Whitletts Vics : Match Report
WHITLETTS VICTORIA 0 - NEWMAINS UNITED 0
(Newmains win 4-2 on penalties)
Vics were victims of a cup upset at Dam Park as they crashed out of the West of Scotland Cup at the first hurdle on penalties to League Two side Newmains. But the collateral damage for George Grierson’s side could be much worse with injuries sustained to key players Louis Kerr (hamstring), Thomas Donovan (arm injury) and Sean Ewart (hamstring) that could keep the trio out of the side for a number of weeks. outstanding.
For the vast majority of this match it was one way traffic, with waves on Whitletts attacks raining down on the Newmains goal but the Lanarkshire side produced a superb defensive display to keep the Vics at bay with their central defensive pairing of David Ross and Craig Scott in particular outstanding.
Whitletts started well and pressed forward from the kick off. A Thomas Donovan shot from the edge of the box was tipped over the bar by Martyn Meek in the visitors goal and moments later the wee striker fired an angled left foot drive just wide as Vics looked for the breakthrough.
Meek again denied the home side with a diving save at full stretch to turn an Adam Forsyth drive round the post and from the resulting corner Isaac Kerr had a great opportunity when he was afforded a free header six yards out that flew past the post.
Newmains Adam Robertson had the visitors best chance of the afternoon on the half hour mark when he ran onto a Cammy Browning pass and slipped the ball past Marty Fraser but his netbound shot was cleared inside the six yard box by Paul Millar. That was the only real threat to Fraser’s goal all afternoon .
Donovan had a great chance when the ball fell to him at the edge of the six yard box but he elected to take a touch rather than strike first time and the chance was lost while just before the interval Forsyth fired just wide from a Sean Ewart cross.
The second half saw the welcome return to the side of Jordan Mullen after a long lay off through injury and almost immediately Vics took up where they left off in the first period. Forsyth had a free header which he put wide from a Donovan cross.
Whitletts did have the ball in the net in the 57th minute when Raymond Buchanan headed home but referee David Ingram ruled the ‘goal’ out for an infringement. Mullen then headed over a Louis Kerr free kick whilst Forsyth had the ball in the net again but this time it was ruled out for a narrow offside decision.
As the match entered the closing stages it was still the home side searching for that elusive goal. An Andy Kerr cross picked out Forsyth in the clear but this time he fired over and then when Donovan released the Vics marksman in a one on one with the keeper it was Meek who came out on top with a fine blocking save.
The Newmains keeper was having a fine afternoon and he denied Isaac Kerr with a save at full stretch whilst Andy Kerr fired a Donovan cross the back post into the side netting.
In the dying moments Meek again broke Vics hearts as he did well to parry a Forsyth shot as the match ended goal less and had to be decided by the lottery of penalty kicks.
At this stage of the competition last season, Whitletts won a penalty shoot out at Petershill in what was their first shoot out success for 27 years but the penalty jinx was to return again, albeit in some controversial circumstances.
Meek dived at full stretch to save Forsyth’s first penalty for the home side and after Robertson scored for the visitors, Isaac Kerr then blasted his effort over the crossbar. The controversy surrounded Scott Ballantyne’s second penalty for Newmains which Fraser superbly saved diving to his right but the referee ordered the kick to be retaken for encroachment and this time Ballantyne made no mistake.
Millar and Buchanan scored for Vics while Scott’s successful kick left Josh Anderson to score and book a home tie against East Kilbride Thistle in the second round.
On another day Vics would have won this match very comfortably but it wasn’t to be and credit to Newmains who stuck to their game plan and produce a stoic defensive display leaving Vics with their league campaign to concentrate on for the remainder of the season
Whitletts Victoria
1. Fraser 2. Ogston 3. Ewart (A. Kerr 57) 4. Millar 5. I.Kerr 6. Buchanan 7. Boyd 8. L.Kerr 9. Forsyth 10. George (Mullen HT) 11. Donovan (Condon 87)
Subs (not used) 14. McIntyre 21. Dorigo
Newmains United
1 Meek 2. Cumming 3. Howson 4. Rawlings 5. Ross 6. Scott 7. Browning (McCafferty 76) 8. Anderson 9. Robertson 10. McGlone 11. Ballantyne
Subs (not used) 14. McKenzie 15. Gupwell 16. Watson 18. Mitchell
Referee: David Ingram
(Newmains win 4-2 on penalties)
Vics were victims of a cup upset at Dam Park as they crashed out of the West of Scotland Cup at the first hurdle on penalties to League Two side Newmains. But the collateral damage for George Grierson’s side could be much worse with injuries sustained to key players Louis Kerr (hamstring), Thomas Donovan (arm injury) and Sean Ewart (hamstring) that could keep the trio out of the side for a number of weeks. outstanding.
For the vast majority of this match it was one way traffic, with waves on Whitletts attacks raining down on the Newmains goal but the Lanarkshire side produced a superb defensive display to keep the Vics at bay with their central defensive pairing of David Ross and Craig Scott in particular outstanding.
Whitletts started well and pressed forward from the kick off. A Thomas Donovan shot from the edge of the box was tipped over the bar by Martyn Meek in the visitors goal and moments later the wee striker fired an angled left foot drive just wide as Vics looked for the breakthrough.
Meek again denied the home side with a diving save at full stretch to turn an Adam Forsyth drive round the post and from the resulting corner Isaac Kerr had a great opportunity when he was afforded a free header six yards out that flew past the post.
Newmains Adam Robertson had the visitors best chance of the afternoon on the half hour mark when he ran onto a Cammy Browning pass and slipped the ball past Marty Fraser but his netbound shot was cleared inside the six yard box by Paul Millar. That was the only real threat to Fraser’s goal all afternoon .
Donovan had a great chance when the ball fell to him at the edge of the six yard box but he elected to take a touch rather than strike first time and the chance was lost while just before the interval Forsyth fired just wide from a Sean Ewart cross.
The second half saw the welcome return to the side of Jordan Mullen after a long lay off through injury and almost immediately Vics took up where they left off in the first period. Forsyth had a free header which he put wide from a Donovan cross.
Whitletts did have the ball in the net in the 57th minute when Raymond Buchanan headed home but referee David Ingram ruled the ‘goal’ out for an infringement. Mullen then headed over a Louis Kerr free kick whilst Forsyth had the ball in the net again but this time it was ruled out for a narrow offside decision.
As the match entered the closing stages it was still the home side searching for that elusive goal. An Andy Kerr cross picked out Forsyth in the clear but this time he fired over and then when Donovan released the Vics marksman in a one on one with the keeper it was Meek who came out on top with a fine blocking save.
The Newmains keeper was having a fine afternoon and he denied Isaac Kerr with a save at full stretch whilst Andy Kerr fired a Donovan cross the back post into the side netting.
In the dying moments Meek again broke Vics hearts as he did well to parry a Forsyth shot as the match ended goal less and had to be decided by the lottery of penalty kicks.
At this stage of the competition last season, Whitletts won a penalty shoot out at Petershill in what was their first shoot out success for 27 years but the penalty jinx was to return again, albeit in some controversial circumstances.
Meek dived at full stretch to save Forsyth’s first penalty for the home side and after Robertson scored for the visitors, Isaac Kerr then blasted his effort over the crossbar. The controversy surrounded Scott Ballantyne’s second penalty for Newmains which Fraser superbly saved diving to his right but the referee ordered the kick to be retaken for encroachment and this time Ballantyne made no mistake.
Millar and Buchanan scored for Vics while Scott’s successful kick left Josh Anderson to score and book a home tie against East Kilbride Thistle in the second round.
On another day Vics would have won this match very comfortably but it wasn’t to be and credit to Newmains who stuck to their game plan and produce a stoic defensive display leaving Vics with their league campaign to concentrate on for the remainder of the season
Whitletts Victoria
1. Fraser 2. Ogston 3. Ewart (A. Kerr 57) 4. Millar 5. I.Kerr 6. Buchanan 7. Boyd 8. L.Kerr 9. Forsyth 10. George (Mullen HT) 11. Donovan (Condon 87)
Subs (not used) 14. McIntyre 21. Dorigo
Newmains United
1 Meek 2. Cumming 3. Howson 4. Rawlings 5. Ross 6. Scott 7. Browning (McCafferty 76) 8. Anderson 9. Robertson 10. McGlone 11. Ballantyne
Subs (not used) 14. McKenzie 15. Gupwell 16. Watson 18. Mitchell
Referee: David Ingram