Match Report : Whitletts Vics
TROON 2 - WHITLETTS VICTORIA 5
Whitletts produced a stunning first half display to leave Superleague side Troon reeling in this League Cup clash at Portland Park and end the home sides hopes of qualification for the quarter finals.
After withstanding some early pressure from the home side, Vics struck a purple patch in which they score FIVE times in a 23 minute spell with a clinical display of finishing. Thereafter Manager Neil Duffy elected to close out the game and despite plenty of territorial advantage for Troon in the second period, Vics comfortably saw out the match to record their first win over Troon for SIX years.
Troon had started strongly, forcing Vics to defend deep and twice goal line clearances kept the visitors goal intact. Firstly Stevie Douglas made a fine stop to deny Jack Paterson but it required the intervention of Ali Boyle to hook the loose ball off the line. Then Isaac Kerr blocked a Ross Barbour effort on the line as the home side threatened.
Whitletts had hardly crossed the halfway line but in their first real foray on the Troon goal they took the lead when Louis Kerr turned neatly 20 yards out to fire low past his former team mate Ally McInnes.
Three minutes later it was 2-0. One that the home defence will not want to see repeated this season as after a great run by Craig Harvey, from his byeline cutback, Jordan Boyd was given acres of space to control and turn at the edge of the six yards box before smashing the ball into the net.
In the 23rd minute it was 3-0. Harvey robbing a Troon defender midway inside his own half before racing clear and firing low past the advancing McInnes.
Amazingly it was 4-0 just four minutes later. A Martin Lawrie free kick into the box picked out Isaac Kerr at the back post to score with a thumping header and just ten minutes later it was 5-0. Boyd grabbing his second of the match after Harvey released him clear in the box to beat McInnes with a low angled drive.
During this spell, Mbanje Munyaradzi also finished well but was ruled out correctly for a narrow offside decision while the young Zimbabwean was only denied his name on the scoresheet by a desperate Ross Barbour block inside the six yard box after some fine set up play by Boyd.
Troon couldn’t believe what hit them but to their credit they refused to throw in the towel and five minutes before the interval Graeme Barbour was on hand to finish off a neat move at the back post.
Within a minute Douglas made an outstanding save to deny Barbour a quick second while at the other end McInnes tipped a Munyaradzi cross cum shot over the bar.
Troon made a double change at the interval, bringing on Chris Vance and Mark Curragh as they looked for the early goal that could spur a comeback. Vics boss Neil Duffy was happy for his side to close ranks and defend their advantage and as a result, despite having virtually all the possession and the play in the second period, Troon rarely threatened the visitors defence who in the main dealt comfortably with the numerous cross balls into the box.
Dean Keenan was unlucky with a back post chip that came back off the post while substituted Fraser Chisholm tested Douglas with a low drive. Midway through the second period, Troon forced a succession of corner kicks which ended when Paterson drove wide.
Douglas then came off his line to deny Curragh but Vics defended resolutely, giving very little away. Until five minutes from the end when Ross Barbour forced his way past Lawrie at the corner flag and as Josh Sloan failed to deal with his low cutback, Curragh swept the ball high into the net at the front post from only a few yards out.
Chris Vance then fired over after Douglas had spilled the ball at the edge of the area but Whitletts comfortably saw the game out to claim a fully deserved victory and to give their confidence a huge boost ahead of Saturday’s first league game of the new league campaign
Troon
1. McInnes 2. R. Barbour 3. Brown (Chisholm 56) 4. Keenan 5. Clark 6. McCreadie 7. McLean 8. Murphy 9. G. Barbour (Curragh HT) 10. McCrea (Vance HT) 11. Paterson Subs (not used) 14. Fulton 15. Lamont
Whitletts Victoria
1. Douglas 2. Boyle 3. Lawrie 4. I. Kerr (Ogston 79) 5. Buchanan 6. Sloan 7. Munyaradzi (Baird 58) 8. Boyd 9. Harvey (Milligan 74) 10. L. Kerr 11. Ewart Subs (not used) 16. McClymont
Referee: Alan Grainger
Whitletts produced a stunning first half display to leave Superleague side Troon reeling in this League Cup clash at Portland Park and end the home sides hopes of qualification for the quarter finals.
After withstanding some early pressure from the home side, Vics struck a purple patch in which they score FIVE times in a 23 minute spell with a clinical display of finishing. Thereafter Manager Neil Duffy elected to close out the game and despite plenty of territorial advantage for Troon in the second period, Vics comfortably saw out the match to record their first win over Troon for SIX years.
Troon had started strongly, forcing Vics to defend deep and twice goal line clearances kept the visitors goal intact. Firstly Stevie Douglas made a fine stop to deny Jack Paterson but it required the intervention of Ali Boyle to hook the loose ball off the line. Then Isaac Kerr blocked a Ross Barbour effort on the line as the home side threatened.
Whitletts had hardly crossed the halfway line but in their first real foray on the Troon goal they took the lead when Louis Kerr turned neatly 20 yards out to fire low past his former team mate Ally McInnes.
Three minutes later it was 2-0. One that the home defence will not want to see repeated this season as after a great run by Craig Harvey, from his byeline cutback, Jordan Boyd was given acres of space to control and turn at the edge of the six yards box before smashing the ball into the net.
In the 23rd minute it was 3-0. Harvey robbing a Troon defender midway inside his own half before racing clear and firing low past the advancing McInnes.
Amazingly it was 4-0 just four minutes later. A Martin Lawrie free kick into the box picked out Isaac Kerr at the back post to score with a thumping header and just ten minutes later it was 5-0. Boyd grabbing his second of the match after Harvey released him clear in the box to beat McInnes with a low angled drive.
During this spell, Mbanje Munyaradzi also finished well but was ruled out correctly for a narrow offside decision while the young Zimbabwean was only denied his name on the scoresheet by a desperate Ross Barbour block inside the six yard box after some fine set up play by Boyd.
Troon couldn’t believe what hit them but to their credit they refused to throw in the towel and five minutes before the interval Graeme Barbour was on hand to finish off a neat move at the back post.
Within a minute Douglas made an outstanding save to deny Barbour a quick second while at the other end McInnes tipped a Munyaradzi cross cum shot over the bar.
Troon made a double change at the interval, bringing on Chris Vance and Mark Curragh as they looked for the early goal that could spur a comeback. Vics boss Neil Duffy was happy for his side to close ranks and defend their advantage and as a result, despite having virtually all the possession and the play in the second period, Troon rarely threatened the visitors defence who in the main dealt comfortably with the numerous cross balls into the box.
Dean Keenan was unlucky with a back post chip that came back off the post while substituted Fraser Chisholm tested Douglas with a low drive. Midway through the second period, Troon forced a succession of corner kicks which ended when Paterson drove wide.
Douglas then came off his line to deny Curragh but Vics defended resolutely, giving very little away. Until five minutes from the end when Ross Barbour forced his way past Lawrie at the corner flag and as Josh Sloan failed to deal with his low cutback, Curragh swept the ball high into the net at the front post from only a few yards out.
Chris Vance then fired over after Douglas had spilled the ball at the edge of the area but Whitletts comfortably saw the game out to claim a fully deserved victory and to give their confidence a huge boost ahead of Saturday’s first league game of the new league campaign
Troon
1. McInnes 2. R. Barbour 3. Brown (Chisholm 56) 4. Keenan 5. Clark 6. McCreadie 7. McLean 8. Murphy 9. G. Barbour (Curragh HT) 10. McCrea (Vance HT) 11. Paterson Subs (not used) 14. Fulton 15. Lamont
Whitletts Victoria
1. Douglas 2. Boyle 3. Lawrie 4. I. Kerr (Ogston 79) 5. Buchanan 6. Sloan 7. Munyaradzi (Baird 58) 8. Boyd 9. Harvey (Milligan 74) 10. L. Kerr 11. Ewart Subs (not used) 16. McClymont
Referee: Alan Grainger