McBookie Ayrshire District League

KELLO ROVERS 3

WHITLETTS VICTORIA 2

VICS fans leaving Nithside Park on Saturday were scratching their heads wondering exactly how this one got away from their side as an injury-time penalty kick ensured the home side took all three points.

For the majority of this clash it was the visitors who were the dominant force but they paid the penalty for squandering a host of chances and now they are looking for favours if they are to achieve their goal of promotion to the Superleague.

In just two minutes visiting player Craig Harvey who was through on goal only to be denied by the outstretched leg of Kello keeper Ryan Dunsmuir.

Harvey then got on the end of a Sean Ewart cross but his flick was well saved by the keeper. Dunsmuir denied Paul Cameron after a good run by Chris Black but in 26 minutes Vics were stunned as Kello took the lead. After his first cross into the box came back to him, Sean Bennie’s cross struck the shoulder of Josh Sloan and flew into the net.

A Greg Miller volley from the edge of the box was saved by McInnes but still the majority of the play was in the Kello half but 10 minutes before the interval Kello had a chance to double their advantage after Geoff Paterson was adjudged to have been tripped inside the area as Black cleared the danger by referee Michael McCart. Up stepped Geoff Ramage but Vics’ were thrown a lifeline as his spot kick came back off the post.

Whitletts pressed forward and Harvey was released by Black in a one-on-one situation but again his attempt struck the keeper's legs. Then three minutes before the interval Vics were given the ideal opportunity to level after Harvey was barged to the ground inside the area. No doubt about the award and Harvey dusted himself down but fired his poor penalty well wide.

The first chance of the second period fell to Kello on a counter attack but McInnes pulled off a sensational save to deny Miller and just five minutes after the restart Whitletts were back on level terms. Black stepped inside a defender to set up Harvey who took the ball across the grounded Dunsmuir to fire into the empty net from six yards.

It was no more than Vics deserved and within two minutes Black was denied from putting Vics ahead only by a goal-line clearance.

Whitletts were in full flow but in 58 minutes, a long clearance picked out Miller and the little striker was tripped in area by Danny Cunningham. A second penalty of the match and this time Martin Shaw drilled the ball home to put Kello in front.

Harvey fired over then from a Ewart cross and Sloan was given a free header that he sent wide but in 65 minutes, Vics' pressure paid off again when a superb through ball by Ross Campbell released Black and the midfielder dinked the ball past the advancing Dunsmuir into the net.

With five minutes remaining Sloan headed wide as Vics kept pressing.

In injury-time, Black hooked a close range effort over his shoulder inside the six-yards box only for Shaw to thump the ball off the line. Kello broke upfield and Miller was tripped, this time by Robert Kirkland. Referee McCart pointed to the spot for a third Kello penalty and substitute Ross Costello drilled it home.

WHITLETTS VICTORIA: McInnes; Boyle, Ewart (Kennedy 74); Kirkland, Cunningham, Sloan, Boyd (Baird 46); Black, Cameron, L. Kerr (Campbell 52)

Subs (not used: Buchanan,