27/01/2018  |  League

Whitehill Welfare   4  v  0  Cumbernauld Colts

The Colts returned to league action with another away trip, this time to Rosewell Midlothian, to take on a resurgent Whitehill Welfare hoping to maintain their 100% record at their opponents’ ground.
Pre-match preparations were disrupted however with the loss of goalkeeper Max Currie who was recalled by his parent club Stranraer at short notice leaving young Harry Purves to make his first team debut in what turned out to be a baptism of fire.
Having lost their two previous meetings Whitehill started as if they had a point to prove and with 12 minutes on the clock they took the lead through Jack Wright who played a one-two with Robbie Dowie down the right, before driving into the box to slot home past the helpless young Colts keeper. 5 minutes later Wright was again involved as Whitehill doubled their advantage. He showed good skill to evade a Colts’ defender and via Connor McGregor the ball was worked out to Gary Nicholson on the left. Nicholson evaded Colts’ Lewis Wilson before calmly scoring into the far corner. Colts were quick to respond and Whitehill keeper Easton had to react sharply to parry away a free header after a pin point cross from Lachlan to the far post. Lachlan was again in the thick of it when he powered a free kick on target but the Whitehill keeper was up to the task. Colts’ hopes were dealt a further blow however when star man O’Neill limped off to be replaced by Holmes in the 35th minute after a strong challenge by the Whitehill defender. The remaining 10 minutes of the first half were played in the middle of the park and the teams entered the changing rooms at half time with the score remaining Whitehill Welfare 2, Cumbernauld Colts 0.

Any hopes of a Cumbernauld comeback were effectively killed off 4 minutes after the restart when Whitehill’s Josh Morris nipped just in front of Harry Purves to score his first goal for the club after a decent move by the home team. Colts responded with a couple of quick fire substitutions with Kerr and Murray making way for on-loan Partick Thistle youngster, Anthony Eadie and under 20s graduate Conor McKenzie. This was to no avail however and with the game petering out it was Whitehill Welfare who increased their lead after substitute Robbie Carter dispossessed Greg Pascazio and ran through on goal before slotting underneath the on-coming Purves to complete the scoring.
FT: 4-0
All in all a bad day at the office for the young Cumbernauld side who struggled to adapt to the windy conditions and heavy park. They can now look forward to making amends however with their next game when they travel to Yarrow Park on Saturday to face a Selkirk side who just sit above them in the league on goal difference.