Match Report : Kirriemuir v Whitletts
KIRRIEMUIR THISTLE 3 - WHITLETTS VICTORIA 1
Whitletts Scottish Cup ambitions are over for another year as they crashed out of the competition to Kirriemuir side at Westview Park.
Once again Neil Duffy’s player selection was hampered not just by long term injuries that have afflicted their season to date but the unavailability of defenders Blair Anderson and Danny Cunningham and it proved to be just too much of a hurdle for Vics to overcome.
The game was given the go ahead after an early morning pitch inspection after some heavy rain in Angus and the home conditions adapted better to the heavy pitch as some of the Vics players struggled to keep their footing.
From the kick off Kirriemuir appeared the more hungrier side as they took the game to Whitletts and it came as little surprise when they took the lead in the sixth minute. From a cross into the box Whitletts failed to clear their lines and Nathan Toss ran onto the loose ball to fire home from eight yards.
Hopes from the visitors that that early set back would stir them into action didn’t materialise as Thistle continued to press forward and in the 18th minute they doubled their advantage. Another deep cross into the box from the left was parried by Ally McInnes whose attempted clearance struck Jordan Boyd and landed in the back of the net.
Whitletts couldn’t get out their own half and moments after Adam O’Connor went close with a header from a corner kick, Thistle all but booked their place in the next round in the 34th minute with a third goal. Again some poor defending from Vics allowed Tosh to break into the box and round McInnes before rolling home.
3-0 down and it almost got worse before the interval as Brian Duell headed abck across goal and with the goal at his mercy, Thistle skipper Stewart Russell somehow managed to head over the bar from six yards when it seemed easier to score.
No-one in the crowd could grudge Kirrie their interval lead after a first half in which the visitors had hardly crossed the halfway line nevermind land a shot on target.
Kirrie started the second half in similar fashion and Duell fired wide with only McInnes to beat before Tosh squandered another great chance to complete his hat trick but Vics finally began to work their way back into the game and Paul Cameron was unlucky as he got on the end of a superb Sean Ewart cross but couldn’t steer the ball home. Jordan Boyd then fired an angled drive inches wide as Vics began to ask some questions of the home side but any hopes of a comeback were dealt a severe blow in the 71st minute as Paul Cameron saw red in a minor skirmish involving Thistle’s O’Connor who walked away from the incident without even a yellow. However Duell follow Cameron for an early bath as he received a second yellow, presumably for his part in the pushing and shoving that followed the incident.
Ally McInnes pulled off a superb save to deny Kamil Kadela from the edge of the area and from the resultant corner made a fine block to Deny O’Connor.
But with seven minutes remaining Vics did get some rewards for their endeavours. Cammy Ross released Kris Kerr down the right and the under 21 player fired low across Sean Diamond into the corner of the net.It was almost two moments later when Ewart fired inches over from just inside the area. McInnes saved a Lewis Fyfe volley at the other end but it was Vics who were looking more likely to score and from a Kerr corner, Jordan Mullen headed inches over.
Niall Kennedy was then denied by a fine save by Diamond but it was too little too late from a Vics side that finished the game with nine men as Jordan Mullen received a second yelloe card for a petulant trip in injury time.
So no cup run for Vics this season as the focus is now firmly secured on the main object of winning promotion from the Ayrshire District League.
Kirriemuir Thistle
1. Diamond 2. Snowdon 3. Drumm 4. Mudie (Paterson 54) 5. Farquharson 6. Strachan (Fyfe 66) 7. Kadela 8. Russell 9. Duell 10. O’Connor 11. Tosh Subs (not used) 12. Duffy 15. McKenna 16. Barclay
Whitletts Victoria
1. McInnes 2. Mathieson (Kerr 67) 3. Ewart 4. Mullen 5. Campbell 6. Sloan 7. Boyd (Ross 78) 8. Black 9. Cameron 10. Kennedy 11. Balfour (Boyle HT) Subs (not used) 21. Dorigo
Referee: Gordon McCabe
Whitletts Scottish Cup ambitions are over for another year as they crashed out of the competition to Kirriemuir side at Westview Park.
Once again Neil Duffy’s player selection was hampered not just by long term injuries that have afflicted their season to date but the unavailability of defenders Blair Anderson and Danny Cunningham and it proved to be just too much of a hurdle for Vics to overcome.
The game was given the go ahead after an early morning pitch inspection after some heavy rain in Angus and the home conditions adapted better to the heavy pitch as some of the Vics players struggled to keep their footing.
From the kick off Kirriemuir appeared the more hungrier side as they took the game to Whitletts and it came as little surprise when they took the lead in the sixth minute. From a cross into the box Whitletts failed to clear their lines and Nathan Toss ran onto the loose ball to fire home from eight yards.
Hopes from the visitors that that early set back would stir them into action didn’t materialise as Thistle continued to press forward and in the 18th minute they doubled their advantage. Another deep cross into the box from the left was parried by Ally McInnes whose attempted clearance struck Jordan Boyd and landed in the back of the net.
Whitletts couldn’t get out their own half and moments after Adam O’Connor went close with a header from a corner kick, Thistle all but booked their place in the next round in the 34th minute with a third goal. Again some poor defending from Vics allowed Tosh to break into the box and round McInnes before rolling home.
3-0 down and it almost got worse before the interval as Brian Duell headed abck across goal and with the goal at his mercy, Thistle skipper Stewart Russell somehow managed to head over the bar from six yards when it seemed easier to score.
No-one in the crowd could grudge Kirrie their interval lead after a first half in which the visitors had hardly crossed the halfway line nevermind land a shot on target.
Kirrie started the second half in similar fashion and Duell fired wide with only McInnes to beat before Tosh squandered another great chance to complete his hat trick but Vics finally began to work their way back into the game and Paul Cameron was unlucky as he got on the end of a superb Sean Ewart cross but couldn’t steer the ball home. Jordan Boyd then fired an angled drive inches wide as Vics began to ask some questions of the home side but any hopes of a comeback were dealt a severe blow in the 71st minute as Paul Cameron saw red in a minor skirmish involving Thistle’s O’Connor who walked away from the incident without even a yellow. However Duell follow Cameron for an early bath as he received a second yellow, presumably for his part in the pushing and shoving that followed the incident.
Ally McInnes pulled off a superb save to deny Kamil Kadela from the edge of the area and from the resultant corner made a fine block to Deny O’Connor.
But with seven minutes remaining Vics did get some rewards for their endeavours. Cammy Ross released Kris Kerr down the right and the under 21 player fired low across Sean Diamond into the corner of the net.It was almost two moments later when Ewart fired inches over from just inside the area. McInnes saved a Lewis Fyfe volley at the other end but it was Vics who were looking more likely to score and from a Kerr corner, Jordan Mullen headed inches over.
Niall Kennedy was then denied by a fine save by Diamond but it was too little too late from a Vics side that finished the game with nine men as Jordan Mullen received a second yelloe card for a petulant trip in injury time.
So no cup run for Vics this season as the focus is now firmly secured on the main object of winning promotion from the Ayrshire District League.
Kirriemuir Thistle
1. Diamond 2. Snowdon 3. Drumm 4. Mudie (Paterson 54) 5. Farquharson 6. Strachan (Fyfe 66) 7. Kadela 8. Russell 9. Duell 10. O’Connor 11. Tosh Subs (not used) 12. Duffy 15. McKenna 16. Barclay
Whitletts Victoria
1. McInnes 2. Mathieson (Kerr 67) 3. Ewart 4. Mullen 5. Campbell 6. Sloan 7. Boyd (Ross 78) 8. Black 9. Cameron 10. Kennedy 11. Balfour (Boyle HT) Subs (not used) 21. Dorigo
Referee: Gordon McCabe