A Robert Paterson hat trick eased Whittlets Victoria to a 4-1 victory away to East Kilbride Thistle on a wet and windy night in East Kilbride.
Thistle were leading 1-0 in the game however Whittlets took control and won 4-1 with Thistle finishing with ten men and sitting just above the relegation zone.
Thistle nearly had the perfect start when a minute into the game Chris Dallas’ low cross found McMillan at the back post and is shot was on target however it was blocked by Craig Main and cleared from danger.
Thistle started the better side however Whittlets began to take control and thought they had won a penalty when Matthew Santos seemed to be taken down by Thistle goalkeeper Graham Lynn in the box however the referee played on.
Thistle were let off again when a dangerous cross from Santos was missed by everyone in the box and found Elliot Duffy a few yards out but he somehow put the ball over the bar.
Against the run of play Thistle took the lead. A great Billy Young through ball found Chris Dallas in space and his lovely chip over the keeper made it 1-0 to Thistle.
A few minutes later Thistle nearly made it 2-0 however it ended up leading to Whittlets equalising! Dallas was played through again and his shot beat the keeper and
Whittlets ran up the pitch and scored with Robert Paterson being played through on goal and he chipped it over the keeper to make it 1-1. Both teams went into the break thinking they should have been ahead in the first half however Whittlets were the only one team who came out fighting in the second half and nearly scored from kick off.
Straight from kick off Elliot Duffy shot from the halfway line and his shot nearly sneaked in however Lynn managed to scramble the ball away. Whittlets pressure finally paid off when a free kick from the halfway line was flicked on by James Danielson past Lynn to make it 2-1 to the visitors.
Thistle managed to contain Whittlets for a while however with twelve minutes to go it was 3-1.
Robert Paterson was played through and he rounded the keeper to slot home and score his second goal of the game.
In Extra time it was 4-1 as Thistle finished with ten men. Paterson was through on goal and tried to round Lynn the keeper however Lynn took him down. The referee had no choice but to award a penalty and show Lynn a straight red card. Defender Graeme Dempsey went in goals for the penalty but Paterson made no mistake in converting to make it 4-1 and seal his hat trick in what was one of the last kicks of the game.
East Kilbride Thistle line-up: Lynn, Morgan, Sloan, Bain, Dempsey, Smith (McRobert 27), Young, Innes, Dallas, McVey (Bonnar 86), McMillan (Chaplain 65)
Subs Not Used: Gorman, Daly, Mailey
Goals: Dallas (34)
Yellow Cards: Bain
