PENALTY THRILLER
Whitletts through in cup after shoot out success
WHITLETTS progressed to the quarter finals of the Strathclyde Demolition Cup after overcoming a spirited Forth Wanderers side in a penalty shoot out at Dam Park.
It was the second division side who started the brighter and they deservedly took the lead in the 18th minute. From a low cross from the left Kris Jarvie beat Louis Kerr with a cheeky flick.
By the 27th minute, Whitletts were level. From Callum Ogston’s free kick, Jordan Boyd headed across Forth keeper Steven McPhee into the far corner.
It was a lesson that Forth failed to learn as just sixty seconds later McColm rose at the back post to head a Jason Walker cross back across McPhee into the net to give Vics the lead.
Whitletts scored their third two minutes before the interval. A Louis Kerr corner to the front post was collect by Boyd who turned and fired high past the keeper.
In the 54th minute, Forth reduced the leeway with a spectacular strike from distance from Jonathan Cookman that sailed over the head of Kerr into the net.
Two minutes later, Forth were level. As Vics failed to clear their lines from a corner kick, Jarvie squeezed the ball in at the back post
Forth were now on the ascendancy and only a good save from Kerr at full stretch denied Jay Keenan a fourth for the visitors. The Lanarkshire side almost snatched a dramatic winner when
Brandon Hutchison tried an audacious chip from the edge of the box that flew past the upright.
In the penalty shoot out, Kerr made a fine save from Forth’s second penalty to deny Nathan Cassidy and give Vics the advantage but in the next round of spot kicks it was Blair Anderson’s turn to see McPhee save his effort to level the shoot out.
With Isaac Kerr, McColm, Boyd and Sandy Robertson scoring for Whitletts and Josh Macdonald Steven Frame and Jay Keenan all on target for Forth the match was decided when Hutchison skied his spot kick well over the crossbar.
While boss Gordon Pope will be delighted, he’ll remain concerned about the number of goals his side are conceding ahead of the home match against Cumbernauld.