McBookie Championship

WHITLETTS VICTORIA 3

KILSYTH RANGERS 0

WHITLETTS gave new boss Peter Leonard the perfect start to life in the Dam Park dugout with a comfortable win that saw the Ayr side leapfrog their opponents in the West Region Championship.

It was no more than Vics deserved as they produced a fine performance in the heavy conditions to claim the points in a complete role reversal of the outcome when the sides met last month at Duncansfield. On that occasion it was the ‘Wee Gers’ that took control with goals just before the interval and likewise on this occasion, after Adam Forsyth gave Vics the lead just before the break, there was only going to be one outcome. Both sides went at it from the kick off with Salim Kouider-Aissa seeing his first attempt at goal from the edge of the box deflected wide.

For Vics, Bobby Colligan tried his luck from distance which went narrowly past while Raymond Buchanan headed wide after Rangers keeper David Tait failed to collect a corner kick. Buchanan saw a header from a David Mathieson free-kick flash wide while at the other end Francis Kelly’s effort was turned behind by home goalie Marty Fraser. From the resulting corner Jon Tully headed over while a 30-yard screamer from Buchanan tested Tait who got the faintest oftouches onto the big defender’s free-kick to turn it round the post. It was clear there were going to be goals and two minutes before halftime the home side made the breakthrough. Forsyth superbly turned his defender at the edge of the box and as Tait raced out to block, the Vics hitman lifted the ball over the keeper to score his 35th competitive goal of the season. Having made the breakthrough just before half time clearly gave Vics confidence. Colligan was unfortunate when he scooped his shot over the crossbar early on but the home side continued to carry the greater threat. From a deep Forsyth cross to the back post Jordan Baird slid in but couldn’t direct the ball on target as it hit the side netting. Then Baird’s turned provider with a neat through ball that released who overhit the ball which allowed Tait the opportunity to collect. Baird got his name on the scoresheet in 71 minutes. Picking the ball up out on the left he worked his way across the edge of the area leaving three Kilsyth defenders trailing before unleashing an unstoppable shot past Tait into the corner of the net for his first goal in junior football since stepping up from the clubs’ amateur side. Kilsyth had a great chance to reduce the leeway when Kouider-Aissa found space for a shot but Fraser reacted quickest to knock the rebound away from the feet of Kelly as he seemed set to score. A corner for the visitors fizzed across goal in the final minute but Whitletts continued to look the likelier side to add to their tally and in injury-time they did just that. Colligan completing the scoring with a fine run in from the left to fire low past Tait.

WHITLETTS VICTORIA: Fraser; Mathieson, Ewart, Millar, Buchanan, Ogston, Brown, Colligan, Forsyth, Donovan (Hannah 82) A Kerr (Baird 39). Subs (not used) Murphy, Hay, Dorigo