McBookie Ayrshire District League

DALRY THISTLE 2

WHITLETTS VICTORIA 2

By Stewart McConnell

UNSTOPPABLE Dalry Thistle celebrated promotion amid scenes of jubilation at sun-drenched Merksworth Park on Monday night.

Needing a point to clinch a place in next season's Championship, they were pushed all the way by a hungry Whitletts Vics side, who would still have been in contention to go up automatically with a victory.

Gavin Friels' side looked weary at times following a truly exhausting schedule but with great determination, they finally pushed themselves over the line and should be an excellent addition to next season's second tier. Vics still have an opportunity to go up through the play-off route.

Vics began the better side and in five minutes Isaac Kerr sent a header from a free-kick narrowly wide. Then at the other end a shot from 25 yards by Kieran McLaughlin was well saved by Marty Fraser.

Kerr netted for Vics in 17 minutes, but the "goal" was chalked off for offside. Then in 29 minutes a Kerr header was well saved by Blair Lochhead.

Tommy Sloan shot over the bar from 25 yards for Vics a minute later.

In 35 minutes a Dylan Stevenson effort was well handled by Fraser.

However two minutes later the home side took the lead when Graeme Barbour headed a corner out only as far as the edge of the area where Dalry defender Lewis Kirkwood skilfully volleyed the ball past Fraser from 12 yards and into the net.

Thistle came close just before the break when Stevenson drove wide after a great pass from William Boyd

Vics kept pushing and levelled in 50 minutes. From an Anderson free-kick, Mullen’s back post header appeared to be catch the hand of Thistle defender but Jordan Boyd moved in to prod home the equaliser.

The visitors blasted into a shock lead in 72 minutes. Following a free-kick on the edge of the box, Louis Kerr latched onto a free-kick and smashed a shot past Fraser.and into the net.

With two minutes remaining some controversy raged when home player Kyle Lochhead went down following a challenge inside the box, although there didn't look to be much in it. The visitors protested, with Jordan Mullen red-carded. Then Ian Cashmore stepped up to net from the spot and secure the precious point needed for promotion. There was a melee when players left the park but order was quickly restored.

DALRY THISTLE: B Lochhead; Burns, K Lochhead, Kirkwood, Hannah, Boyd (Turner 81) McLaughlin (Archdeacon 74) Stuart, Cashmore, Cumming (Brown 74) Stevenson. Subs not used: McGowan, Fisher

WHITLETTS VICTORIA: Fraser; Anderson, Ewart, Mullen, I Kerr, Buchanan, L Kerr, Sloan, Forsyth, Barbour (Milligan 77) Boyd (Ogston 84).

Subs not used: Fisher, George. LT Kerr