Whitletts Vics : Match Report
KELLO ROVERS 1 - WHITLETTS VICTORIA 3
Nithside Park has never been an easy place for opposition sides to visit but on this occasion ten man Vics comfortably took the points against an at times physical Rovers side, who’s cynical fouls left the travelling Vics fans incredulous that they finished the game with eleven players on the park!
Whitletts made the perfect start and with only two minutes on the clock they took the lead. Callum Ogston’s free kick evaded the home keeper and Isaac Kerr nipped in behind to head home from close range.
The game was played at a frantic pace with little composure being shown by either side but it was the visitors who were in control of the proceedings. Kerr almost grabbed a second when he volleyed over from a Thomas Donovan corner and Rovers keeper Alastair Smith did well to block an Adam Forsyth strike at his near post. A second goal always looked likely for Vics and it came in the 36th minute.
Paul Millar did well to win the ball in midfield and from Forsyth’s pass, Donovan cut inside a defender before rifling the ball high into the net from 22 yards.
Vics were still in control with Rovers posing little threat to the visitors defence. After Ogston tested Smith with a shot from distance that the Kello keeper saved at the second attempt, it took the home side until a minute before the interval to threatrn Martin Fraser’s goal as Mitchell Ewing raced clear only for an outstanding challenge from Isaac Kerr to deny the striker as he bore in on goal.
The second half was played in a similar fashion. Raymond Buchanan saw his free kick from 35 yards tipped over the bar by Smith and Bobby Colligan fired a volley over the bar as the Rovers defence failed to clear their lines from a corner.
Vics were becoming frustrated as some cynical challenges particularly by Robert Hampson and Liam Fleming went unpunished by the referee and in the 63rd minute Kello had their best chance to reduce the leeway when Mitchell Black was presented with a free header that he put over the bar from a Hampson corner.
Graeme Barbour went close for Vics with a low shot that slipped inches wide while at the other end only a goal line clearance by Ogston denied Sean Bennie but in the 76th minute, Vics were reduced to ten men. As Forsyth challenged for a ball on the byeline, a Kello defender collided with the pitch surround. Kello players reacted furiously towards Forsyth, with hands raised and once the melee subsided, it was Vics Isaac Kerr who was shown the red card for an alleged punch on a Rovers player. For his part Forsyth was shown a yellow card but no Kello player was even spoken to!
Within two minutes, Rovers capitalised on their extra man advantage when Buchanan allowed a long ball to go over his head but unknown to him Jake Griffin latched onto the pass to round Fraser and slot the ball into the empty net.
Rovers now sensed that they could steal a point but with four minutes remaining Whitletts put the game to bed. After the Rovers keeper fumbled a pass back, he brought down Forsyth inside the area as the Vics striker looked set to capitalise and referee Ross Nelson had no option but to point to the spot. Forsyth dusted himself down to fire past Smith and seal the three points for Vics.
Whitletts could have had a second spot kick in the final minute when Ross George was barged off the ball but this time the referee wasn’t interested in the visitors appeals who, despite not being at their best, were content to bring the three points back to Ayr.
Kello Rovers
1. Smith 2. Bell 3. Pagan (Griffin 39) 4. Thomson 5. Black 6. Bennie 7. Hampson 8. Shaw 9. Ewing 10. Fleming 11. Quinn (Jackson 54)
Subs (not used) 12. Blackwood 15. Dolan 16. Berry
Whitletts Victoria
1. Fraser 2. Ogston 3. A.Kerr (McIntyre 27) 4. Millar 5. I.Kerr 6. Buchanan 7. L. Kerr 8. Barbour (Boyd 78) 9. Forsyth 10. Colligan 11. Donovan (George 88)
Subs (not used) 12. Milligan 15. Dempsey
Referee: Ross Nelson
Nithside Park has never been an easy place for opposition sides to visit but on this occasion ten man Vics comfortably took the points against an at times physical Rovers side, who’s cynical fouls left the travelling Vics fans incredulous that they finished the game with eleven players on the park!
Whitletts made the perfect start and with only two minutes on the clock they took the lead. Callum Ogston’s free kick evaded the home keeper and Isaac Kerr nipped in behind to head home from close range.
The game was played at a frantic pace with little composure being shown by either side but it was the visitors who were in control of the proceedings. Kerr almost grabbed a second when he volleyed over from a Thomas Donovan corner and Rovers keeper Alastair Smith did well to block an Adam Forsyth strike at his near post. A second goal always looked likely for Vics and it came in the 36th minute.
Paul Millar did well to win the ball in midfield and from Forsyth’s pass, Donovan cut inside a defender before rifling the ball high into the net from 22 yards.
Vics were still in control with Rovers posing little threat to the visitors defence. After Ogston tested Smith with a shot from distance that the Kello keeper saved at the second attempt, it took the home side until a minute before the interval to threatrn Martin Fraser’s goal as Mitchell Ewing raced clear only for an outstanding challenge from Isaac Kerr to deny the striker as he bore in on goal.
The second half was played in a similar fashion. Raymond Buchanan saw his free kick from 35 yards tipped over the bar by Smith and Bobby Colligan fired a volley over the bar as the Rovers defence failed to clear their lines from a corner.
Vics were becoming frustrated as some cynical challenges particularly by Robert Hampson and Liam Fleming went unpunished by the referee and in the 63rd minute Kello had their best chance to reduce the leeway when Mitchell Black was presented with a free header that he put over the bar from a Hampson corner.
Graeme Barbour went close for Vics with a low shot that slipped inches wide while at the other end only a goal line clearance by Ogston denied Sean Bennie but in the 76th minute, Vics were reduced to ten men. As Forsyth challenged for a ball on the byeline, a Kello defender collided with the pitch surround. Kello players reacted furiously towards Forsyth, with hands raised and once the melee subsided, it was Vics Isaac Kerr who was shown the red card for an alleged punch on a Rovers player. For his part Forsyth was shown a yellow card but no Kello player was even spoken to!
Within two minutes, Rovers capitalised on their extra man advantage when Buchanan allowed a long ball to go over his head but unknown to him Jake Griffin latched onto the pass to round Fraser and slot the ball into the empty net.
Rovers now sensed that they could steal a point but with four minutes remaining Whitletts put the game to bed. After the Rovers keeper fumbled a pass back, he brought down Forsyth inside the area as the Vics striker looked set to capitalise and referee Ross Nelson had no option but to point to the spot. Forsyth dusted himself down to fire past Smith and seal the three points for Vics.
Whitletts could have had a second spot kick in the final minute when Ross George was barged off the ball but this time the referee wasn’t interested in the visitors appeals who, despite not being at their best, were content to bring the three points back to Ayr.
Kello Rovers
1. Smith 2. Bell 3. Pagan (Griffin 39) 4. Thomson 5. Black 6. Bennie 7. Hampson 8. Shaw 9. Ewing 10. Fleming 11. Quinn (Jackson 54)
Subs (not used) 12. Blackwood 15. Dolan 16. Berry
Whitletts Victoria
1. Fraser 2. Ogston 3. A.Kerr (McIntyre 27) 4. Millar 5. I.Kerr 6. Buchanan 7. L. Kerr 8. Barbour (Boyd 78) 9. Forsyth 10. Colligan 11. Donovan (George 88)
Subs (not used) 12. Milligan 15. Dempsey
Referee: Ross Nelson