CAN-CANS SEND VALE PACKING WITH A DOUBLE HELPING OF GREEN GIANT

FORRES MECHANICS 3 DEVERONVALE 1

Scorers: Green 15 & 42, Scott 19 Smith 46

Forres gained sweet revenge for the three nil defeat they suffered at Banff three and a half weeks ago when they returned the compliment with three of their own as Vale finally managed to fulfil a SHFL fixture, their first away match since the 21^st of November.

The disjointed visitors were three goals down without reply by the interval in a very one-sided first forty-five and although Mark Smith pulled one back within a minute of the re-start the damage was already done and the hosts never looked in any real danger of losing or even drawing the encounter.

Vale’s management duo made one change to the starting eleven who defeated Forres at Banff, Gary McGowan starting up-front ahead of Mike McKenzie who dropped to the bench.

Recent signing from Culter Chris Mountford and Scott Fraser were also among the substitutes.

The hosts were without regular full-back Gary Youngson but welcomed back former Vale keeper Stuart Knight as they looked to pull level with their opponents in the SHFL table.

As early as the fifth minute the writing was on the wall for Vale’s leaky defence when Scott Moore, un-marked, curled an effort beyond James Blanchard and off the far post following a corner-kick and after a further ten minutes of fairly constant pressure with the Banffers struggling to get out of their own half the opener duly arrived.

A through ball down the left channel saw Blanchy racing from his box but getting caught by the pace of the ball leaving the huge frame of Ryan Green to simply nick the ball beyond the Vale keeper and roll it home from 25-yards out.

Kyle Scott doubled the Can Can’s advantage four minutes later when he burst into the box with a late run to steer a corner-kick home from 12-yards with the Banffer’s defence looking at each other asking the question of whop was picking up the scorer.

To their credit the visitors did try to get back into the game and Stuart Knight produced a cracking save to thwart Mark Chisholm when the defender smacked a first-time shot at goal from 12-yards following a set-piece.

A quick break from the homesters saw skipper Neil Whyte release Ricky Wardrop in on goal but his poor touch allowed James Blanchard the ideal opportunity to dive at his feet and save the day.

At the other end and speaking of keepers Stuart Knight had an even better stop than his first when he twisted in mid-air to turn defender Nathan Sharp’s inadvertent deflected header around the post.

With three minutes remaining of the half a long kick-out from Knight saw Ryan Green gallop away towards goal and as Blanchy came out to narrow the angle Green took an exceptional first touch and then finished with aplomb to put game out of Vale’s reach with a fine right footed volley HT.

Mike McKenzie replaced Stephen Gauld at the break and assisted giving his side a lifeline when his corner in the first minute of the re-start was firmly headed home by Mark SMITH from 6-yards.

The decent Valley Crew expected the title-chasers to push on after this but it was the homeside who again dominated the midfield and flooded bodies forward at every opportunity.

James Blanchard kept his side just in the game and no more with a super stop low to his left to deny Scott Moore while a few hairy moments inside the Vale penalty box very nearly saw the Can Cans add to their lead, Ryan Green especially coming close to completing his hat-trick but screwing wide when well placed.

Gary McGowan who had fairly quiet afternoon chased a ball into the box and as Stuart Knight came out the clear the two clashed. Referee Graham Fraser deemed that McGoo had dived in an effort to win a penalty and cautioned the Vale striker while many on the side-lines reckoned it may well have been a penalty kick.

McGowan was soon after replaced by Chris Mountford and the new signing thought he’d scored with his first touch but the far-side assistant ruled the goal out for offside against the former Culter striker.

Mountford certainly got stuck in during his twenty odd minutes and was unlucky to see his strike slice wide of Knight’s left-hand upright before volleying over from close range after mark Chisholm had picked him out with a cushioned header.

Vale now travel to Strathspey Thistle on Wednesday evening weather permitting before taking on Formartine next Saturday.

TEAMS:

Forres – Knight, Allan, Shinnie, Grant, MacPherson, #Whyte (cpt), Scott, Wardrop (Milne 69), Green (Penwright 84), Moore (Chambers 75)

Subs not used – Bremner, Harkness

Managers – Gordon Winton & Charlie Rowley

 Deveronvale – Blanchard, Gilbert (cpt), Dolan (Urquhart 79), Chisholm, Milne, Rodger, Gauld (McKenzie 46), D Cowie, #McGowan, Smith, Watt

Subs not used – Fraser, Barclay

Managers – Scott Anderson & Stuart Glennie

Officials – G Fraser, E Jarvie, A Proctor

Vale Stats –

Shots On Target – 1

Shots Off Target – 3

Blocked Efforts – 0

Headers On Target – 1

Headers Off Target – 0

Corners Won – 8

Offside – 2

Approx Attendance – 335

Overhead Conditions – Calm

Ground Conditions – Poor

Temp at Kick-Off – 9 deg C