Vale's last league game of a long and tiring but successful campaign saw Wick Academy travel to Banff for the second of their double header against their hosts. The visitors were out to gain revenge after losing to a last gasp winner last Saturday while the Vale players entered the fixture knowing that they needed to take all three points in the hope that Fraserburgh just might slip up next Wednesday when they travel to Cove in their last league fixture.
After Wednesday's defeat manager Gregg Carrol saw fit to shuffle his pack and dropped top scorer Jamie Watt and strike partner Gary Nicol to the bench and went for an untried partnership of Derek Craigie and Ian Murray up front. Mark Chisholm also found himself listed among the substitutes with Franny More re-instated to his usual right-hand flank, after he was dropped for Wednesday's match.
Vale kicked off and Craigie was quick to show that he meant business when he latched onto a Murray flick to test Strong, in the Wick goal, with a snap shot which the keeper saved comfortably. At the other end MacKenzie's shot from 20 yards had Thompson beaten but the ball also sailed past the far stick. Brown made a good run from deep into the visitor's penalty box but the ball bobbled as the midfielder looked to pull the trigger and the danger was cleared. Craigie then made good progress down the left before crossing to Murray but his strike partner didn't get enough pace on his header to trouble Strong.
Craigie was causing the Academy rearguard all sorts of problems and his deft header was inches wide of Strong's post with the keeper rooted to the spot. More's grounder was saved by Strong at the second attempt before the Wick goalie denied Pressley with his legs as the Vale midfielder caught Dolan's corner kick on the volley. At the other end Dolan had to hook clear after Ross's near post flick caused the Vale defence a moment of panic inside their own 6-yard box. Craigie's header from close range came back off the face of the crossbar with Urquhart blasting the rebound wide when unmarked and then moments later Manson had to hack clear as Vale pressed the Wick defence for the opener.
Pressley was again denied by the Wick goalie when he saved his low-drilled shot before More blasted well over the top from 10 yards. The home side's pressure finally paid off five minutes before the break when Pressley's through ball found CRAIGIE in space and the big striker made no mistake from 12 yards. Ian MURRAY added a second for the Vale a minute later when he latched onto a Dolan cross and fired high past the helpless Strong from close range with the visitor's defence caught ball watching. More had a good chance to put the match beyond the visitors when Dolan's cutback rolled agonisingly across the face of the Wick goal but the wee winger couldn't get his foot to the ball to turn it home. Right on the stroke of half time Montgomery had to head off his own goal line after Thompson had failed to cut out a cross and MacKenzie sent the ball goal wards.

Vale started the second period just how they finished the first and Strong had to reach at full stretch to claw away a goal bound Murray lob from 18 yards for a corner. Dolan then went on a mazy run which was ended with a timely interception by Mowat as the Vale defender looked to pull the trigger inside the Wick penalty box.
CRAIGIE scored his second of the afternoon when he touched home a More low cross from close range after Pressley's fine ball in behind had split the Wick defence wide open. Four minutes later URQUHART finished neatly when put through on goal by Pressley, coolly knocking the ball past the advancing Strong from 12 yards. Vale then made a couple of changes with Chisholm and McAllister replacing Pressley and More respectively.
Strong was the hero again for the visitors when he expertly tipped a net bound Chisholm header from the top corner of his goal over the bar before twice denying sponsor's man-of-the-match Ian Murray from close range. Brown's attempted lob lacked the elevation to beat the Wick keeper before Urquhart's long-range effort was also saved by the busy visitor's goalie.
Brown was harshly yellow carded to spoil what was otherwise an excellent afternoon's performance by the home side and an ideal tonic for next week's cup final. I'm sure the Vale players will enjoy the six-day rest before tackling Forres Mechanics at Kynoch Park, Keith next Saturday.