Match Report : Whitletts Vics v Dalry Thistle
WHITLETTS VICTORIA 4 - DALRY THISTLE 1
Injury ravaged Whitletts Victoria kept up their 100% start to the league season with a come from behind victory over Dalry Thistle at Dam Park.
Neil Duffy welcomed Danny Cunningham and Ross Campbell back into the side that defeated Annbank the previous week but lost the services of strikers Niall Kennedy and Neil McGinn, midfielder Chris Black and defender Blair Anderson for this clash against the high scoring Jags who had scored 4 goals in each of their two opening league fixtures.
Dalry made their intent known straight from the kick off and David Gillies tested Ally McInnes from distance with the Vis keeper turning the former Talbot strikers shot over the bar. But not to be outdone, from the resulting corner the visitors took the lead when a deep cross was headed back across goal and Shaun Lavery was left unmarked to head home at the post.
Whitletts were denied an equaliser when following a poor clearance from keeper Scott Watson, Paul Cameron lofted the ball goalward but Chris McGowan got back to head the netbound effort over the crossbar but in the 14th minute Vics were back on level terms when Ross Campbell drilled a shot past Watson from 22 yards in at the post.
Dalry’s Keiran McLaughlin fired an angled drive wide of the target but in the 21st minute Whitletts took the lead. From a Kris Kerr corner to the back post Jordan Mullen rose to head over Watson and although the Dalry keeper got a hand to the ball he couldn’t prevent it dropping into net.
Number three for the home side came in 26th minute. From Sean Ewart’s cross , Jordan Boyd calmly laid the ball into the path of Kris Kerr and the Vics under 21 player fired past Watson from just inside the area.
Whitletts were in the ascendancy but they had a let off in the 38th minute when McLaughlin was left unmarked at the back post and should have done better than head wide of the target from inside the six yard box.
Jordan Boyd was denied when Lavery cleared Ewart’s cross across the face of goal as the midfielder seemed set to score but Dalry were almost got themselves back into the game two minutes before the break when Martin Stewart’s diving header went narrowly over from six yards.
Vics should have increased their right on half time when Ewart scuffed a Josh Sloan flick into the keepers hands as Vics had to settle for their 3-1 advantage at the break.
Dalry started strongly in the second period and only the woodwork denied Marc Archdeacon as his effort came back off the post before being scrambled to safety.
At the other end Sloan latched onto a Paul Cameron throw in but although his lofted effort beat the advancing keeper it dipped narrowly over the crossbar. In the main though it was Thiustle who were having the better of the exchanges and Gillies again tested McInnes. In an incredible sequence of events a shot from distance beat McInnes only to crash back off the bar and the Vics No1 proved his worth as he recovered to block attempts from Gilles and Archdeacon before Marc Hood’s drive struck Danny Cunningham.
The Vics goal was leading a charmed life and the woodwork came to their rescue again when Archdeacon broke into the box only for his shot to strike the post with the Vics defence at sixes and sevens and when the ball was returned to the danger zone McInnes saved the former Kilbirnie players shot.
A welcome sight for Vics fans was the return of striker Tony Balfour as a 65th minute substitute as he returned from injury and it was from his free kick that Vics next threatened the visitors goal as Sloan’s header was turned round the post by Watson. With 13 minutes remaining Vics should have made the points safe but from close range Boyd couldn’t keep the ball down as he skied Balfour’s low cross over the crossbar.
But in the 88th minute Whitletts welcomed a familiar site as Balfour lashed the ball past Watson to ensure that the points were staying at Dam Park.
A harsh scoreline for Dalry who didn’t deserve a defeat by this margin and on another day with a bit of luck the outcome could have been so different but its’ Vics who continue their perfect start to the season with the added bonus of the return of Tony Balfour.
Whitletts Victoria
1. McInnes 2. Mathieson 3. Smith (J.Barr 73)4. Mullen 5. Cunningham 6. Sloan 7. Boyd (Boyle 88) 8. Campbell 9. Cameron 10. Ewart 11. Kerr (Balfour 65) Subs (not used) 14. Boyle 21. Dorigo
Dalry Thistle
1. Watson 2. W.Boyd 3, C.McGowan Jnr 4. R. Boyd 5. C. McGowan Snr 6. Lavery (Peletier 73) 7. McLaughlin 8. Stewart (Marshall 62) 9. Gilles 10. Hood 11. Archdeacon
Subs (not used) 12. Gray 14. Cumming
Referee: Richard Murray
Injury ravaged Whitletts Victoria kept up their 100% start to the league season with a come from behind victory over Dalry Thistle at Dam Park.
Neil Duffy welcomed Danny Cunningham and Ross Campbell back into the side that defeated Annbank the previous week but lost the services of strikers Niall Kennedy and Neil McGinn, midfielder Chris Black and defender Blair Anderson for this clash against the high scoring Jags who had scored 4 goals in each of their two opening league fixtures.
Dalry made their intent known straight from the kick off and David Gillies tested Ally McInnes from distance with the Vis keeper turning the former Talbot strikers shot over the bar. But not to be outdone, from the resulting corner the visitors took the lead when a deep cross was headed back across goal and Shaun Lavery was left unmarked to head home at the post.
Whitletts were denied an equaliser when following a poor clearance from keeper Scott Watson, Paul Cameron lofted the ball goalward but Chris McGowan got back to head the netbound effort over the crossbar but in the 14th minute Vics were back on level terms when Ross Campbell drilled a shot past Watson from 22 yards in at the post.
Dalry’s Keiran McLaughlin fired an angled drive wide of the target but in the 21st minute Whitletts took the lead. From a Kris Kerr corner to the back post Jordan Mullen rose to head over Watson and although the Dalry keeper got a hand to the ball he couldn’t prevent it dropping into net.
Number three for the home side came in 26th minute. From Sean Ewart’s cross , Jordan Boyd calmly laid the ball into the path of Kris Kerr and the Vics under 21 player fired past Watson from just inside the area.
Whitletts were in the ascendancy but they had a let off in the 38th minute when McLaughlin was left unmarked at the back post and should have done better than head wide of the target from inside the six yard box.
Jordan Boyd was denied when Lavery cleared Ewart’s cross across the face of goal as the midfielder seemed set to score but Dalry were almost got themselves back into the game two minutes before the break when Martin Stewart’s diving header went narrowly over from six yards.
Vics should have increased their right on half time when Ewart scuffed a Josh Sloan flick into the keepers hands as Vics had to settle for their 3-1 advantage at the break.
Dalry started strongly in the second period and only the woodwork denied Marc Archdeacon as his effort came back off the post before being scrambled to safety.
At the other end Sloan latched onto a Paul Cameron throw in but although his lofted effort beat the advancing keeper it dipped narrowly over the crossbar. In the main though it was Thiustle who were having the better of the exchanges and Gillies again tested McInnes. In an incredible sequence of events a shot from distance beat McInnes only to crash back off the bar and the Vics No1 proved his worth as he recovered to block attempts from Gilles and Archdeacon before Marc Hood’s drive struck Danny Cunningham.
The Vics goal was leading a charmed life and the woodwork came to their rescue again when Archdeacon broke into the box only for his shot to strike the post with the Vics defence at sixes and sevens and when the ball was returned to the danger zone McInnes saved the former Kilbirnie players shot.
A welcome sight for Vics fans was the return of striker Tony Balfour as a 65th minute substitute as he returned from injury and it was from his free kick that Vics next threatened the visitors goal as Sloan’s header was turned round the post by Watson. With 13 minutes remaining Vics should have made the points safe but from close range Boyd couldn’t keep the ball down as he skied Balfour’s low cross over the crossbar.
But in the 88th minute Whitletts welcomed a familiar site as Balfour lashed the ball past Watson to ensure that the points were staying at Dam Park.
A harsh scoreline for Dalry who didn’t deserve a defeat by this margin and on another day with a bit of luck the outcome could have been so different but its’ Vics who continue their perfect start to the season with the added bonus of the return of Tony Balfour.
Whitletts Victoria
1. McInnes 2. Mathieson 3. Smith (J.Barr 73)4. Mullen 5. Cunningham 6. Sloan 7. Boyd (Boyle 88) 8. Campbell 9. Cameron 10. Ewart 11. Kerr (Balfour 65) Subs (not used) 14. Boyle 21. Dorigo
Dalry Thistle
1. Watson 2. W.Boyd 3, C.McGowan Jnr 4. R. Boyd 5. C. McGowan Snr 6. Lavery (Peletier 73) 7. McLaughlin 8. Stewart (Marshall 62) 9. Gilles 10. Hood 11. Archdeacon
Subs (not used) 12. Gray 14. Cumming
Referee: Richard Murray