New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup Second Round

CLYDEBANK 2

WHITLETTS VICTORIA 1

SUPER League promotion challengers Bankies were made to fight all the way by spirited Whitletts Vics.

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 had just 12 available players and called up two youngsters from their Under-19 squad who have joined the club on dual contracts for the tie. The much-fancied Bankies were kept continually at bay by a well-marshalled Vics defence led by Raymond Buchanan.

Clydebank started strongly but the first real chance 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 32 minutes for the hosts to create a clearcut opportunity when Ally McInnes failed to collect a free-kick amongst a ruck of players and Sean Ewart cleared 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 past Ally McInnes. Buchanan cleared a Burbidge cross in front of goal just as Joel Kasubandi seemed set to score but Whitletts had the last chance of the half when Balfour fired a 25-yard free-kick just over the bar.

The second half started with Clydebank pressing forward but Whitletts found the route to goal just four minutes after the restart. Again referee Murray pointed 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 Burbidge to try and open up the visitors defence and his battle with young Sean Ewart was enthralling all afternoon. Finally, in 57 minutes, the Bankies winger 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 wide.

Just after the hour mark Vics survived another spot kick claim as Buchanan’s stumble appeared to bring down Kasubandi inside the box.

Whitletts were dealt a blow when they had to replace striker Tony Balfour who had what looked like 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 11 minutes remaining Clydebank’s pressure finally paid off. Vics keeper McInnes parried an Andrew Paterson shot from distance and Little bundled home the rebound from close range.

Late on Tommy Sloan fired wide with a volley from the edge of the box.

It was a deserved victory in the end for Clydebank who now travel to play Rob Roy, 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 from this game.

WHITLETTS VICTORIA McInnes; Anderson, Ewart. Mullen. Buchanan. Sloan, Davidson, Kerr, MccCarrisom, McFall, Balfour (K. Kerr). Subs not used: Nelson, Masterson.