Whitletts Vics : Match Report
DALRY THISTLE 1 - WHITLETTS VICTORIA 5
Vics turned in a five star performance to collect three vital league points against last season’s Ayrshire District League Champions.
What would please manager George Grierson even more than the result was that his side found their goalscoring touch again with five different scorers whilst debutant Jordan Baird, who stepped up from the Clubs’ amateur side in midfield, had an impressive debut winning a penalty and being involved in the incidents that led to two of the three late red cards the home side received.
The match itself was a lot closer than the scoreline suggests but as the game worn on the frustration of the home side became evident and Vics took full advantage to enhance the scoreline with two late goals.
From the kick off it was end to end and in the 10th minute Dalry had claims for a penalty waved aside by referee Jordan Cousland when Raymond Buchanan appeared to barge Lewis Gardiner inside the box. And the home sides fury at that decision was still surrounding Merksworth Park when Vics broke upfield and Thomas Donovan was played through the middle to fire low past Marc Fisher in the Dalry goal to end the little strikers drought in front of goal.
Whitletts were having the better of the play at this point and when Sean Ewart’s cross broke for Donovan, his shot was parried by the keeper and in the scramble that followed an attempted defensive clearance cannoned off the strikers head and flew just over.
Donovan then just failed to get on the end of a Baird cross as Vics looked to press home their advantage but they were dealt a blow on the half hour when keeper Marty Fraser picked up a leg injury whilst clearing the ball. After treatment he continued to play on but was clearly hindered for the remainder of the match.
Dalry had been pressing forward at every opportunity without troubling the visitors defence but in the 34th minute they were back on level terms. Hesitation in the Vics defence in dealing with a cross ball allowed Kieran Oliver the simplest of opportunities to nip in front of Morgan Brown to head home.
Adam Forsyth had a chance to regain the lead for the visitors almost instantly but fired over from ten yards but three minutes from the interval he did find the net. Baird outpaced the full back down the right and as he entered the area he was pulled down by Lee McCrae and this time referee Cousland pointed to the spot. Up stepped Forsyth to calmly fire home from 12 yards.
Jordan Boyd then headed over from a Baird corner just before half time but the sides should have been going in al square at half time when Marc Archdeacon’s header from a Connor Browning cross flashed just wide.
Two minutes after the restart Whitletts increased their lead. A Bobby Colligan free kick was headed on by Forsyth and although Fisher saved Buchanan’s back post header, the Vics captain had all the time in the world to finish off the rebound.
In the 52nd minute Dalry had a great chance to get themselves back in the game when Oliver was released by Archdeacon but this time the strikers angled drive across goal flew wide. Dalry were striving to get back into the game but Whitletts were looking dangerous on the counter and only the late intervention of Kyle Lochhead denied Forsyth as he looked set to score from the edge of the area.
For all their play, Dalry couldn’t muster a serious threat on the Vics goal and their frustrations were beginning to show and in the 65th minute they were reduced to ten men when Jordan Stuart was shown a straight red card for a shocking challenge on Baird.
With nine minutes left the home side were reduced to nine men after Baird hustled keeper Fisher in a 50/50 outside the box and as Baird looked set to score a debut goal he was taken out the play just outside the area but a desperate challenge from the keeper for which he received a straight red card. Jamie Anderson took over between the sticks and immediately had to parry a Colligan free kick but although Forsyth looked set to score from the rebound he was ruled offside.
Vics were now looking to add to their tally with the home side looking beaten and from another Colligan free kick, Buchanan headed across goal but Isaac Kerr headed wide from just six yards out.
The fourth goal did come in the 88th minute when Paul Millar swept home from the edge of the area before Dalry were reduced to EIGHT men when Lochhead was shown a straight red for swearing at the referee!!
Ogston was denied by a superb save by Anderson to keep out his back post header but the youngster was to be denied. Right on the 90 minute mark another Colligan free kick swept to the back post picking out the diving figure of Callum Ogston whose header beat the keeper at the far post.
Dalry Thistle
1 Fisher 2. Simpson 3. McCrae 4. K.Lochhead 5. McGowan 6. Gardiner (Stevenston 71) 7. Browning (Cumming 74) 8. Stuart 9. Archdeacon (Cashmore 71) 10. Oliver 11. Anderson
Subs (not used) 16. Parrott 20. B.Lochhead
Whitletts Victoria
1 Fraser 2. Colligan 3. Ewart (Ogston 35) 4. Brown 5. I.Kerr 6. Buchanan 7. Boyd 8. Millar 9. Forsyth 10. Baird (A.Kerr 81) 11. Donovan
Subs (not used) 15. George 21.Dorigo
Referee: Jordan Cousland
Vics turned in a five star performance to collect three vital league points against last season’s Ayrshire District League Champions.
What would please manager George Grierson even more than the result was that his side found their goalscoring touch again with five different scorers whilst debutant Jordan Baird, who stepped up from the Clubs’ amateur side in midfield, had an impressive debut winning a penalty and being involved in the incidents that led to two of the three late red cards the home side received.
The match itself was a lot closer than the scoreline suggests but as the game worn on the frustration of the home side became evident and Vics took full advantage to enhance the scoreline with two late goals.
From the kick off it was end to end and in the 10th minute Dalry had claims for a penalty waved aside by referee Jordan Cousland when Raymond Buchanan appeared to barge Lewis Gardiner inside the box. And the home sides fury at that decision was still surrounding Merksworth Park when Vics broke upfield and Thomas Donovan was played through the middle to fire low past Marc Fisher in the Dalry goal to end the little strikers drought in front of goal.
Whitletts were having the better of the play at this point and when Sean Ewart’s cross broke for Donovan, his shot was parried by the keeper and in the scramble that followed an attempted defensive clearance cannoned off the strikers head and flew just over.
Donovan then just failed to get on the end of a Baird cross as Vics looked to press home their advantage but they were dealt a blow on the half hour when keeper Marty Fraser picked up a leg injury whilst clearing the ball. After treatment he continued to play on but was clearly hindered for the remainder of the match.
Dalry had been pressing forward at every opportunity without troubling the visitors defence but in the 34th minute they were back on level terms. Hesitation in the Vics defence in dealing with a cross ball allowed Kieran Oliver the simplest of opportunities to nip in front of Morgan Brown to head home.
Adam Forsyth had a chance to regain the lead for the visitors almost instantly but fired over from ten yards but three minutes from the interval he did find the net. Baird outpaced the full back down the right and as he entered the area he was pulled down by Lee McCrae and this time referee Cousland pointed to the spot. Up stepped Forsyth to calmly fire home from 12 yards.
Jordan Boyd then headed over from a Baird corner just before half time but the sides should have been going in al square at half time when Marc Archdeacon’s header from a Connor Browning cross flashed just wide.
Two minutes after the restart Whitletts increased their lead. A Bobby Colligan free kick was headed on by Forsyth and although Fisher saved Buchanan’s back post header, the Vics captain had all the time in the world to finish off the rebound.
In the 52nd minute Dalry had a great chance to get themselves back in the game when Oliver was released by Archdeacon but this time the strikers angled drive across goal flew wide. Dalry were striving to get back into the game but Whitletts were looking dangerous on the counter and only the late intervention of Kyle Lochhead denied Forsyth as he looked set to score from the edge of the area.
For all their play, Dalry couldn’t muster a serious threat on the Vics goal and their frustrations were beginning to show and in the 65th minute they were reduced to ten men when Jordan Stuart was shown a straight red card for a shocking challenge on Baird.
With nine minutes left the home side were reduced to nine men after Baird hustled keeper Fisher in a 50/50 outside the box and as Baird looked set to score a debut goal he was taken out the play just outside the area but a desperate challenge from the keeper for which he received a straight red card. Jamie Anderson took over between the sticks and immediately had to parry a Colligan free kick but although Forsyth looked set to score from the rebound he was ruled offside.
Vics were now looking to add to their tally with the home side looking beaten and from another Colligan free kick, Buchanan headed across goal but Isaac Kerr headed wide from just six yards out.
The fourth goal did come in the 88th minute when Paul Millar swept home from the edge of the area before Dalry were reduced to EIGHT men when Lochhead was shown a straight red for swearing at the referee!!
Ogston was denied by a superb save by Anderson to keep out his back post header but the youngster was to be denied. Right on the 90 minute mark another Colligan free kick swept to the back post picking out the diving figure of Callum Ogston whose header beat the keeper at the far post.
Dalry Thistle
1 Fisher 2. Simpson 3. McCrae 4. K.Lochhead 5. McGowan 6. Gardiner (Stevenston 71) 7. Browning (Cumming 74) 8. Stuart 9. Archdeacon (Cashmore 71) 10. Oliver 11. Anderson
Subs (not used) 16. Parrott 20. B.Lochhead
Whitletts Victoria
1 Fraser 2. Colligan 3. Ewart (Ogston 35) 4. Brown 5. I.Kerr 6. Buchanan 7. Boyd 8. Millar 9. Forsyth 10. Baird (A.Kerr 81) 11. Donovan
Subs (not used) 15. George 21.Dorigo
Referee: Jordan Cousland