Whitletts Victoria 3 Johnstone Burgh 3
George Grierson hailed his Whitletts wonders after they fought back twice to rescue a late point this afternoon.
The Dam Park gaffer watched his side deny Johnstone Burgh at the death when Jordon Boyd netted a last-minute penalty.
Whitletts were 2-0 down at the break in this entertaining West of Scotland League Conference A clash but pulled level before going 3-2 behind with just 11 minutes left.
However, Johnstone defender Malcolm McDonald was penalised for handball in the box and Boyd kept his cool to convert the resulting spot-kick.
Vics chief Grierson told Ayrshire Football News: "I think that's the 10th or 12th time we've come back from a goal down. The character of the team is brilliant. I can't fault the boys but I wish we could just make it easier for ourselves!
"I can't be too critical of the boys and it's a good point. Jordon is my captain and a bit of an unsung hero for the work he does off the ball. He's the guy I'd want to take the penalty.
"I thought we were terrible in the first half and I think the boys to a man will know that. But I thought we did enough in the second half.
"They maybe scored their goals too quick and tried to see the game out. If we hadn't lost the third goal, I think we would have gone on and won as we had the momentum."
The visitors opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Brian Connor guided a low shot into the bottom corner of the net.
And Johnstone doubled their lead on the half-hour mark when Cameron McNeill tapped home Joseph Gillespie's cross.
Whitletts had a golden chance to reduce the deficit before the break but Louis Kerr's header struck the post.
The second half was a scrappy affair until three goals in the space of four dramatic minutes.
A deflected Kerr free-kick was nodded home by Connor Yair for Whitletts in the 75th minute with the impressive Cameron Ross netting from close range soon after.
But Johnstone struck back with a goal of their own a couple of minutes later – Connor on target again although Vics keeper Ally McInnes was adamant the ball hadn't crossed the line.
It looked like that might be that but there was a sting in the tail right at the end when the referee ruled McDonald handled in the area to give Whitletts an opportunity to equalise from the spot.
And Boyd made no mistake as the Ayr side's never-say-die qualities came to the fore again.
Third-placed Whitletts are four points adrift of league leaders Arthurlie and three behind Shotts Bon Accord in second, with both those teams having games in hand in the title race.
Grierson added: "Until it is mathematically impossible we will keep striving forward. But it is out of our hands. I think the points we dropped at the start of the season have put us where we are but we're a match for anybody on our day."
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