Match Report : Whitletts Vics v Buckie Rovers
WHITLETTS VICTORIA 5 - BUCKIE ROVERS 2
Whitletts name will go into the hat for the second round draw in the Scottish Junior Cup after they came out on top in this first round tie against North Superleague side Buckie Rovers at Dam Park.
It was a match that proved to be more difficult for Vics than the scoreline suggests against a Buckie side that never gave up and caused more than a few heart in the mouth moments for the home fans. Although the home side had the better of the play and created the better chances, Buckie showed the grit and determination that has taken them into the North Regions top flight for the first time this season.
The first chance of the game fell to Vics when after a neat build up, a drilled cross by Niall Kennedy was turned over the bar by Chris Black from only a couple of yards out. Ross Campbell then saw his drive saved by Rovers keeper Ethan Murray as the home side looked to capitalise on their early possession.And it paid off on the quarter of an hour mark when Kennedy turned his marker to fire past the helpless Murray from 20 yards.
Five minutes later it was 2-0. Tony Balfour picking the ball up inside the box to fire low past the keeper but within two minutes Buckie were back in the game. Gordon Riddoch ran onto a through ball and slipped his angled shot past Ally McInnes in off the post.
Ross Campbell tried his luck from distance to restore Vics two goal advantage only for his daisy cutter to come back off the post but the defender wasn’t to be outdone and in the 29th minute, after the Rovers defence failed to clear a Whitletts corner, Campbell drilled the ball past the keeper from 25 yards.
Buckie were not out of it by any stretch of the imagination and Michael Campbell brought a fine save out of McInnes as he tried to float one over the home keeper.
But in the main it was Whitletts who were pressing forward and Sean Ewart went close with a curling effort that drifted inches wide. Balfour then had a great chance to get his second but the ball got stuck under his feet while at the other end Rovers’ Michael Wood saw his shot from the edge of the area drift just wide of the angle with McInnes beaten.
Any thoughts that Whitletts had safely booked their place in the second round though were quickly dispelled as the North Superleague side came out on the offensive at start of the second period and nine minutes after the restart they reduced the leeway once again to one. Michael Campbell with a sensational run that left three Vics defenders in his wake and slid the ball under McInnes into the net the goal of the match.
Rovers were on the ascendancy and Whitletts were suddenly looking very shaky. In the 62nd minute they had a real scare when a deep free kick by Jordan Sutherland sailed over the head of McInnes but fortunately for Vics Kyle Mackay couldn’t get enough on the ball to steer the ball home.
But midway through the half the fears of the Vics support were eased a Balfour netted his second goal of the game. A through ball from Cameron released the Vics striker who took the ball round the keeper on the byeline and past another Buckie defender before firing home from six yards.
Rovers continued to battle to get back into the game and Sutherland almost capitalised on a poor backpass but McInnes did enough to thwart the danger but any doubts about the winners were ended in the 90th minute with a goal that came from the Clubs’ youth development programme. Ally Boyle picked up possession in midfield and played the ball wide to Kris Kerr who took a touch before drilling a low shot past Murray.
Whitletts Victoria
1. McInnes 2. Anderson 3. Campbell 4. Mullen 5. Cunningham 6. Sloan 7. Kennedy 8. Black 9. Cameron (Boyle 87)10. Ewart (K.Kerr 72) 11. Balfour (Mathieson 81) Subs (not used) 15. Boyle 21 Dorigo
Buckie Rovers
1. Murray 2. Thain 3. L. Wood 4. Mackay 5. Gauld 6. Elder 7. M.Wood (Marandola 75) 8.Cowie (Flett 52) 9. Sutherland 10. Riddoch 11. Campbell
Referee: Gary MacLean
Whitletts name will go into the hat for the second round draw in the Scottish Junior Cup after they came out on top in this first round tie against North Superleague side Buckie Rovers at Dam Park.
It was a match that proved to be more difficult for Vics than the scoreline suggests against a Buckie side that never gave up and caused more than a few heart in the mouth moments for the home fans. Although the home side had the better of the play and created the better chances, Buckie showed the grit and determination that has taken them into the North Regions top flight for the first time this season.
The first chance of the game fell to Vics when after a neat build up, a drilled cross by Niall Kennedy was turned over the bar by Chris Black from only a couple of yards out. Ross Campbell then saw his drive saved by Rovers keeper Ethan Murray as the home side looked to capitalise on their early possession.And it paid off on the quarter of an hour mark when Kennedy turned his marker to fire past the helpless Murray from 20 yards.
Five minutes later it was 2-0. Tony Balfour picking the ball up inside the box to fire low past the keeper but within two minutes Buckie were back in the game. Gordon Riddoch ran onto a through ball and slipped his angled shot past Ally McInnes in off the post.
Ross Campbell tried his luck from distance to restore Vics two goal advantage only for his daisy cutter to come back off the post but the defender wasn’t to be outdone and in the 29th minute, after the Rovers defence failed to clear a Whitletts corner, Campbell drilled the ball past the keeper from 25 yards.
Buckie were not out of it by any stretch of the imagination and Michael Campbell brought a fine save out of McInnes as he tried to float one over the home keeper.
But in the main it was Whitletts who were pressing forward and Sean Ewart went close with a curling effort that drifted inches wide. Balfour then had a great chance to get his second but the ball got stuck under his feet while at the other end Rovers’ Michael Wood saw his shot from the edge of the area drift just wide of the angle with McInnes beaten.
Any thoughts that Whitletts had safely booked their place in the second round though were quickly dispelled as the North Superleague side came out on the offensive at start of the second period and nine minutes after the restart they reduced the leeway once again to one. Michael Campbell with a sensational run that left three Vics defenders in his wake and slid the ball under McInnes into the net the goal of the match.
Rovers were on the ascendancy and Whitletts were suddenly looking very shaky. In the 62nd minute they had a real scare when a deep free kick by Jordan Sutherland sailed over the head of McInnes but fortunately for Vics Kyle Mackay couldn’t get enough on the ball to steer the ball home.
But midway through the half the fears of the Vics support were eased a Balfour netted his second goal of the game. A through ball from Cameron released the Vics striker who took the ball round the keeper on the byeline and past another Buckie defender before firing home from six yards.
Rovers continued to battle to get back into the game and Sutherland almost capitalised on a poor backpass but McInnes did enough to thwart the danger but any doubts about the winners were ended in the 90th minute with a goal that came from the Clubs’ youth development programme. Ally Boyle picked up possession in midfield and played the ball wide to Kris Kerr who took a touch before drilling a low shot past Murray.
Whitletts Victoria
1. McInnes 2. Anderson 3. Campbell 4. Mullen 5. Cunningham 6. Sloan 7. Kennedy 8. Black 9. Cameron (Boyle 87)10. Ewart (K.Kerr 72) 11. Balfour (Mathieson 81) Subs (not used) 15. Boyle 21 Dorigo
Buckie Rovers
1. Murray 2. Thain 3. L. Wood 4. Mackay 5. Gauld 6. Elder 7. M.Wood (Marandola 75) 8.Cowie (Flett 52) 9. Sutherland 10. Riddoch 11. Campbell
Referee: Gary MacLean