Whitletts: Match Report
LUGAR BOSWELL THISTLE 1 - WHITLETTS VICTORIA 1
A last gasp goal from Tommy Sloan gave Whitletts a point against an exciting young Lugar side at Rosebank Park.
The Jaggy Bunnets had no less than 9 Ayr United youngsters in their starting eleven and played some delightful football against an understrength Vics side minus striker Tony Balfour and midfielders Chris Black and Blair Anderson and defender Calum Hercus through injury, holidays or suspension.
On a greasy pitch it was the home side who created the first opening when the impressive Andy Johnstone should have done better with a free header from six yards after the Vics defence failed to clear a corner.
It took Whitletts a good quarter of an hour to settle but in the 20th minute Michael O’Connor went close with a curling shot from the edge of the box. Two minutes later Eddie Graham got into the box and poked the ball past keeper Lyle Avci but David Waite was on hand to clear the ball off the line.
Vics were forced to make a change when Graham Longair was forced to leave the field after a clash of heads and was replaced by Sam McFall but it was Lugar to began to take a grip on the game. James Hilton saw his drive held by Ally McInnes and the Vics keeper was then forced to makes saves from Sean McKenzie and Hilton again as the home side pressed forward and with just 4 minutes of the first half remaining they made the breakthrough. With Raymond Buchanan off the field receiving treatment, the Vics defence failed to clear a free kick into the area and the ball broke kindly for McKenzie who fired low past McInnes.
Ten minutes into the second period Luke McCowan had the chance to double Lugar’s advantage and although his effort beat McInnes, David Mathieson was on hand to clear the danger under pressure from Hilton.
McInnes kept Lugar at bay again as he parried a Johnstone shot round the post while for Vics an O’Connor free kick was well held by Avci.
Mathieson kept Vics in the match when he appeared to head a Johnstone header off the line at the back post but as the game wore on Vics began to press for the equaliser. Sean Ewart was unlucky with a free kick that curled inches wide but with just six minutes remaining Lugar were dealt a blow when a rash tackle from Johnstone saw the youngster receive a second yellow card.
Vics flung everything into attack and Sam McFall saw his volley saved by Avci but the young keeper was finally beaten deep into injury time. Steven McCarrison did well to create some space in the box and his cross to the back post was met by Sloan who headed past Avci for the equaliser.
A result that keeps both sides unbeaten start to the league in tact but the Lugar youngsters will feel aggrieved that they didn’t see out the game to claim their first win of the campaign.
LUGAR BOSWELL THISTLE
1. Avci 2. Waite 3. Ballantyne 4. McCreadie 5. Muir 6. Faulds 7. Johnstone 8. Young 9. McKenzie 10. McCowan 11. Hilton (Antoine 75)
Subs (unused) 14. Kirkwood 15. Samson 16. Anderson 17. Thomson
WHITLETTS VICTORIA
1. McInnes 2. Mathieson 3. Longair (McFall 28) 4. Buchanan 5. Mullen 6. Sloan 7. Kerr 8. Graham 9. Ewart 10. Ferris (McCarrison 82) 11. O’Connor
Subs (unused) 15. J. Malone 16. G. Malone 21 Masterson
REFEREE: Chris Rae