INDIGO COMMS	WOSFL Cup	Round 2
Irvine Victoria	2 (0)	Crawford, Savarese
Glenafton Athletic	6 (4)	Moffat, Caddis 3, Maxwell, O.G>
Sat 25 Nov 2023	KO 1:30 pm	Victoria Park, Irvine

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Paul Paton stepped up to take the team as the club search for a new manager following the departure of Mark Roberts. Three changes were made to the eleven that started at Shotts last Saturday with Lyall Holding, Dylan O’Kane along with Paul Paton making way for Michael McMullin, Gary Fraser and Liam Caddis.

Irvine Victoria is fighting for promotion from the 2^nd Division and currently sit in 3^rd position in the league. The Vics had a bye in the 1^st Round of West of Scotland Football League Cup.

The game had passed a pitch inspection earlier at 11am and kicked off at 1:30pm as scheduled, on a bitterly cold day despite the glorious sunshine.

The home side kicked off and were quickly on the front foot through Lewis McCracken breaking down the right and although Sam McKee was on his heels, he cut inside and from the corner of the box he curled a vicious shot through a ruck of players to the fat post forcing keeper David Markey to get down and push the ball away with both hands.  Although Ollie Rowe hooked the ball clear the Vics retrieved the ball through Kyro Crawford to blast a shot from just inside the box that whizzed inches wide of the post – a lively first minute!

Another break down the right, this time by James Maxwell, ended with his cut-back into the box being blocked by Craig Pettigrew at the expense of a throw, that came to nothing.

Glens began to make their mark and won a corner-kick on 5 minutes and played to the near post where Michael Moffat’s shot was blocked sending the ball high into the air which Michael McMullin met on its descent to fashion an overhead kick that drifted well wide of target. Another Glens corner came and went as the visitors continued to press.

Gary Fraser slipped the ball inside to Alex McWaters who in turn threaded a pass down the right for Scott McLean to break into the ball and roll the ball back into the path of the inrushing Moffat only for his shot from 12yards to be blocked by Joel Taylor. Soon after McLean slipped the ball down the right to McWaters to drive to the bye-line and fire a high ball into the goalmouth and although David Smith won the aerial battle with Moffat the ball fell for McKee on the outskirts of the box to clip a high ball to the back post where keeper Connor Wilson leapt to punch the ball from the head of Rowe, before the Glens defender was penalised for barging.

It was all Glens now with waves of attack that were repelled by the Vics as they defended in numbers. Luke McBeth from tight on the right flank clipped the ball inside to Moffat at the edge of the ball who rolled it back for McMullin to leather the ball from a good 30 yards sending it flying over the bar. Keeper Wilson launched the goal kick to the half-way line where McBeth sent a header high back up the park for Michael Moffat to get the jump on three defenders, with Agnew playing him onside despite the raised arms, and control the ball before breaking into the left-hand side, and cut inside the back-tracking Fraser MacDuff before curling a low shot from 10 yards under the keeper’s body and into the net – Glens 1-0 up on 18 minutes.

Midway through the half Markey rolled the ball out to Rowe on the right who launched it upfield for Moffat to chase down the right, with MacDuff on his heels, before breaking into the box to drill a low diagonal shot from 10 yards and although the advancing Wilson got a foot to it, the ball continued to trundle towards the empty net only for the chasing MacDuff to clear it on the line.

Glens continued to press and doubled their lead on 25 minutes.  McLean from wide on the right slipped the ball down the touchline for Moffat to whip a ball into the six-yard box where McWaters, with Calum Irvine tight on his back, took a great touch to angle a shot goalward and although keeper Wilson blocked it on the line, Liam Caddis was on hand to stroke the ball into the empty net.

The visitors were not for letting up and on 30 minutes McMullin from wide on the left launched a high ball into the Vics half and although MacDuff beat Moffat in the air it was Liam Caddis that beat Agnew to snap up the loose ball and drive forward unimpeded towards goal forcing the keeper to run to the edge of the box only for the Glens striker from 22 yards to lob the ball high over his head and look on as it dipped under the bar and into the gaping net.

The Vics tried to respond through Lewis McCracken cutting in from the right wing before curling a vicious shot that drifted wide of the back post.

Back came Glens with Rowe tight on the right intercepting a clearance and laying it off to McLean who in turn slipped it forward to McWaters to take out two defenders out with a perfectly weighted diagonal forward pass to match Liam Caddis’s run into the box where he lashed the ball from 16 yards and through the keeper’s legs to make it 4-0 on 34 minutes and complete a 9-minute hat-trick!

The home side responded with a break up the left with Maxwell clipping the ball towards the corner of the box for Crawford to chase only for Pettigrew to act as a blocking guard as the alert Markey rushed from his line and to slide and collect the ball.  

Later Pettigrew squared the ball to Rowe to launch another long ball down the right for Moffat to trap and then hook it over MacDuff’s head before controlling the ball on his chest and bursting into the box to drill a low angled shot that was blocked by the outstretched leg of Gaffney.

On 41 minutes McLean from wide on the half-way line lofted a high ball to the edge of the box where Caddis directed a cushioned header into the path of Moffat to take a touch before firing a shot from 12 yards that the keeper did well to block and the loose ball was cleared.

HT Irvine Victoria 0 Glenafton 4

Irvine Victoria made a triple substation with Joel Taylor, Fraser MacDuff and Agnew making way for Ben Strain, Alessandro Saverese and former Craigmark striker Kevin Adam who scored against the Glens in the South Challenge cup two seasons ago.

It was the visitors that were first to threaten after Fraser nicked the ball from the feet of Strain before thundering a shot from 25 yards that crashed off the bar sending the ball soaring high into the sky to be retrieved by McBeth who played a one-two with McKee on the left before switching play to Rowe on the right to slip ball to McLean who jinked past two orange shirts before slotting ball into the box for Caddis to chase down and crack a shot from the corner of the 6 yard box only for Wilson to make another  fine save with an outstretched leg and David Smith mopped up the loose ball.

Soon after Smith tripped McWaters as he gathered a pass from Moffat and although the midfielder’s free kick from 25 yards out beat the wall the ball it flew high and wide of target.

Having survived that sustained period pressure the Vics three subs combined to pull one back on 52 minutes. A throw-in from the left was headed on into the box by Adam before Savarese took a touch to lay it off to Kyro Crawford who fired a shot from a tight angle that beat Markey at the near post and nestled in the far corner of the net.

On 64 minutes Glens brought on Dylan O’Kane for Alex McWaters and soon after Vics brought on Ryan Morrow for James Maxwell.

McLean launched a ball down the left for McKee chase and skip past a defender and although his his cross into the box was blocked, he pounced on the rebound but this too was blocked and fell for the incoming but his shot bobbled past the post. McKee then broke down the left again and from the bye-line lofted to the near post only for the keeper to make a clean catch as Caddis threatened.

Vics countered and Calum Irvine won the ball in the centre circle to knock it on for Savarese who held off the challenge from Pettigrew allowing the ball to run on to Crawford only for the striker to be brought down at the edge of the box by a sliding tackle from McMullin. Although McCracken curled the ball round the side wall the ball bounced inches wide of the post.

On 75 minutes Glens brought of Charlie Maxwell for Liam Caddis.

Back came Vics and a neat passage of passing play ended with a shot from inside the box blocked and the rebound fell for Callum to trap it on his chest and try a lob from 22 yards only for it to dip into the arms of Markey.

Glens made their final change with Scott McLean making way for Lyall Holding. The young full back was soon in the thick of the action tracking Strain’s break down the left and into the box where the he stood firm and the winger appeared to lose his balance, only to receive a yellow card presumably for diving.

On 84 minutes the Glens restored their four-goal lead following another run down the left by McKee before whipping he ball into the box where it skimmed of the top of the head of the leaping Owen Densham and the ball fell for the unmarked Charlie Maxwell to send a diving header home beyond the keeper on his line.

Vics continued to plug away and a free kick from the left on the half way-line was launched to the back post and although McCracken won the aerial battle his header dipped wide of the other post. However, on 89 minutes the home side’s effort were rewarded after a great ball from the left was whipped into the busy box where Alessandro Savarese with his back to goal managed to trap the ball with his outstretched left leg before wheeling and prodding the ball from a few yards out despite the combined efforts of McMullin and Markey.

The Glens struck back a minute later through another break down the left by McKee sending Morrow one way then the other before clipping the ball from the corner flag into the six-yard box flying over the head of the leaping Densham at the near post only for the unfortunate leaping David Smith a few yards behind him to send a downward header into his own net.

The final whistle blew seconds later.

FT Irvine Vics 2 Glenafton 6

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. David Markey 20. Ollie Rowe 5. Craig Pettigrew (captain) 3. Michael McMullin 2. Scott McLean (14. Lyall Holding) 10. Alex McWaters (18. Dylan O‘Kane) 4. Luke McBeth 8. Gary Fraser 7. Sam McKee 9. Michael Moffat 12. Liam Caddis (17. Charlie Maxwell).

IRVINE VICTORIA
1. Connor Wilson 2. David Smith 3. Joel Taylor (14. Alessandro Savarese)4. Fraser MacDuff (17. Ben Strain) 5. Steven Gaffney 6. Agnew (12. Kevin Adam) 7. James Maxwell (15. Ryan Morrow) 8. Callum Irvine 9. Kyro Crawford 10. Lewis McCracken 11. Clayton Smith. Other Used :16. Owen Densham. Subs Not Used: 18. Sean Robertson 19. Mark Butler.

	Match Photos
	Irvine Victoria v Glenafton Athletic