the way only to strike the inside of the post and bounce back out from the goal!
Inside the last ten minutes it was still Whitletts pressing for the equaliser. Balfour had time to chest a Hanvey cross but could only fire straight at Markey while a Hanvey free kick from 20 yards stuck the post. A neat move from a Love cross saw Wallace head the ball into the path of Balfour but Markey dived at the feet of Sean Ewart just as the youngster seemed set to score. And from the resulting Darvel attack Vernon broke clear only for his shot to come back off the base of the post for Ryan to follow up and complete the scoring.
This was a sore one for Vics’ to take. On another day it could easily have been a very different outcome but at the moment nothing just seems to be going right for the Dam Park side.
Darvel
1. Markey 2. Biggar 3. White 4. Gaw 5. McPherson 6. Henderson (Lyle 76) 7. Gall (Moodie 67) 8. Gilmour (Bryant 76) 9. Ryan 10. Vernon 11. Johnston
Subs (not used) 14. Kirkwood GK. Sneddon
Whitletts Victoria
1. McInnes 2. Russell (Ewart 67) 3. Blair (Longair 64) 4. Reynolds 5. Wallace 6. Holland 7. Love 8. Kerr 9. Balfour 10. O’Connor (Wilson 55)11. Hanvey
Subs (not used) 14. Simpson 17. Nimmo
Referee: Stephen Graham