BROCH HAIL HALE AS TEN MAN VALE FALL AT HOME AGAIN

DEVERONVALE 1 FRASERBURGH 2

SCORERS: GARDEN 50, URQUHART 59, HALE 85 (pen)

Vale’s title aspirations took a mighty knock when they lost for the second game in a row at Princess Royal Park, this time to fellow championship chasers Fraserburgh while Robbie Brown was red carded inside time added on and will sit out next Saturday’s tricky trip to Keith.

It was six weeks since the Banffers last played a competitive match and it showed on the park as they continuously gave the ball away to their opponents and as the game wore on the lack of match practice told as the younger Broch side pushed on and finally received their reward with a winning penalty five minutes from the end.

The first half had little to shout about although Robbie Brown won’t come any closer to scoring without hitting the net when his 25-yard chip was touched onto the post by the visiting goalie.

The Broch took the lead five minutes after the re-start when Jonathan Garden netted from man-of-the-match Graham Johnston’s pass and although Paul Urquhart equalised nine minutes later it proved academic as Alan Hale kept his cool to win the match with a well-taken penalty after Kenny Gilbert was adjudged to have handled Johnston’s centre.

MISSING

Vale, without the likes of Steve Dolan, Gary McGowan and Mark Cowie were out of sorts for the opening twenty minutes although Mike McKenzie did manage a shot at goal from a free kick which was blocked by the Broch defensive wall.

Paul Urquhart was then thwarted by a fine tip over the top from Broch keeper Paul Leask after a decent build-up down the right from the Banff side involving Kenny Gilbert and Robbie Duncanson.

Graham Johnston warmed the hands of James Blanchard at the other end with a swinging free kick and five minutes later a great clearance from under his own crossbar by Graeme Watt denied the visitors the opener.

Robbie Brown’s quick thinking saw him lob Leask with a clever left-footed effort which the keeper turned onto the post before Steven Main just failed to curl one at Blanchy’s far post.

Kenny Gilbert did really well to deny Alan Hale after a cut-back from Jonathan Garden left striker with a great opportunity to open the scoring right on the half-time whistle. HT

The visitors took the lead with the simplest of counters when a long ball upfield was flicked into the path of Jonathan Garden by Graham Johnston and the midfielder held off the challenge of Scott Fraser before squeezing the ball under James Blanchard from a slightly acute angle.

Mark Chisholm was denied an equaliser immediately when he rose to meet Mike McKenzie’s deep free kick only for Paul Leask to brilliantly turn the ball away from goal with a flick of his right hand.

A goalmouth scramble followed in the Vale penalty area but somehow they kept the ball out while Mike McKenzie was within a whisker of netting at the opposite end when he lifted the ball over the stranded Leask but it fell on the wrong side of the far stick.

McKenzie was immediately replaced by Mark Smith up-top and within three minutes it was all square.

Robbie Duncanson looked to be putting a free kick into the mixer but instead squared to Paul URQUHART at the edge of the 18-yard box and the wee midfielder let the ball run across his body before dispatching it into the corner of the net with Leask for once well beat.

Russell McBride came close for the visitors with a low strike from a partially cleared corner and at the other end substitute Mark Smith headed over the top, under pressure from Jamie Ralph as both sides chased the winner.

Scott Fraser’s timely interception prevented a certain counter for Graham Johnston and as the game opened up for the remaining fifteen minutes it was the Broch who started to pile on the pressure.

A goal eventually came when a deep cross from Johnston bounced up onto the arm of Kenny Gilbert and the referee in a good position pointed to the spot before Alan Hale sent James Blanchard the wrong way for the winner.

To make matters worse for the dejected Reds, Robbie Brown was shown a very soft second yellow card inside the allocated time added on which unfortunately summed up ref Braidwood’s inconsistent afternoon in a competitive but fairly clean affair.

TEAMS:

D’VALE – Blanchard, Gilbert, Milne, #Chisholm, Fraser, #Urquhart, Rodger (C Cowie 78), ##Brown, Duncanson, McKenzie (#Smith 56), Watt

Subs Not Used – Barclay, Coutts, McKenzie (GK)

F’BURGH – Leask, Elrick (#Ritchie 51), McBride, N. Main, Ralph, Hay, #Beagrie, #Garden, Hale, Johnston, S. Main

Subs Not Used – Wemyss, Duguid, Morrice, Gordon (GK)

OFFICIALS – B Braidwood, D McLaren, S Watt

VALE STATS:

SHOTS ON – 2

SHOTS OFF – 2

HEADERS ON – 1

HEADERS OFF – 1

BLOCKED EFFORTS – 1

CORNERS WON – 5

OFFSIDE – 4

APPROX ATTENDANCE - 450

PLAYING SURFACE – Pretty Good

WEATHER – Raining

TEMP AT KICK OFF – 3°C