Whitletts Vics : Match Report
WHITLETTS VICTORIA 4 - DALRY THISTLE 1
Whitletts Victoria continued their revival with another fine display and a comfortable victory over Dalry Thistle that saw them leapfrog their opponents as they continued their progression up the Championship table.
One month ago Vics were languishing in the relegation zone but after four straight victories they are marching up the league and now sit ten points clear of the danger zone. But its’ not simply the victories but the manner of them that make this run even more impressive as some of the football the Dam Park side are playing is at times breathtaking.
In the first half in this match they carved Dalry open time after time and could arguably have held a greater interval lead than they had.
The scoring started in the 8th minute with one of the most individually skilful goals that you’ll see from Stewart Davidson. From a partitally cleared corner kick, the ball fell to Davidson at the edge of the box and his quick thinking and nimble feet shifted the ball first left, then right and back left again to take out three defenders before firing past Marc Fisher in the Dalry goal.
But a club is always vulnerable after they’ve scored within sixty seconds Dalry were back on level terms. From a corner kick that was headed clear from the front post by Martin Findlay and Chris McGowan’s header careered over everyone into the top corner.
Almost immediately Vics went close to regaining the lead when from another corner kick the ball broke off a Dalry defender and looked to be heading into his own net but somehow Fisher managed to claw the ball from under the crossbar in an outstanding save.
But not to be outdone, in the 13th minute Vics were back in front. An exquisite move ended with Jordan Boyd playing the ball wide to Findlay and his first time cross was met by Michael Reilly who gave Fisher no chance with from a diving header.
Vic were in control of the match but were guilty of squandering a number of good opportunities to add to their tally. The closest they came being an angled drive from Louis Kerr that flashed inches wide. Boyd squandered a great opportunity when on a counter attack Marc Dyer played him in on goal but his first touch let him down allowing Fisher to clear.
A third goal was always looking likely but when it came it was a comedy of errors from the Dalry defence. Jamie Donnelly failed to cut out a ball over the top for Boyd to run onto and as Fisher raced from his box the bounce of the ball totally deceived him allowing Boyd to virtually walk the ball into the empty net.
Vics almost got a fourth on half time after another superb passage of play but Dyer’s shot from the edge of the box went the wrong side of the post.
The home side were dealt a blow at half time when Davidson had to go off injured and as a result they lost a lot of energy in midfield. Dalry came out looking to get back into the game and for the first quarter of an hour they pressed Vics back but rarely did they look like troubling Vics well marshalled back line. Indeed the closest they came to scoring a when Callum Walsh headed a Jamie Martin cross into his own side netting.
Vics got there way back into the game. A Morgan Brown shot was deflect wide while Reilly almost embarrassed Fisher in the visitors goal when his shot squirmed beneath the keeper whose blushes were saved as the ball slipped narrowly past. Between those efforts Dalry’s Kevin Adam saw his shot blocked by Scott Johnson and Walsh was on hand to clear up the danger before any visiting player could capitalise.
Isaac Kerr headed inches over from six yards from a Louis’ corner but any hope the visitors had of getting anything from the game was killed off in the 81st minute by a fourth goal for the hosts. Reilly took a short corner from Thomas Donovan and after taking the ball past a defender thumped and angled drive high into the net off the underside of the crossbar.
Dalry kept searching for a goal and never gave up with Sam McCloy and Kieran McLaughlin both going close with shots from the edge of the area while Vics almost snatched a fifth when Louis Kerr couldn’t direct a superb Boyd cross on target from six yards out with a diving header.
A fine performance from Whitletts and they’ll look to continue their good run next Saturday when Shotts Bon Accord visit Dam Park.
Whitletts Victoria
1. Johnson 2. Findlay 3. Ewart 4. I.Kerr 5. Walsh 6. Davidson (M.Brown HT) 7. Reilly 8. Dyer 9. Boyd 10. Donovan (A.Brown 87) 11. L.Kerr (S.Thompson 88)
Subs (not used) 13. McColgan 14. Buchanan
Dalry Thistle
1. Fisher 2. Stevenson 3. D.Gray 4. Donnelly 5. McGowan 6. King (McLaughlin 57) 7. Gardiner 8. Curragh (S.Gray 51) 9. Adam 10. Martin 11. McCloy
Sub (not used) 15. Browning
Referee: Ryan Oliver