Match Reports

Coupar Angus 2  Vale  2   (D.Crowe and Mark Mccabe)
Team.Maclennan,Jack,Williamson,Grant,Crowe,Mccabe,Young,Taylor,Sheppard,Thain,Thorne,
Macdonald,Sales,Thorne and Reid.
Seaton,Rutherford,Park,Gollan,Macdonald,Campbell, Murray and Tritton, all flu victims didnt travel.
 This game was end to end in the first half but remained goalless until just before the break,Vale were awarded a penalty when Robbie Thorne was pulled down in the box,Dan Crowe converted the spot kick to put the visitors ahead.Coupar didnt take this lying down and within a minute they were level when they scored from a free kick which  Vales keeper Maclennan hadnt any chance of stopping.
Vale had to replace skipper Taylor and the other central midfield player Young just after the break with Macdonald and Sales their replacements.
Both sides continued to play good football and it was the home team who went in front from a corner,Jack cleared off the line but the coupar player was first to the ball and netted.
Vale then had the chance to draw level when Thains long throw in was handled in the penalty area and a spot kick was awarded but this time with a different result as the keeper brilliantly saved Crowes penalty .
With time running out Thorne again escaped his marker and crossed to the near post for Mark McCabe to head home for the leveller.
A fair result in the end as both teams played well.
Vale had no failures and again got a share of the points from an away game.
Player of the match.Peter Thain.
Away player.Mark McCabe

Scone 1 Vale 4.
A good result for Vale as they travelled to Scone with a much depleted squad,in fact they had the bare eleven players,coaches Reid and Thorne were named as the subs.
Team.Maclennan,Jack,Murray,Seaton,Grant,Tritton,Park,Taylor,Gollan,Thain,Thorne,Reid and Thorne.
Vale made a slow start as they tried to adapt to all the positional changes enforced on them but they gradually got to grips and went ahead after 20mins,Jimmy Murray,just back after a long lay off with cracked ribs got on the end of Murray Gollans corner and forced the ball over the line from 5 yds.
Scone were not giving Vales keeper Maclennan much to do apart from a few crosses which he handled with ease.Bryan Jack scored the second when he gathered the ball on the half line and with the home defence backing off he crashed a shot home from 30yds.A few moments later Gollan put over a cross from the left for Brian Taylor to rise the highest to head home to put Vale three up going into the break.
The home team had their best bit of pressure on the restart and they pulled a goal back to make it 1-3.
Thorne and Thain then both hit the woodwork as the visitors got back on top,any chance that the home team had to get back into the game ended when their winger got his marching orders for a wild kick at Seaton.With all the possession now,Vale went further ahead when Thain sent Tritton clear down the right and when the cross came in from the midfielder Thain volleyed it into the net for the fourth.
 Another 3pts for Vale and under the circumstances a good win,with so many players missing the team showed that they are adaptable and irrespective of who is absent they are capable of winning games.
Jimmy Murray and Stuart Seaton made good returns after being out so long and the side had no failures.Jack,Gollan,Thain and Thorne although carrying knocks lasted the whole game.
player of the match.Robbie Thorne
away player.Scott Grant.

Wolfhill 2, Vale  2 
Scorers, Robbie Thorne, Ross Sheppard.
Team.Maclennan,Williamson,Taylor,Grant,Park.Thain,Young,Tritton,Gollan,Thorne,Macdonald,Jack,Brown,
Mccabe,Sheppard and Sales.
Another draw away from home for Vale this week,while that in some quarters may be seen a s ok.it was another 2pts thrown away.Goalscoring chances were scorned and defensively the team were caught out badly on two occasions.
Wolfhill started brightly without troubling Maclennan and it was Vale who should have scored first.The home team went ahead from a breakaway, and when the winger crossed, the ball was dispatched into Vales net.
Robbie Thornes pace then caught out the home team and he raced clear to round the keeper and net to bring the game level.
The second half was dominated by Vale but another goal from Ross Sheppard was all they had to show for it.The home side  drew level with 15 mins to go from a throw in and when Vales concentration seemed to slip.Despite having more chances and a disallowed goal(Sheppard),  a share of the points was all the team got.
player of the match.Harry Williamson
away player.Murray Gollan

LETHAM UNITED 2 VALE 4
SCORERS.ADRIAN MACDONALD (2) MARK MCCABE  AND ROSS SHEPPARD.
TEAM: THORNE,PARK,WILLIAMSON,GRANT,SALES,BROWN,YOUNG,MCCABE,SHEPPARD,THAIN,MACDONALD,
TRITTON, MACDONALD,RUTHERFORD AND CAMPBELL.
VALES SQUAD WAS DEPLETED DUE TO THE INTERNATIONAL GAME.MISSING WERE
TAYLOR,MACLENNAN,JACK,THORNE, AND SEATON.ALSO OUT WERE JIMMY MURRAY AND
MURRAY GOLLAN INJURED.THE SQUAD CONTAINED 4 YOUNGSTERS 3 OF WHICH ARE STILL
AT SCHOOL.
LETHAM CAUGHT VALE COLD IN THE FIRST MINUTE FROM A CORNER,WITH THE DEFENCE
EXPECTING IT TO BE SWUNG IN,INSTEAD THE BALL WAS PLAYED TO  THE EDGE OF THE
BOX AND THE LETHAM PLAYER STRUCK IT WELL INTO THE CORNER GIVING THORNE NO
CHANCE.
BROWN,SHEPPARD AND MACDONALD ALL HAD GOOD CHANCES TO DRAW LEVEL BUT ALL
WERE PASSED UP.VALES EQUALISER CAME FROM A CORNER,LETHAM FAILED TO CLEAR
PROPERLY AND ADRIAN MACDONALD SCORED WITH AN OVERHEAD KICK.WITHIN 2 MINUTES
VALE WERE IN THE LEAD WITH A GREAT INDIVIDUAL GOAL FROM MARK MCCABE, AFTER
LEAVING A FEW DEFENDERS TRAILING, HE ROUNDED THE KEEPER AND NETTED.
YOUNGSTER MACDONALD THEN GOT HIS SECOND AND VALES THIRD WHEN MCCABE FLICKED
ON THAINS THROW INTO HIS PATH AND HE SCORED WITH A HEADER WHICH GAVE THE
KEEPER NO CHANCE
HALF TIME 1-3.
LETHAM STARTED THE SECOND HALF THE BETTER TEAM AND THEY PULLED A GOAL BACK
WHEN A PLAYER GOT A FREE HEADER TO NET.THORNE  THEN HAD TO LOOK SHARP TO
PREVENT THE SAME PLAYER ON TWO OCCASSIONS SCORING.
ALL THREE SUBS WERE SENT ON IN THE SECOND HALF,MACDONALD,RUTHERFORD AND
CAMPBELL
REPLACED,SALES,THAIN AND MACDONALD.
ROSS SHEPPARD SECURED THE THREE POINTS WHEN HE GOT ON THE END OF MCCABES
CROSS TO HEAD IN AT THE BACK POST.TERRY YOUNG ALMOST ADDED ANOTHER WITH A
GOOD SHOT WHICH WENT NARROWLY PAST.
A MUCH NEEDED 3 PTS FOR VALE,WITH SO MANY REGULARS MISSING.DEFENSIVELY THEY
WERENT TERRIBLY SECURE AT TIMES BUT WITH ALL THE CHANGES THIS WAS
UNDERSTANDABLE.MIDFIELD HAD A GOOD FIRST HALF AND LATTER PART OF THE
SECOND,THAIN AND MACDONALD LED THE LINE WELL AND COULD POSSIBLE HAVE ADDED
TO THE GOALS FOR COLUMN.A SPECIAL MENTION FOR VETERAN KEEPER AYA THORNE WHO
DID ALL THAT WAS ASKED AND HE DIDNT HAVE ANY CHANCE WITH THE HOME GOALS.
MARK MCCABE WAS AWARDED THE PLAYER OF THE MATCH FOR AN EXCELLENT DISPLAY.TO
MAKE HIS DAY HE ALSO GOT THE AWAY PLAYER VOTE AS WELL.
THIS SAT VALE ARE AGAIN AWAY WITH A TOUGH ASHLEIGH CUP TIE AGAINST
BALMORAL.

BURRELTON 3  VALE OF ATHOLL  1
VALE OF ATHOLL SPONSORED BY R.W.BELL ELECTRICAL.CAME A CROPPER IN THIS AWAY
GAME AFTER TOTALLY DOMINATING THE FIRST HALF,THE LACK OF CUTTING EDGE IN
FRONT OF GOAL COST VALE DEAR AND THEY PAID FOR IT IN THE SECOND PERIOD.
DEFENSIVELY VALE WERE WELL ON TOP AND THEY RESTRICTED THE HOME TEAM TO A
SINGLE CHANCE WHICH CAME BACK OF A POST.WITH YOUNG AND PARK IN THE WIDE
POSITIONS CAUSING PROBLEMS THE CHANCES WERE WASTED,PARK HIMSELF CAME
CLOSEST AFTER A GOOD RUN BUT THE KEEPER GOT A TOUCH TO CLEAR.CHANCES ALSO
FELL TO THORNE AND TAYLOR BUT THEY COULDNT FIND THE TARGET.
HALF TIME.0-0
HOWEVER GOOD VALE WERE IN THE FIRST HALF THEY WERE EQUALLY POOR IN THE
SECOND AS THE HOME TEAM UPPED THEIR GAME AND VALE WERE FOUND
WANTING.BURRELTON WERE GETTING ALL THE BALL AND IT WAS NO GREAT SURPRISE
WHEN THEY WENT IN FRONT WITH A SHOT FROM 6YDS..
VALE THEN CAME ALIVE FOR A WHILE AND THEY DREW LEVEL WHEN SCOTT GRANTS FREE
KICK WAS CHESTED PAST HIS OWN KEEPER.TRITTON.BERRY AND MACDONALD REPLACED
JACK.SALES AND SHEPPARD AS VALE SENSED THEY COULD GET THE 3 PTS,
BURRELTON THOUGH GOT THEMSELVES BACK IN FRONT AFTER A MISTAKE AT THE BACK
FROM VALE AND WITH TIME RUNNING OUT AND VALE PUSHING FORWARD TO TRY AND
LEVEL THEY WERE CAUGHT AGAIN AT THE BACK TO PRESENT ANOTHER EASY CHANCE TO
THE HOME SIDE TO SECURE THE 3PTS.
TEAM.
MACLENNAN,JACK,MURRAY,GRANT,SEATON,PARK,TAYLOR,SALES,YOUNG,THORNE,SHEPPARD,
TRITTON,MACDONALD.BROWN,BERRY AND MACDONALD.
A POOR SECOND HALF FOR VALE AFTER A GREAT START,THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN 2/3
GOALS UP AT THE BREAK BUT TURNED LEVEL,THE HOME TEAM DIDNT PASS UP ANY OF
THE CHANCES THEY HAD AND CLAIMED THE 3PTS.IN THE SECOND PERIOD VALE WERE
OUTGUNNED IN MIDFIELD AND STARTED MAKING MISTAKES AT THE BACK,UP FRONT THE
FORWARDS DID NOT GET ENOUGH GOOD BALLS TO PRESENT ANY GREAT PROBLEMS TO
BURRELTON AND WHEN THEY DID GET POSSESSION THEY FOUND IT HARD GOING AGAINST
THEIR MARKERS.
BEST FOR VALE WERE.MACLENNAN,GRANT AND SEATON IN THE SECOND HALF.THE WHOLE
TEAM PLAYED EXCELLENTLY IN THE FIRST HALF WITH THE ONLY A LACK OF GOALS
TAKING THE SHINE OF THE 45MINS.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH .SCOTT GRANT
AWAY PLAYER DAVID MACLENNAN.

VALE OF EARN 2 VALE OF ATHOLL 0
TEAM.
MACLENNAN,PARK,MURRAY,GRANT,SEATON,MCCABE,SALES,TAYLOR,YOUNG,THAIN,GOLAN,BROWN,JACK,
RUTHERFORD,BERRY,THORNE.

THE HOME TEAM HAD MUCH THE BETTER OF THE FIRST HALF AS THE VISITORS WERE
STRANGELY HESITANT AND FOUND THEMSELVES SECOND TO NEARLY EVERY BALL.ATHOLL
DEFENCE WERE SITTING TOO DEEP AND AS A RESULT THE FORWARDS WERE LEFT OUT ON
A LIMB WITH VERY LITTLE SUPPORT. EVEN AT THAT MACLENNAN IN GOALS WASNT
TESTED UNTIL JUST BEFORE THE BREAK,IN WHAT WAS A TERRIBLE 10 MINS FOR VALE
AS THEY MORE OR LESS GIFTED THE HOME TEAM TWO GOALS.THE FIRST FROM  A LONG
PUNT FROM THE KEEPER AND THE SECOND FROM A CORNER.
RYAN SALES HAD TO BE REPLACED AT THE BREAK WITH ALF BERRY TAKING HIS
PLACE.THORNE THEN REPLACED SEATON AS VALE HAD TO PUSH FOR GOALS.THE
VISITING TEAM WERE PLAYING MUCH BETTER AND  THAIN ,THORNE AND TAYLOR ALL
HAD HARD LUCK BUT THE  HOME TEAMS DEFENCE HELD OUT,THE EARN KEEPER HAD A
WONDER SAVE FROM THAIN AND THEN TAYLORS HEADER WAS CLEARED FROM THE
LINE,THORNES PACE AND VALES EXTRA AGGRESSION IN THIS SECOND PERIOD TROUBLED
THE CRIEFF SIDE,THEY WERENT WITHOUT THEIR CHANCES THOUGH AS THEY HIT THE
POST AND THE CENTRE MISSED AN OPEN GOAL.
TIME RAN OUT ON VALE WITH THEM ON TOP BUT THEY COULDNT FIND THE NET.
THIS WAS EXPECTED TO BE A TOUGH GAME FOR VALE AND SO IT PROVED WITH THE
HOME TEAM DOMINATING THE FIRST HALF.THE VISITORS SHADED THE SECOND PERIOD
BUT COULDNT FIND A WAY PAST THE VALES DEFENCE OFTEN ENOUGH TO MATTER.
SCOTT GRANT HAD ANOTHER GREAT GAME FOR VALE AS SWEEPER BUT TOO MANY OF HIS
TEAM MATES TOOK UNTIL THE SECOND HALF TO GET GOING AND THIS WAS THEIR
UNDOING.THEIR LACK OF FIGHT AND COMPOSURE ON THE BALL(IN THE FIRST HALF)
WILL NEED TO SEE A MARKED IMPROVEMENT IF THEY ARE TO HAVE ANY SUCCESS THIS
SEASON.

MAGDALENE GREEN 3 VALE 2 (SCOTTISH CUP 2ND ROUND)
VALE EXITED THE SCOTTISH LAST WEEK IN WHAT WAS A DISAPOINTING DISPLAY IN
DUNDEE.
WITHOUT MOST OF THE FIRST TEAM REGULARS WHO WERE AT THE SCOTLAND GAME VALE
SHOULD STILL HAVE OVERCOME A POOR HOME TEAM.
IT WAS ALL VALE IN THE FIRST HALF AND THEY HAD A FEW EXCELLENT SCORING
CHANCES BUT ALL WERE SQUANDERED,THE HOME TEAM RARELY CAUSED VALES DEFENCE
PROBLEMS AND THEY HAD ONLY ONE ATTEMPT AT GOAL WHICH CAME BACK OFF THE
BAR.MARK MCCABE WAS HAVING A GREAT GAME FOR VALE AND HIS RUNS DOWN THE
RIGHT CREATED PROBLEMS FOR THE HOME DEFENCE BUT NOTHING WAS MADE OF HIS
CROSSES BY HIS TEAMMATES.
THE SECOND HALF SAW THE HOME TEAM COME MORE INTO THE GAME AND 15 MINS IN
THEY TOOK THE LEAD WHEN SLACKNESS IN MIDFIELD ALLOWED THE CENTRE TO CARRY
THE BALL ALONG THE 18 YD BOX TURN AND SHOOT INTO THE FAR CORNER.
VALE HAD THEIR CHANCES THAIN,MACDONALD AND RUTHERFORD ALL HAD GOOD ATTEMPTS
BUT THE HOME KEEPER WAS ALWAYS THERE GETTING SOMETHING ON THE BALL.
MAGDELENE THEN WENT TWO UP WITH A CARBON COPY OF THEIR FIRST AND AGAIN
VALES DEFENDING WAS LEFT WANTING.
MCCABE THEN HAD ANOTHER GOOD RUN UP THE RIGHT AND THIS TIME HIS CUTBACK WAS
VOLLEYED HOME BY PETER THAIN TO PULL ONE BACK,THE SAME PLAYER HAD A GOOD
CHANCE TO SQUARE THE GAME STRAIGHT AFTER,ONE ON ONE WITH THE KEEPER HE
FLUFFED HIS SHOT AND THE KEEPER HAD AN EASY STOP AND FROM HIS LONG KICK THE
BALL ELUDED MURRAY AND WILLIAMSON TO ALLOW THE FORWARD TO PICK HIS SPOT FOR
THEIR THIRD GOAL.
ANDER MACDONALD THEN GAVE VALE HOPE WITH A WELL PLACED SHOT AGAIN FROM
MCABES PULL BACK AND VALE WERE APPLYING THE PRESSURE FOR ANOTHER,THE HOME
KEEPER AGAIN PULLED OF SOME GOOD SAVES NOTABLY FROM THAIN AND YOUNG TO
PRESERVE THEIR LEAD AND TIME RUN OUT ON VALE.
IF VALE HAD PLAYED THE GAME LIKE THEY DID IN THE LAST 15 MINS THEY WOULD BE
IN THE NEXT ROUND OF THE CUP.
MCCABE,MACDONALD,TRITTON WERE BEST FOR VALE.ANOTHER YOUNGSTER, SCOTT
RUTHERFORD SHOWED NICE TOUCHES WHEN HE CAME ON IN THE SECOND HALF,HIS
CHANCE AT GOAL PROBABLY CAME TOO EARLY AS IT WAS HIS FIRST TOUCH OF THE
BALL.YOUNG AND SALES TRIES HARD IN CENTRAL MIDFIELD BUT IT WASNT COMING OFF
FOR THEM ON THE DAY.FULL MARKS TO THE LATTER AS HE PLAYED THE WHOLE GAME
WITH AN INJURED ANKLE.ALSO TO ALF BERRY WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE
SCOTLAND GAME.

VALE 4 WORMIT 1 (SCOTTISH CUP 1ST ROUND)
MACLENNAN,WILLIAMSON,MURRAY,PARK,BERRY,MCCABE,TAYLOR,SALES,YOUNG,SHEPPARD,THAIN,TRITTON,RUTHERFORD,MACDONALD,THORNE
AND MACDONALD.
OUT OF THE SQUAD FROM THE PREVIOUS WEEK WERE,GRANT,SEATON,CROWE,JACK,BROWN
AND GOLLAN.
THIS MEANT THAT VALE STARTED WITH A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DEFENCE AND IT
SHOWED IN THE FIRST 20 MINS,AS THE VISITORS TOOK THE GAME TO VALE AND
ALTHOUGH THEY EVENTUALLY SCORED THEY PROBABLY COULD HAVE HAD ANOTHER TWO
HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR MACLENNAN LOOKING SHARP IN GOALS.
VALE WHO HAD BARELY BEEN NEAR THE WORMIT GOALS THEN DREW LEVEL WHEN MCCABE
CUT IN FROM THE RIGHT AND SHOT HOME FROM 25YDS A SCORELINE THAT VALE BARELY
DESERVED AT THE BREAK.
THE HOME TEAM GOT THEIR ACT TOGETHER IN THE SECOND HALF AFTER GETTING A
TALKING TO FROM MANAGER RUTHERFORD,THE DEFENCE WAS A LOT TIGHTER AND THE
MIDFIELD STARTED TO GET FORWARD TO SUPPORT SHEPPARD AND THAIN,CENTRAL
MIDFIELDER TAYLOR PUT VALE AHEAD WHEN HE BURST THROUGH ON SALES PASS AND
SHOT INTO THE BOTTOM CORNER.THAIN THEN SHOULD HAVE SCORED BUT HIS CLOSE IN
HEADER FROM MCCABES CROSS WENT OVER THE BAR.HE THEN HAD TO BE REPLACED
AFTER HE WAS FELLED BY THE KEEPER FROM A CORNER,THORNE TAKING HIS PLACE UP
FRONT.HIS PACE ALMOST HAD AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT WHEN HE BURST THROUGH ONLY TO
BE PULLED DOWN ON THE EDGE OF THE BOX.THE WORMIT KEEPER BRINGING OF A GOOD
STOP FROM THE FREE KICK.
THORNE THEN HIT THE BAR FROM MCABES CROSS.
THE VISITORS WERE FINDING IT HARD TO BREAK THROUGH VALES DEFENCE WITH
MURRAY AND PARK MOPPING UP ANYTHING THAT CAME THEIR WAY.BRAIN TAYLOR HAD TO
BE REPLACED WITH A KNEE KNOCK ,TRITTON TAKING HIS PLACE,HE HAD AN IMMEDIATE
EFFECT WHEN HE PULLED AWAY TO THE BACK POST TO MEET THORNES CROSS PERFECTLY
FOR VALES THIRD.TERRY YOUNG THEN WAS REPLACED BY ANDER MACDONALD FOR THE
LAST 15 MINS SHOWING SOME NICE TOUCHES.ROBBIE THORNE THEN SENT SHEPPARD
THROUGH TO NET FROM AN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE ANGLE FOR VALES FOURTH.
A GOOD WIN FOR VALE,APART FROM THE FIRST 20 MINS OR SO,THEY PLAYED WITHIN
THEMSELVES AND CERTAINLY NOT AS WELL AS THEY HAD DONE THE PREVIOUS WEEK TO
PROGRESS TO THE NEXT ROUND.
AFTER A STUTTERING START,VALE,ESPECIALLY IN THE SECOND HALF CONTROLLED THE
GAME.MURRAY AND PARK PLAYING TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN CENTRAL DEFENCE
PLAYED WELL.MCCABE IN RIGHT MIDFIELD GOT FORWARD WELL AND SENT OVER A
CONTINUOUS STREAM OF CROSSES.TAYLOR AND SALES WERE SOLID IN CENTRAL
MIDFIELD,UP FRONT SHEPPARD AND THAIN WERE BUSY WITHOUT THREATENING THE
GOALS UNTIL THE SECOND HALF.TRITTON,THORNE AND MACDONALD LOOKED SHARP WHEN
THEY CAME ON AND WILL BE PUSHING FOR A START THIS WEEK.
MAN OF THE MATCH AWARD,SPONSORED BY MR/MRS JOHN BRYDONE WENT TO JIMMY
MURRAY.
AWAY PLAYER WAS RYAN SALES.


Vale 2, Star of Atholl 1
Vale deservedly won their second home game of the league campaign against a battling Star side.  The visitor huffed and puffed without ever testing the new home goalkeeper, who looked assured all game. Stars goalkeeper also looked solid dealing with several difficult cross balls and a couple of decent saves from Tritton and Sheppard.  Star took the lead through a set play with Ian Morrison receiving a lay off free kick and hammering a 20 yard dipping shot past the helpless keeper.  Half time 0-1.
The Vale came out with the bit between their teeth and battled hard to match Star's endeavour and deservedly equalised when Crowe rose like a salmon at the back post to power a thunderbolt header home from 12 yards (The web administrator reserves the right to amend any match reports supplied to him before posting on the site!). With the Star beginning to turn on each other the Vale took full advantage and continued to press the visiting keeper.  Sheppard continued to cause problems and was brought down in the box after a trademark mazy run.  It was a soft award but Sheppard dusted himself down to place the penalty home to give the Vale a deserved victory.

Vale 2, Bridgeton 1
VALE STARTED WELL AND WERE DENIED A STONE WALL PENALTY IN THE FIRST MINUTE
WHEN BERRY CROSSED INTO THE BOX AND GOLLAN GOT IN FRONT OF THE FULL BACK
AND LOOKED TO BE GETTING A HEADER ON GOAL WHEN HE WAS PUSHED OVER ,THE REF
THOUGHT OTHERWISE THOUGH AND THE DECISION HAD VALE SUPPORTERS SHAKING THEIR
HEADS.
VALE LOOKED LIVELY THOUGH AND GOLLAN AND SHEPPARD HAD SHOTS SAVED BY THE
KEEPER AS THE HOME TEAM DOMINATED.THAIN THEN LOOKED LIKE HE WAS TO PUT VALE
AHEAD BUT AGAIN THE KEEPER SAVED WELL AT THE EXPENSE OF A CORNER.
SHEPPARD DID PUT VALE ONE UP PRIOR TO THE BREAK WHEN HE SLOTTED HOME
GOLLANS HEADED CUT BACK.
HALF TIME 1-0
THE HOME TEAM STARTED THE SECOND HALF AS THEY DID THE FIRST WITH GOLLAN
PARTICULARLY CAUSING THE VISITORS PROBLEMS DOWN THE LEFT AND WITH TAYLOR
AND YOUNG WINNING THE MIDFIELD BATTLE IT WAS NO SURPRISE THAT THEY DOUBLED
THEIR ADVANTAGE,YOUNG WAS FOULED 35 YDS OUT AND CROWE SLIPPED THE BALL TO
GRANT WHO THRASHED HOME VIA THE BAR.
BRIDGETON WERENT OUT OF THE GAME THOUGH AND MACLENNAN SAVED WELL TO
PRESERVE THE LEAD, AND AT THE OTHER END,YOUNG ,TAYLOR AND SHEPPARD ALL HAD
GOOD EFFORTS ON GOAL.
THE VISITORS WERE THEN AWARDED A PENALTY WHEN TAYLOR DOWNED THE CENTRE JUST
INSIDE THE BOX AND MACLENNAN HAD NO CHANCE WITH THE SHOT.
JACK,THAIN AND GOLLAN WERE REPLACED BY,MACDONALD,BROWN AND TRITTON AS THE
VISITORS PUSHED FOR THE LEVELLER,GRANT AT SWEEPER THOUGH SAW THAT THE
DEFENCE WAS WELL ORGANIZED AND  ALTHOUGH BRIDGETON WERE SEEING MORE OF THE
BALL NOT MUCH GOT THROUGH ON THE KEEPER,IT WAS VALE WHO SHOULD HAVE GONE
FURTHER AHEAD AS THEY HAD THE MORE CLEAR CHANCES BUT AGAIN THE KEEPER
DENIED THEM TO KEEP THE SCORE AT 2-1 FOR VALE AND THE THREE POINTS.
A MUCH IMPROVED VALE TEAM DESERVED THE WIN AND WHEN THEY MOVED THE BALL
QUICKLY ABOUT THE PARK THEY DOMINATED FOR LONG SPELLS WITH PERHAPS THE
FINAL BALL LETTING THEM DOWN AT TIMES.
THE DEFENCE LOOKED SOLID WITH MAN OF THE MATCH SCOTT GRANT THE PICK.DAN
CROWE PLAYING HIS 2ND GAME AT LEFT BACK DID WELL.TERRY YOUNG IN CENTRAL
MIDFIELD GOT THE AWAY PLAYER AWARD AND HE LOOKS TO BE GETTING BACK TO HIS
BEST,MURRAY GOLLAN AT LEFT MIDFIELD ALSO HAD A GREAT GAME.THE THREE YOUNG
SUBS ALSO PLAYED THEIR PART WHEN THEY CAME ON.
THIS SAT VALE DO NOT HAVE A GAME.
TRAINING WILL BE ON WED NIGHT AT THE REC AT 6.45PM.THIS IS OPEN TO
ANYONE,WHETHER INTERESTED IN PLAYING FOR THE CLUB OR TO KEEP FIT.

Star of Atholl 2 Vale 0
A much better game for vale and with a bit of luck in front of goal it could have been a much needed win.
star scored a goal in each half,in between vale had chances from grant,taylor,young and thain,
thorne in goal did not have a save to make all night as the defence played much better.he did not have any chance with the goals and that was the difference in the teams the couple of chances star got they took well,vales defence was opened up on a couple of occassions only but that proved costly.
murray and williamson played well at the centre of defence,the full backs got forward well and jack put in some telling crosses,midfield matched the opposition work rate and were well on top for the last half hour moving the ball about quickly and not letting star settle.
youngster mcdonald played well again but was closely marked and chances were rare.
ander macdonald and robbie tritton came on for the last 25mins in place of adrian mcdonald and jimmy murray and they also did very well.
a bit of a hard luck story for vale but if they put in the same effort in the forthcoming games and can start scoring the wins will come.

VALE  1 SCONE 3
ANOTHER TERRIBLE SHOWING FROM VALE AS THEY THREW AWAY 3 PTS AT THE REC.
THEY DID NOT GET OFF TO THE BEST STARTS WITH THE NEWS THAT THEIR NEW KEEPER
HAD BEEN OFFERED A TRIAL WITH BANKFOOT JUNIORS AND THORNE TOOK OVER IN
GOALS,WITH YOUNG ,SEATON,WILLIAMSON,GOLLAN AND NICOL ALL BEING ABSENT AND
MACLENNAN FELT HE COULDNT START BECAUSE OF A KNEE INJURY.
TEAM,THORNE,JACK,MURRAY,CROWE,BERRY,TRITTON,MCCABE,GRANT,SHEPPARD,THAIN,TAYLOR,THORNE
AND MACDONALD.
VALE HAD THE BEST OF THE EARLY PART OF THE GAME WITHOUT TESTING THE
KEEPER,TAYLOR HAD A CHANCE BUT LOBBED OVER THE BAR.
SCONE THEN TOOK THE LEAD WHEN  THEIR WINGER HAD ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD
TO CUT BACK A CROSS FROM THE RIGHT AND  THE CENTRE HIT A ROCKET INTO THE
ROOF OF THE NET.
PETER THAIN THEN HIT HOME  A GREAT GOAL FROM THE EDGE OF THE AREA TO DRAW
LEVEL AND THIS WAS THE SCORE AT THE BREAK.SCOTT GRANT HAD TO BE REPLACED
WITH ADRIAN MACDONALD WHEN HE STRAINED A MUSCLE.
SCONE WENT AHEAD JUST AFTER HALF TIME AND AGAIN THE DEFENCE DITHERED AND
ALLOWED THE FORWARD TO GET HIS SHOT AWAY WHICH WAS PLACED INTO THE FAR
CORNER.
THE ONE SHINING LIGHT IN THE HOME TEAM WAS YOUNGSTER MACDONALD AS HE CHASED
AND HARRIED AND HE WAS UNLUCKY NOT TO GET A GOAL WHEN THE VISITING KEEPER
MADE A GOOD STOP FROM HIM,UNFORTUNATELY HIS INSPIRING PLAY DIDNT SEEM TO
RUB OFF ON MOST OF HIS TEAM MATES WHO GAVE ANOTHER LACKLUSTRE DISPLAY.
THE VISITORS RAPPED UP THE GAME WITH THEIR THIRD GOAL FROM A CROSS THAT TWO
VALE DEFENDERS JUMPED FOR AND MISSED AND THIS PRESENTED ANOTHER EASY CHANCE
AND IT WASNT PASSED UP AS WAS ANY CHANCE THAT FELL VALES
WAY.MACLENNAN,TRITTON AND TAYLOR ALL MISSED GOOD CHANCES AND WITH THE
DEFENCE LEAKING GOALS THIS IS RECIPE FOR DISASTER AND HEAVY DEFEATS.
YOUNGSTER MACDONALD PROVIDED THE ONLY BRIGHT SPOT IN THE DAY FROM VALES
POINT OF VIEW WITH A LIVELY DISPLAY.TAYLOR,MCCABE AND SHEPPARD TRIED HARD
BUT ON THE DAY VALE WERE CARRYING TOO MANY PASSENGERS FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO
BE EFFECTIVE.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG SEASON FOR VALE SUPPORTERS IF THE TEAM CANNOT
LIFT THEMSELVES FROM THE DROSS OF THE LAST TWO GAMES,THEY HAD NO SHAPE AND
VERY LITTLE BITE FROM THE MAJORITY OF THE TEAM AND SO DIFFERENT FROM THE
FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON WHEN THEY HAD IT ALL APART FROM SOMEONE TO HIT THE
NET.UNTIL THEY GET THE MINDSET RIGHT AND DO AS INSTRUCTED ON THE PARK THEY
ARE GOING TO FIND RESULTS HARD TO COME BY.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH.ADRIAN MACDONALD
AWAY PLAYER                  ADRIAN MACDONALD.

THERE WERE NO TOTE WINNERS THIS WEEK.
THIS SAT VALE ARE AT HOME TO BRIDGETON UNITED IN A LEAGUE GAME AT THE REC
WITH A 2PM START.

BALLINLUIG  5  VALE  0
A POOR RESULT FOR VALE IN THE LOCAL DERBY,THEY WERE OUTGUNNED ALL OVER THE
PARK.DEFENSIVELY THEY LEAKED GOALS AND UP FRONT THEY NEVER LOOKED LIKE
SCORING.
WITH THE LATE CALL OFF FROM THE KEEPER,BRAIN TAYLOR TOOK OVER IN GOALS AND
HE LOOKED A SAVE PAIR OF HANDS AND NO CHANCE WITH THE GOALS.ROBBIE THORNE
HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER 15 MINS WITH A FOOT INJURY.TERRY YOUNG FAILED A
FITNESS TEST PRIOR TO THE GAME.
GOALS CAME AT REGULAR INTERVALS FOR BALLINLUIG AND ALMOST ALL WERE IN THE
PREVENTABLE CATEGORY AND ALTHOUGH VALE HIT THE WOODWORK TWICE AND FORCED
THE LUIG KEEPER INTO A FEW SAVES THEY DID NOT PLAY WITH ANY CONVICTION IN
ANY AREA OF THE PARK AND COULD NOT COMPLAIN AT THE END RESULT.