Blantyre Victoria 6 - 1 Maybole
Vics: Nadeem Zeb (3', 39'), Kerr (30'), Jones (56'), Alan (75'), Henderson (84')
Maybole: Unknown (23')
Carlo Walker took his Maybole side up to Blantyre to face the Vics today, as both sides were desperately seeking a victory.
Immediately the Vics started positively, in the first minute Fraser Allan picked up the ball on the right-flank and found Scott McKean waiting in the box, he shifted the ball along to Con Boyle who’s left-footed shot was deflected out for a corner. Just a minute later Boyle picked up the ball on the edge of the area. He then curled a shot destined for the top corner but the keeper pulled off an excellent save.
From the subsequent corner, Lewis MacDonald’s cross was cleared but only to the feet of Allan who slipped it through to McKean. His shot was saved; and Nadeem Zeb snatched at the rebound, his left-footed shot deflected off of the Maybole defender before rippling the back of the net.
Just a couple minutes afterwards, the Vics were in on goal again. Allan cut the ball to the right of the defender and contact was made, as the penalty claims were verbalised by the home support, but the referee signaled for a corner.
In the 15th minute Allan was forced down again inside the box and this time referee Scott Love pointed to the spot. Dale Jones stepped up to take his 9th penalty of the season – but for the first time in the 2018/19 campaign – Jones missed, as he was denied by the post.
In the 23rd minute the Maybole no.7 had the ball on the sideline on the left, he whipped a right footed cross into the box from the wing. The ball skimmed across the face of goal and tucked away in the far bottom corner – Maybole had their equaliser.
Blantyre were not to be held down for long though as MacDonald curled in an in-swinger corner, Craig Kerr then leaped into the air and headed it towards the top corner. The keeper couldn’t reach the ball and The Vics swiftly retook the lead.
39 minutes in, Lewis MacDonald received the ball on the left wing from a great pass from Boyle. The winger drove into the box and his shot was saved by an outstretched leg from the keeper, only for Nadeem Zeb to header the rebound over the defence into the back of the net - to get his brace and his 10th goal of the season.
Just before the interval, while Blantyre were on the break, Scott McKean was pulled up by the referee for an off the ball incident – and was shown a straight red card. The Vics went in at half-time, comfortable on the scoreline but a man down on the pitch.
The second half began with Maybole seeking a goal. Despite the visiting sides efforts very little came of their ten minutes of dominant position. The only mentionable chance came straight after the break when Dean Trainor was forced into making a good save for the Vics, after a left footed shot was curled across his goal.
56 minutes in and Allan was breaking into Maybole’s final third. He cut the ball through the defensive line and found Con Boyle, who stretched at close range to curl a shot past the goalkeeper. The midfielder’s shot was on target, but nonetheless weak, and Dale Jones made sure it found the back of the net after smashing it home from about a yard out.
At this point the ten man Blantyre outfit were relaxed and easing their way to victory. Although after John Henderson was brought off the bench for Nad Zeb, the home side immediately had their eyes on grabbing a fifth.
In the 75th minute the fifth goal came, Allan received a brilliant pass from Henderson inside the box and he had the simple job of beating the keeper at close range, but the eventual Man of the Match had to make it a stylish finish, as he nutmegged the keeper to get his first goal of the season.
In the 84th minute Vics top goalscorer Jones was in again but this effort was blasted high and wide from a narrow angle. Just a minute later, however, Blantyre’s John Henderson added his name to the scoresheet. After a spectacular darting run into the box, during which he left Maybole defenders in the mud, he powered a right footed shot across goal to make it 6 - 1.
A big and necessary victory for Blantyre Vics to get their season back on track as they now look to climb the table, while time is running out for Maybole to secure League 1 football next season – after what can only be described as a subpar performance in Blantyre.
