Whitletts Vics : Match Report
CLYDEBANK 2 - WHITLETTS VICTORIA 1
Superleague promotion challengers Clydebank were made to fight all the way by a spirited Whitletts Victoria performance in this West of Scotland Cup tie at Holm Park. The Ayrshire District League side turned in a battling display, playing with heart and desire against a very talented Bankies outfit who only sealed their trip to Kirkintilloch Rob Roy in the third round with a late goal.
Vics’ travelled to Holm Park with only 12 available players and called up two youngsters from their under 19 squad who have joined the club on dual contracts for the tie against the much fancied Bankies who despite having much of the possession throughout the game, were continually kept at bay by a well marshalled Vics defence led by Raymond Buchanan.
Clydebank started strongly but the first real chance of the game fell to the visitors in the 11th minute. A Lee Anderson free kick picked out Tony Balfour and his neat interchange with James Davidson saw the midfielder fire into the side netting.
Bankies heeded that warning and had the better of an entertaining first half but the Vics defence were very much on top. It took until the 32nd minute for the hosts to create a clear cut opportunity when Ally McInnes failed to collect a free kick amongst a ruck of players and Sean Ewart cleared the ball off the line before Bankies could capitalise. But within a minute the home side were ahead. Jordan Mullen brought down Mark Burbidge just inside the area leaving referee Richard Murray no option but to point to the penalty spot from where Nicholas Little slotted the ball past McInnes.
Raymond Buchanan prevented Vics from falling further behind a couple of minutes later as he cleared a Burbidge cross in front of goal just as it seemed Joel Kasubandi seemed set to score but it was Whitletts who had the last chance of the half when Balfour fired a 25 yard free kick just over the angle.
The second half started in a similar fashion with Clydebank pressing forward but it was Whitletts who were to find the route to goal just four minutes after the restart. Again referee Murray had no hesitation in pointing to the spot after Ewart was pulled back inside the area and Balfour sent Josh Lumsden the wrong way from 12 yards for his 23rd goal of the season.
At almost every opportunity Bankies sought out the talented Burbidge to try and open up the visitors defence and his battle with young Sean Ewart was an enthralling one all afternoon but in the 57th the Bankies winger finally got the better of the Vics full back but saw his angled drive flash just over.
But it was not all one way traffic and a couple of minutes later as the home defence failed to clear their lines from a Balfour free kick, Sam McFall’s close control saw him skip past three challenges but his shot drifted just past the post.
Just after the hour mark Vics survived another spot kick claim as this time referee Murray waved aside home appeals for a penalty as Buchanan’s stumble appeared to bring down Kasubandi inside the box but in the main although there were a few moments when the Vics area more resembled a game of pinball than a football match, the visitors defence coped well with whatever Bankies could fling at them.
Whitletts were dealt a blow when they were forced to replace striker Tony Balfour who had what looked to be a hamstring strain but his replacement, 18 year old Kris Kerr almost made an immediate impact as he whipped a cross ball in from the right which the Bankies defence scrambled to safety.
However with eleven minutes remaining Clydebank’s pressure finally paid off. Vics keeper McInnes parried an Andrew Paterson shot from distance and Little was again on hand to bundle home the rebound from close range.
Whitletts fought to get back into the game with skipper Buchanan moving upfront to add some height to the Vics attack and with the final act of the game Tommy Sloan fired wide with a volley from the edge of the box.
A deserved victory in the end for Clydebank who now travel to play Rob Roy in the next round but with this being only his third game in charge of Vics, manager Neil Duffy and his players will be able to take a lot of comfort out of this game after a sterling and battling performance
CLYDEBANK
1. Lumsden 2. Halliday 3. H. Cole (Paterson HT) 4. MacKinnon 5. O’Neill 6. Vezza 7. Burbidge 8. Barclay 9. Kasubandi (Shelvey 72) 10. Little 11. Holms (Young 80)
Substitutes (not used) 16. Cree 20. McGuire
WHITLETTS VICTORIA
1. McInnes 2. Lee Anderson 3. Ewart 4. Mullen 5. Buchanan 6. Sloan 7. Davidson 8. L. Kerr 9. McCarrison 10. McFall 11. Balfour (K. Kerr 70)
Substitutes (not used) 14. Nelson 21. Masterson
REFEREE: Richard Murray
Superleague promotion challengers Clydebank were made to fight all the way by a spirited Whitletts Victoria performance in this West of Scotland Cup tie at Holm Park. The Ayrshire District League side turned in a battling display, playing with heart and desire against a very talented Bankies outfit who only sealed their trip to Kirkintilloch Rob Roy in the third round with a late goal.
Vics’ travelled to Holm Park with only 12 available players and called up two youngsters from their under 19 squad who have joined the club on dual contracts for the tie against the much fancied Bankies who despite having much of the possession throughout the game, were continually kept at bay by a well marshalled Vics defence led by Raymond Buchanan.
Clydebank started strongly but the first real chance of the game fell to the visitors in the 11th minute. A Lee Anderson free kick picked out Tony Balfour and his neat interchange with James Davidson saw the midfielder fire into the side netting.
Bankies heeded that warning and had the better of an entertaining first half but the Vics defence were very much on top. It took until the 32nd minute for the hosts to create a clear cut opportunity when Ally McInnes failed to collect a free kick amongst a ruck of players and Sean Ewart cleared the ball off the line before Bankies could capitalise. But within a minute the home side were ahead. Jordan Mullen brought down Mark Burbidge just inside the area leaving referee Richard Murray no option but to point to the penalty spot from where Nicholas Little slotted the ball past McInnes.
Raymond Buchanan prevented Vics from falling further behind a couple of minutes later as he cleared a Burbidge cross in front of goal just as it seemed Joel Kasubandi seemed set to score but it was Whitletts who had the last chance of the half when Balfour fired a 25 yard free kick just over the angle.
The second half started in a similar fashion with Clydebank pressing forward but it was Whitletts who were to find the route to goal just four minutes after the restart. Again referee Murray had no hesitation in pointing to the spot after Ewart was pulled back inside the area and Balfour sent Josh Lumsden the wrong way from 12 yards for his 23rd goal of the season.
At almost every opportunity Bankies sought out the talented Burbidge to try and open up the visitors defence and his battle with young Sean Ewart was an enthralling one all afternoon but in the 57th the Bankies winger finally got the better of the Vics full back but saw his angled drive flash just over.
But it was not all one way traffic and a couple of minutes later as the home defence failed to clear their lines from a Balfour free kick, Sam McFall’s close control saw him skip past three challenges but his shot drifted just past the post.
Just after the hour mark Vics survived another spot kick claim as this time referee Murray waved aside home appeals for a penalty as Buchanan’s stumble appeared to bring down Kasubandi inside the box but in the main although there were a few moments when the Vics area more resembled a game of pinball than a football match, the visitors defence coped well with whatever Bankies could fling at them.
Whitletts were dealt a blow when they were forced to replace striker Tony Balfour who had what looked to be a hamstring strain but his replacement, 18 year old Kris Kerr almost made an immediate impact as he whipped a cross ball in from the right which the Bankies defence scrambled to safety.
However with eleven minutes remaining Clydebank’s pressure finally paid off. Vics keeper McInnes parried an Andrew Paterson shot from distance and Little was again on hand to bundle home the rebound from close range.
Whitletts fought to get back into the game with skipper Buchanan moving upfront to add some height to the Vics attack and with the final act of the game Tommy Sloan fired wide with a volley from the edge of the box.
A deserved victory in the end for Clydebank who now travel to play Rob Roy in the next round but with this being only his third game in charge of Vics, manager Neil Duffy and his players will be able to take a lot of comfort out of this game after a sterling and battling performance
CLYDEBANK
1. Lumsden 2. Halliday 3. H. Cole (Paterson HT) 4. MacKinnon 5. O’Neill 6. Vezza 7. Burbidge 8. Barclay 9. Kasubandi (Shelvey 72) 10. Little 11. Holms (Young 80)
Substitutes (not used) 16. Cree 20. McGuire
WHITLETTS VICTORIA
1. McInnes 2. Lee Anderson 3. Ewart 4. Mullen 5. Buchanan 6. Sloan 7. Davidson 8. L. Kerr 9. McCarrison 10. McFall 11. Balfour (K. Kerr 70)
Substitutes (not used) 14. Nelson 21. Masterson
REFEREE: Richard Murray