Whitletts Vics : Match Report & News
LEONARD STEPS DOWN
Peter Leonard has resigned as manager of Whitletts Victoria with immediate effect.
The decision comes after a horrific run of results in which the Club have picked up only one point out of a possible 18 in the league and a poor performance in Saturday’s Scottish Cup exit at Beith.
Chairman, John Dalton, has stated that the Club will begin the search for a new manager with immediate effect. “I am disappointed that Peter has taken this decision. He is a proud man who has achieved a lot in the game and I genuinely believe that he has built a squad that should be challenging for promotion.”
“After a positive start to the season which included wins at Troon and against Cumbernauld, our form dropped dramatically and our season nosedived and we now find ourselves embroiled in a relegation battle. Peter tried various things to try and resolve the situation but had got to the point where he felt it best to step aside and allow someone new to step into the role and take the Club forward."
“I would like to thank Peter and his coaching staff Gerry Phillips and Steve McNally for all they have done for the Club in their time with Whitletts and wish them every success for the future.”
“The Club committee will be meeting tonight to decide our next steps.”
BEITH 7 - WHITLETTS VICTORIA 2
Vics crashed out of the Macron Scottish Junior Cup with a humiliating defeat at the hands of Beith at Bellsdale Park. Whilst the defeat will certainly not be treated as a Cup shock, the margin of victory and the manner in which the capitulated in that first period in particular will raise a few eyebrows.
This was a woeful display by Vics and but for another Man of the Match performance by young keeper Cole Millen, the margin of defeat could have been much greater.
The Bellsdale nightmare started in the sixth minute. A slack pass from Paul Millar from inside his own box went straight to Joe Bradley who set up Keir Milliken who fired past young Millen from just inside the box.
Vics defence was all at sea as Bradley fired over at the back post with the goal at his mercy and Connor McGlinchey went close with a shot from the corner of the box. Millen then made a fine save to parry a Paul Frize effort but with 23 minutes on the clock the Vics defence was unlocked again in the simplest of fashions. A long kick out by keeper Stephen Grindley was allowed to bounce twice and over the Vics defence for Bradley to tun through and lift the ball over the advancing Millen.
Millen then saved a McGlinchey free kick at full stretch at his post but the youngster was neaten again in the 28th minute as Darren Christie curled a shot from the corner of the box into the far corner.
Whitletts hadn’t been seen as an attacking force in the first half and it came as no surprise when Beith added a fourth in the 41st minute. A toe poke from 22 yards by Darren Ramsey which slipped under Millen outstretched arm into the net.
The second period started in a lacklustre fashion with little of note happening until the 64th minute when Vics scored with a stunning goal from Stewart Davidson. On the counter attack, Robert Patterson played the ball inside to Davidson who from the edge of the centre circle saw Grindlay off his line and fired over the keeper into the net.
That goal provoked a reaction from Beith and five minutes later Paul Frize got on the end of a Sean McIlroy cutback to fire into the corner of the net.
Millen then saved a Bradley shot at his post as Vics struggled to clear their lines and with fifteen minutes remaining Whitletts scored their second of the game. Michael Reilly played the ball to Thomas Donovan who swept the ball into the corner of the net.
Sean McIlroy completed the scoring with a double inside the last ten minutes for the home side. In the 81st minute he raced through to fire across Millen into the net and with two minutes remaining he slid in to convert a low Ryan Docherty cross.
A sorry exit from the Scottish Cup for Vics. The players certainly didn’t cover themselves in any glory and with a crucial league match at Cambuslang next Saturday, each and every one of them need to take a long hard look at themselves and their performances on the park and come together as a team if Vics are to get out of the sorry predicament that they currently find themselves in.
Beith
1. Grindlay 2. McGlinchey 3. Docherty 4. Green 5. Sheridan 6. Wilson (McKenzie 56) 7. Christie (McIlroy 67) 8. Frize 9. Milliken 10. Ramsay (McLean 67) 11. Bradley
Subs (not used) 15. Fisher 17. Noble
Whitletts Victoria
1. Millen 2. Findlay 3. Millar 4. I.Kerr 6. Cunningham 8. Boyd 9. Reilly 11. Patterson (Donovan 69) 15. Ewart 16. Davidson 17. Dinwoodie (Walsh 69)
Subs (not used) 13. McColgan 18. A.Kerr
Referee: William Wilson