2pm 14 February 2026
West of Scotland League, Division One
Whitletts Victoria 2 Vale of Clyde 3 (att 150)
A trip to Ayr to tick off New voluntary Park, one of my two remaining West of Scotland League grounds.
It's a newish venue built close to Whitletts Victoria's former home ground, Voluntary Park, which has since been demolished. I never got there, but in January 2013 I did see Whitletts at Dam Park, an athletics stadium they used for a few years.
For a recently-built ground with an artificial surface, New Voluntary Park exceeded my expectations. Spectators can access three sides, with just the far touchline, where the dugouts are, out of bounds.
There's a newly-installed seated stand, although they may need to stop spectators standing in front of it, a snack bar and lots of friendly volunteers. The club clearly enjoys plenty of support as well, including some enthusiastic young 'ultras' equipped with drums and megaphones.
Whitletts Victoria went into this game bottom of the West of Scotland League's second tier, although the creation of the new Lowland League West next season makes potential relegations harder to predict.
They got off to the perfect start against mid-table Vale of Clyde. The longest of long throws was headed in to give them a first minute lead, and they scored a second, on the break and against the run of play, 15 minutes later.
Vale of Clyde dominated possession but rarely looked likely to score. That pattern continued into the second half but the game, and the visitors, came to life when they pulled a goal back after 73 minutes.
The home side were on the back foot, trying to soak up increasing pressure. Inevitably they couldn't hold on, and conceded again to make it 2-2 with around five minutes of the 90 left.
Then deep in stoppage time Vale of Clyde won it thanks to a brilliant strike into the top corner of the net. On the balance of play they were worthy winners, but to lose in such a way was harsh on the hosts.
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