Whitletts Vics : Match Report
WHITLETTS VICTORIA 2 - MAYBOLE 1
Whitletts Vics’ promotion hopes received a massive boost with a hard fought win over South Ayrshire rivals Maybole at Dam Park and the Ayr side had to do it the hard way as they came from behind to collect all three points and kill off any hopes the visitors had of making the play-offs.
It was a tough outcome for Maybole who played some exquisite football at times but lacked the killer touch in front of goal in a game that was a fantastic advert for the Ayrshire District League.
Maybole started well, pressing Vics back into defence and Lewis Gardiner went close to opening the scoring with a curling effort from the edge of the box that slipped inches wide.
Adam Forsyth tested Martin McAulay with a shot from the edge of the box and then saw his shot slip agonisingly past after he turned a defender just inside the box.
Louis Kerr almost gave Vics the lead when he rose to meet a Declan Milligan free kick but the midfielder just couldn’t get enough on the ball to direct it goalwards as the home side looked the more likelier to score at this stage but they were shocked in the 29th minute when Maybole took the lead. From a free kick Chris Campbell ghosted in only for Vics keeper Martin Fraser to save his effort but there was no denying the Maybole youngster who kept his cool to fire home the loose ball from six yards.
That goal gave Maybole confidence and moments later Fraser denied Campbell a second saving the strikers 25 yard thunderbolt as the visitors enjoyed a good spell but Vics worked there way back into the game and four minutes before the interval they were level. Blair Anderson played in Forsyth down the right and from his cross across the face of goal, Graeme Barbour was on hand to fire past McAulay from six yards.
Within seconds Vics almost took the lead when Forsyth charged down an attempted defensive clearance and the ball flew past the keeper and shaved the wrong side of the post.
All square at the interval but it was Whitletts who started the second half in the more positive fashion. Forsyth fended off a challenge from Fraser McMillan only to be denied by McAulay and then the visitors keeper did well to turn over a mishit Milligancross from a free kick that was heading into the top corner.
From the resulting corner kick, only the last ditch intervention of Damien Bloy denied Forsyth again but it wasn’t one way traffic by any means and when the impressive Gardiner slipped past a couple of Vics defenders, it took a full stretch save from Fraser to parry away the strikers cross before Campbell could capitalise.
Vics almost took the lead on the hour when Forsyth nipped in to intercept a short pass back but McAulay reacted superbly to save the strikers attempted dink over the advancing keeper.
At the other end an outstanding save from Fraser tipping over a Callum McDade header kept Vics level. Maybole were having the better of the game but the Vics defence held firm to keep the visitors at bay.
Barbour almost got a second when his header from a Connor Howe cross flashed wide before Vics got that vital second goal with ten minutes remaining.
No doubt at all about the penalty award as McAulay’s challenge on Forsyth gave referee Ross Menzies no option but to point to the penalty spot from which Isaac Kerr thundered his shot off the underside of the crossbar into the net to put the home side in front.
Maybole pressed for an equaliser but Whitletts comfortably kept them at bay to take the points and move up into the play - off position in the league which if maintained would likely see the Ayr side play either Shettleston or Maryhill for a place in the Championship next season. However with five games to go, Vics ambitions are still to gain an automatic promotion spot.
Whitletts Victoria
1. Fraser 2. Anderson 3. Brown 4. Mullen 5. I. Kerr 6. Buchanan 7. L. Kerr 8. Sloan (Fisher 82) 9. Forsyth 10. Barbour (Boyd 87) 11. Milligan (Howe 73)
Subs (not used) 15. Ogston 17. LT Kerr
Maybole
1. McAulay 2. McMillan 3. Connor 4. Smith 5. Peacock 6. Bloy (Baird 58) 7. McDade 8. Nimmo 9. Holland 10. Gardiner (MacLeod 87) 11. Campbell (Ewing 80)
Subs (not used) 15. Elliot 17. Milarvie
Referee: Ross Menzies
Whitletts Vics’ promotion hopes received a massive boost with a hard fought win over South Ayrshire rivals Maybole at Dam Park and the Ayr side had to do it the hard way as they came from behind to collect all three points and kill off any hopes the visitors had of making the play-offs.
It was a tough outcome for Maybole who played some exquisite football at times but lacked the killer touch in front of goal in a game that was a fantastic advert for the Ayrshire District League.
Maybole started well, pressing Vics back into defence and Lewis Gardiner went close to opening the scoring with a curling effort from the edge of the box that slipped inches wide.
Adam Forsyth tested Martin McAulay with a shot from the edge of the box and then saw his shot slip agonisingly past after he turned a defender just inside the box.
Louis Kerr almost gave Vics the lead when he rose to meet a Declan Milligan free kick but the midfielder just couldn’t get enough on the ball to direct it goalwards as the home side looked the more likelier to score at this stage but they were shocked in the 29th minute when Maybole took the lead. From a free kick Chris Campbell ghosted in only for Vics keeper Martin Fraser to save his effort but there was no denying the Maybole youngster who kept his cool to fire home the loose ball from six yards.
That goal gave Maybole confidence and moments later Fraser denied Campbell a second saving the strikers 25 yard thunderbolt as the visitors enjoyed a good spell but Vics worked there way back into the game and four minutes before the interval they were level. Blair Anderson played in Forsyth down the right and from his cross across the face of goal, Graeme Barbour was on hand to fire past McAulay from six yards.
Within seconds Vics almost took the lead when Forsyth charged down an attempted defensive clearance and the ball flew past the keeper and shaved the wrong side of the post.
All square at the interval but it was Whitletts who started the second half in the more positive fashion. Forsyth fended off a challenge from Fraser McMillan only to be denied by McAulay and then the visitors keeper did well to turn over a mishit Milligancross from a free kick that was heading into the top corner.
From the resulting corner kick, only the last ditch intervention of Damien Bloy denied Forsyth again but it wasn’t one way traffic by any means and when the impressive Gardiner slipped past a couple of Vics defenders, it took a full stretch save from Fraser to parry away the strikers cross before Campbell could capitalise.
Vics almost took the lead on the hour when Forsyth nipped in to intercept a short pass back but McAulay reacted superbly to save the strikers attempted dink over the advancing keeper.
At the other end an outstanding save from Fraser tipping over a Callum McDade header kept Vics level. Maybole were having the better of the game but the Vics defence held firm to keep the visitors at bay.
Barbour almost got a second when his header from a Connor Howe cross flashed wide before Vics got that vital second goal with ten minutes remaining.
No doubt at all about the penalty award as McAulay’s challenge on Forsyth gave referee Ross Menzies no option but to point to the penalty spot from which Isaac Kerr thundered his shot off the underside of the crossbar into the net to put the home side in front.
Maybole pressed for an equaliser but Whitletts comfortably kept them at bay to take the points and move up into the play - off position in the league which if maintained would likely see the Ayr side play either Shettleston or Maryhill for a place in the Championship next season. However with five games to go, Vics ambitions are still to gain an automatic promotion spot.
Whitletts Victoria
1. Fraser 2. Anderson 3. Brown 4. Mullen 5. I. Kerr 6. Buchanan 7. L. Kerr 8. Sloan (Fisher 82) 9. Forsyth 10. Barbour (Boyd 87) 11. Milligan (Howe 73)
Subs (not used) 15. Ogston 17. LT Kerr
Maybole
1. McAulay 2. McMillan 3. Connor 4. Smith 5. Peacock 6. Bloy (Baird 58) 7. McDade 8. Nimmo 9. Holland 10. Gardiner (MacLeod 87) 11. Campbell (Ewing 80)
Subs (not used) 15. Elliot 17. Milarvie
Referee: Ross Menzies