Whitletts Vics hammer Troon to set up quarter-final clash

WHITLETTS Victoria celebrated their 75th birthday in style with a five star display against Troon at Portland Park.

It was 75 years to the day since Whitletts played their first ever match, a 2-2 draw with Ayr Newton Rovers, as the Dam Park side over ran their Premiership opponents to set up a quarter final trip to Auchinleck

Thomas Donovan led the demolition with four goals - two in each half – to which Troon had little reply. The opening goal came in five minutes. Thomas Donovan was left unmarked with his back to goal but beat Scott Johnstone with a neat head flick from a Louis Kerr cross to despite having his back to goal.

Troon responded with everything being played through Ryan Stevenson and it was from one of his passes that the home side equalised midway through the half. Dean Fulton running on only for his effort to come back off the post and Paul Millar’s attempted clearance fell kindly for Evan Maley to tap home from close range.

Whitletts' response was swift with Jordan Boyd setting up Louis Kerr at the edge of the box but the midfielders shot slipped wide. However in 33 minutes, the same two players combined and from Kerr’s cross Donovan fired home his second from six yards.

The Portland Park side were dealt a blow when talisman Stevenson had to go off injured just before half-time after a collision with Vics keeper Dan McColgan and his replacement Steven McCreadie almost made an instant impact but his shot on the turn went just wide.

That collision with Stevenson also took its’ toll on McColgan who had to be replaced at the interval by Martyn Barclay. Troon tried to get the equaliser but rarely threatened the Vics defence while Johnstone in the Troon goal was having a quiet time of it as well. But all that changed inside the final twenty minutes.

In 72 minutes, Maley fired just over the Vics crossbar but within a minute the Ayr side went upfield and increased their advantage. Donovan completing his hat trick from the penalty spot after Lewis Clark had scythed down Jordan Boyd inside the box.

Dean Keenan went close for Troon with a header while at the other end Sean Ewart fired just over from 25 yards. But any hopes the Premiership side had of getting back into the match were ended in the 81 minutes as Donovan scored his fourth as frontline partner Robert Patterson set up the little striker for a tap in. He almost get a fifth in the 84th minute but his effort was deflected narrowly wide but with three minutes remaining

Troon’s misery was completed as Vics struck number five. Some superb play on the byeline by David Cunningham left two defenders in his wake and although Patterson failed to connect with his pass Ewart drilled the ball home from the edge of the box.

Manager Peter Leonard went into this match with a view to give some players game time that had not been playing regularly in the early stages of the season. Those players took their opportunity and now the Vics boss has a major headache ahead of Saturday visit of league leaders Cumbernauld to Dam Park. But it’s a headache he will be happy to suffer.

WHITLETTS VICTORIA: McColgan (Barclay 46) Findlay, Millar, I Kerr, Walsh, L  Kerr (Ewart 61) Boyd (Cunningham) 75) Donovan, Patterson, Davidson. Subs (not used)  A Kerr, Brown.

TROON: Johnstone; Henderson, Gilmour, Keenan, Clark, Chatham, Fulton, Montgomerie, Stevenson (McCreadie 43)  Maley, Pooler (McCloy 81) Subs (not used) Paterson, Gemmell.