Match Report : Whitletts v Saltcoats
WHITLETTS VICTORIA 6 - SALTCOATS VICTORIA 0
Whitletts Victoria moved to the top of the Ayrshire District League with a convincing victory over Saltcoats at Dam Park.
Neil Duffy’s squad was right to the bare bones with Tony Balfour’s name being added to the extensive injury list while Paul Cameron (suspended) and Ally McInnes (marriage) were also absent, meaning first team debuts for keeper Aron Dorigo and new signing from Troon, Craig Harvey.
Harvey almost made an immediate impact as he set up Jordan Boyd with the first opportunity of the match but Boyd delayed his shot allowing the defender to get back and block his effort.
Dorigo was also called into action early on with the Vics keeper doing well to save an Ian Fraser shot on the turn in the eighth minute. But Whitletts were enjoying the majority of the possession and Saltcoats keeper Sean Kirkland pulled off a fine save from a Jordan Mullen header but in the 16th minute he was left helpless as the home side took the lead. As Niall Kennedy played the ball into the area, the ball eventually found its way out to Harvey whose byeline cross was met by the onrushing Boyd to powered a header into the corner of the net.
Saltcoats almost snatched an equliser moments later a the home side struggled to clear a cross into the box and Ally Boyle took up the right defensive position to block the netbound effort from Callum McDade.Whitletts went two up in the 31st minute when Chris Black picked the ball up on the right side of the box and set up Kennedy who stepped around Kirkland before firing the ball into the net from 12 yards. And three minutes later it was 3-0. A superb defence splitting pass from Boyle found Boyd who fired low past the advancing Kirkland into the net.
Vics injury worries looked to have increased further when keeper Dorigo was on the end of a late McDade challenge and had to hobble through the rest of the first half but two minutes before the break Whitletts went 4 up. Another neat move around the box picked out Black who stepped across the front of the defender before firing home from ten yards.
Saltcoats should have pulled on back right on half time when Ryan McKie got a clear sight of goal but fired over the crossbar with just Dorigo to beat.
The second half started with a Mullen header from a corner that was saved by Kirkland while at the other end McDade headed a McKie free kick wide. Harvey went closeto scoring a debut goal with a shot that flashed across the face of goal.
The fifth goal was always on the cards and it came in the 64th minute. Harvey carved open the visitors defence with a mazy run that left four players in his wake and although Kirkland blocked his effort, Black was on hand to stroke the ball into the empty net from ten yards. Youngster Lee McClymont, a product of the Clubs’ under 19 side, came on to make his debut and when Kirkland spilled his cross into the box only a desperate clearance from Alistair Patrick saw the ball cannon off Mullen and fly over.
In the final minute Vics added a sixth with a goal that was had made in Girvan stamped all over it. Danny Cunningham cleared from defence to Harvey who in turn played in the advancing Josh Sloan who rolled to ball past Kirkland to complete the scoring and set the scene up nicely for next weekends crunch visit of Darvel to Dam Park on league business.
Whitletts Victoria
1 Dorigo 2 Anderson (Mathieson 65) 3. Campbell 4. Mullen 5. Cunningham 6. Sloan 7. Boyd 8. Black 9. Kennedy (McClymont 68) 10. Boyle 11. Harvey
Saltcoats Victoria
1. Kirkland 2. Thomson 3. Easdon (McLaughlan 68) 4. Patrick 5. Bonner 6. Arthur 7. McKie 8. Young 9. Fraser (Harkins 68) 10. McDade 11. McInness (Quinn 68) Subs (not used) 14. Grayston Referee: Martin McCarthy
Whitletts Victoria moved to the top of the Ayrshire District League with a convincing victory over Saltcoats at Dam Park.
Neil Duffy’s squad was right to the bare bones with Tony Balfour’s name being added to the extensive injury list while Paul Cameron (suspended) and Ally McInnes (marriage) were also absent, meaning first team debuts for keeper Aron Dorigo and new signing from Troon, Craig Harvey.
Harvey almost made an immediate impact as he set up Jordan Boyd with the first opportunity of the match but Boyd delayed his shot allowing the defender to get back and block his effort.
Dorigo was also called into action early on with the Vics keeper doing well to save an Ian Fraser shot on the turn in the eighth minute. But Whitletts were enjoying the majority of the possession and Saltcoats keeper Sean Kirkland pulled off a fine save from a Jordan Mullen header but in the 16th minute he was left helpless as the home side took the lead. As Niall Kennedy played the ball into the area, the ball eventually found its way out to Harvey whose byeline cross was met by the onrushing Boyd to powered a header into the corner of the net.
Saltcoats almost snatched an equliser moments later a the home side struggled to clear a cross into the box and Ally Boyle took up the right defensive position to block the netbound effort from Callum McDade.Whitletts went two up in the 31st minute when Chris Black picked the ball up on the right side of the box and set up Kennedy who stepped around Kirkland before firing the ball into the net from 12 yards. And three minutes later it was 3-0. A superb defence splitting pass from Boyle found Boyd who fired low past the advancing Kirkland into the net.
Vics injury worries looked to have increased further when keeper Dorigo was on the end of a late McDade challenge and had to hobble through the rest of the first half but two minutes before the break Whitletts went 4 up. Another neat move around the box picked out Black who stepped across the front of the defender before firing home from ten yards.
Saltcoats should have pulled on back right on half time when Ryan McKie got a clear sight of goal but fired over the crossbar with just Dorigo to beat.
The second half started with a Mullen header from a corner that was saved by Kirkland while at the other end McDade headed a McKie free kick wide. Harvey went closeto scoring a debut goal with a shot that flashed across the face of goal.
The fifth goal was always on the cards and it came in the 64th minute. Harvey carved open the visitors defence with a mazy run that left four players in his wake and although Kirkland blocked his effort, Black was on hand to stroke the ball into the empty net from ten yards. Youngster Lee McClymont, a product of the Clubs’ under 19 side, came on to make his debut and when Kirkland spilled his cross into the box only a desperate clearance from Alistair Patrick saw the ball cannon off Mullen and fly over.
In the final minute Vics added a sixth with a goal that was had made in Girvan stamped all over it. Danny Cunningham cleared from defence to Harvey who in turn played in the advancing Josh Sloan who rolled to ball past Kirkland to complete the scoring and set the scene up nicely for next weekends crunch visit of Darvel to Dam Park on league business.
Whitletts Victoria
1 Dorigo 2 Anderson (Mathieson 65) 3. Campbell 4. Mullen 5. Cunningham 6. Sloan 7. Boyd 8. Black 9. Kennedy (McClymont 68) 10. Boyle 11. Harvey
Saltcoats Victoria
1. Kirkland 2. Thomson 3. Easdon (McLaughlan 68) 4. Patrick 5. Bonner 6. Arthur 7. McKie 8. Young 9. Fraser (Harkins 68) 10. McDade 11. McInness (Quinn 68) Subs (not used) 14. Grayston Referee: Martin McCarthy