McBoolkie Championship

ARTHURLIE 0

WHITLETTS VICTORIA 4

SHOCK troops Vics pulled off a stunning win against the former Premier Division side as they picked up their first points of the season at Dunterlie Park.

They were inspired by Captain Courageous Raymond Buchanan, who despite suffering a serve cut in a clash of heads with team mate Jordan Mullen, played on the entire 90 minutes and inspired his team to victory, even scoring the third goal with a HEADER.

A bonus for Vics was the availability of striker Graeme Barbour, a key player in last season's promotion push last season, who will miss most of this season due to work commitments. And it was fitting that it was the Barrhead based striker who opened the scoring against his former club in 10 minutes. Down to 10 men, with Buchanan off the field for treatment, a long kick out by Martin Fraser, Adam Forsyth flicked the ball into the box but defender Joe Doyle wasn’t aware of Barbour’s presence and the Vics striker nipped in to knock the ball past Stephen McPhee.

Vics had started well with Thomas Donovan just failing to get on the end of a deep cross into the box.

Though Arthurlie had plenty of possession. they rarely looked like scoring with a Derek McNab free-kick that went wide the only serious threat on Martin Fraser’s goal. Vics were well marshalled at the back but Vics were carrying a threat going forward and right on half time they doubled their advantage. A superb through ball from Callum Ogston set Forsyth clear and the striker kept his cool to fire past McPhee.

Whitletts came out in the second period looking for the third goal that would have killed the game and although Donovan, Forsyth and Louis Kerr had chances the ‘Lie defence held firm and worked their way back into the game with Lee Roulston firing wide.

In 72 minutes, the visitors went 3-0 up. A Louis Kerr free-kick into the box found his brother Isaac whose header back across goal found skipper Raymond Buchanan and he put his heavily bandaged head onto the ball to head home from close range.

Seven minutes later, Louis Kerr released Adam Forsyth who again kept his cool to lob the ball over the advancing keeper for Whitletts fourth of the afternoon.

Ten minutes from the end Marty Fraser had to save at full stretch to deny a low Roulston drive but that was the only save the Vics number one had to make all afternoon as he was well protected by a resolute defence.

It was an outstanding team performance from Whitletts which will set the benchmark for the remainder of the season

ARTHURLIE: McPhee; Forbes, - Bradley, Doyle, Etherston, Molloy, Bohme (Moffat 64) Roulston, Barrowman, Docherty, McNab. Subs (not used): Wilson, Gray, O’Halloran, Stark.

WHITLETTS VICTORIA: Fraser; Ogston, Ewart, Mullen, I Kerr, Buchanan, L Kerr, Millar, Forsyth (Dempsey 89) Barbour (Condon 68) Donovan

Subs (not used): Milligan, Anderson.