Whitletts Vics : Match Report
GIRVAN 1 - WHITLETTS VICTORIA 1
A late equaliser from Scott Dinwoodie earned Superleague side Girvan a draw against Whitletts at Hamilton Park that ended Vics’ Ardagh Cup ambitions for another season.
Whitletts led 1-0 courtesy of a first half Louis Kerr goal and looked good value for the three points that would keep the Dam Park side in with a realistic chance of qualifying for the quarter finals but with just three minutes remaining Dinwoodie got on the end of a flick into the box to lob the ball over the advancing Vics keeper Ally McInnes into the net.
It was a cruel blow for Vics who had had the better of the exchanges throughout the match but who ultimately paid the penalty for not killing off their opponents.
It was the home side who were first to threaten when a David Jardine free kick crashed back off the post. Jordan Mullen almost gave Vics a seventh minute lead when he headed a Paul Cameron corner inches wide and then Scott Johnstone came to Girvan’s rescue as he narrowed the angle for Jordan Boyd after the midfielder had been set up by Tony Balfour.
The Girvan No1 then tipped a Kerr drive round the post as Vics looked the more likely to make the breakthrough which they finally did on the half hour mark. Louis Kerr got on the end of a Chris Black through ball and although Dinwoodie blocked the midfielders first attempt there was no mistaking the second attempt as he swept the ball past Johnstone into the net.
The match may not have been a classic but into the second half it was still the visitors who were having the better of the play. Boyd fired over from 15 yards after a Balfour shot had been blocked while the Vics striker lofted the ball narrowly over from the edge of the box after the home side struggled to clear a Cameron corner kick.
Girvan had rarely been an attacking threat throughout the game but they came close to an equaliser when Robert Paterson slid in but failed to connect in front of goal to Dinwoodie’s low byeline cross. With just ten minutes remaining Whitletts should have sealed the victory.
As Tony Balfour ran onto a Kris Kerr pass, he took the ball round Johnstone and with the empty net gaping, somehow he managed to fire wide of the target from 12 yards.
Girvan went in search of the equaliser and Black was forced to clear off the line as Girvan searched for the goal that would keep their qualification hopes alive and with just three minutes remaining Dinwoodie struck the vital equaliser.
Vics went immediately back on the attack and Josh Sloan saw his shot deflected wide and deep into injury time Cameron couldn’t get enough on the ball at the back post after Louis Kerr got his head onto a Kris Kerr corner in what proved to be the last action of a frustrating evening for Whitletts.
Whitletts Victoria
1. McInnes 2. Anderson (Mathieson 80) 3. Campbell 4. Mullen 5. Cunningham 6. Sloan 7. Boyd (Kris Kerr 71) 8. Black 9. Cameron 10. L.Kerr 11. Balfour Subs (not used) 14. R.Barr 15. J. Barr 17. Ewart
Referee: David Burns
A late equaliser from Scott Dinwoodie earned Superleague side Girvan a draw against Whitletts at Hamilton Park that ended Vics’ Ardagh Cup ambitions for another season.
Whitletts led 1-0 courtesy of a first half Louis Kerr goal and looked good value for the three points that would keep the Dam Park side in with a realistic chance of qualifying for the quarter finals but with just three minutes remaining Dinwoodie got on the end of a flick into the box to lob the ball over the advancing Vics keeper Ally McInnes into the net.
It was a cruel blow for Vics who had had the better of the exchanges throughout the match but who ultimately paid the penalty for not killing off their opponents.
It was the home side who were first to threaten when a David Jardine free kick crashed back off the post. Jordan Mullen almost gave Vics a seventh minute lead when he headed a Paul Cameron corner inches wide and then Scott Johnstone came to Girvan’s rescue as he narrowed the angle for Jordan Boyd after the midfielder had been set up by Tony Balfour.
The Girvan No1 then tipped a Kerr drive round the post as Vics looked the more likely to make the breakthrough which they finally did on the half hour mark. Louis Kerr got on the end of a Chris Black through ball and although Dinwoodie blocked the midfielders first attempt there was no mistaking the second attempt as he swept the ball past Johnstone into the net.
The match may not have been a classic but into the second half it was still the visitors who were having the better of the play. Boyd fired over from 15 yards after a Balfour shot had been blocked while the Vics striker lofted the ball narrowly over from the edge of the box after the home side struggled to clear a Cameron corner kick.
Girvan had rarely been an attacking threat throughout the game but they came close to an equaliser when Robert Paterson slid in but failed to connect in front of goal to Dinwoodie’s low byeline cross. With just ten minutes remaining Whitletts should have sealed the victory.
As Tony Balfour ran onto a Kris Kerr pass, he took the ball round Johnstone and with the empty net gaping, somehow he managed to fire wide of the target from 12 yards.
Girvan went in search of the equaliser and Black was forced to clear off the line as Girvan searched for the goal that would keep their qualification hopes alive and with just three minutes remaining Dinwoodie struck the vital equaliser.
Vics went immediately back on the attack and Josh Sloan saw his shot deflected wide and deep into injury time Cameron couldn’t get enough on the ball at the back post after Louis Kerr got his head onto a Kris Kerr corner in what proved to be the last action of a frustrating evening for Whitletts.
Whitletts Victoria
1. McInnes 2. Anderson (Mathieson 80) 3. Campbell 4. Mullen 5. Cunningham 6. Sloan 7. Boyd (Kris Kerr 71) 8. Black 9. Cameron 10. L.Kerr 11. Balfour Subs (not used) 14. R.Barr 15. J. Barr 17. Ewart
Referee: David Burns