A repeat of last year's final saw holders Cove Rangers begin the defence of their trophy with home advantage over visitors Deveronvale in the first round of the Hutcheon Services Aberdeenshire Cup.
Following their narrow home defeat to Lossiemouth, manager Gregg Carrol decided to shuffle his pack making three changes to the starting eleven. Robbie Brown and Mark Chisholm return to the midfield at the expense of Nigel Montgomery and Gary Nicol and up-front Mike McKenzie replaced Derek Craigie as Vale went in search of the goals, which they had failed to find last Saturday.
The tightness of Allan Park would ensure a different type of game to Saturday's encounter and coupled with a cup-tie atmosphere an exciting game was in prospect for both sets of fans. The visiting support turned up in their usual large numbers to roar on their team at a ground which has seen Vale improve somewhat over the past few seasons.
Scott Anderson was handed the captain's armband and was again partnered by Bryan Dlugonski at the heart of a back four. Dlugonski had signed-on for his hometown team just in time for kick off to give the Vale a very much 'local' look to their defence.
The visitors forced an early corner through Dolan but failed to take any advantage from the following set piece. However it only took nine minutes for the visitor's to open their account for the new season. Murray turned Murphy inside-out on the left before crossing to the unmarked Chisholm who glanced a header far out of the reach of Buchanan and into the far corner of the net.
Cheyne headed just wide off a Brown corner as the home side tried to hit back. Ex-Vale midfielder Mark Smith forced his own keeper into a neat save when his attempted clearance went the wrong side of the cross bar and Buchanan had to touch over for a corner, much to the relief of the red-headed youngster. From the set piece John Brown had to clear off his own goal line as McKenzie flicked the ball goal wards at the near post. Chisholm saw another header creep over Buchanan's bar after good work by Kinghorn on the right. Dolan then whipped in a low cross, which had just a little too much pace on it to for the inrushing, Murray and Chisholm.
Kevin Allan left the referee with no option other than to send him off as he lashed out at Murray as the Vale striker lay on the ground following a foul by Murphy. John Brown was inches from equalising for the home side with a wicked swirling drive which flew past Speir's upright after the defensive wall had charged down Beattie's initial set-piece.

Dolan found himself behind the Cove rearguard early in the second half but he sliced his shot high and wide of Buchanan's near post. Cove then shocked Vale when they got themselves right back into the game. A softly awarded free-kick saw Brown force Speirs into touching the earlier's effort onto the crossbar and Mullen was first to the loose ball to turn it into the net from close range. Seconds later and with the Vale defence were still coming to terms with the equaliser, Beattie ghosted into the box unmarked and volleyed high over from close range when it looked easier to score. At the other end Chisholm broke free from the Cove defence but he shot straight at Buchanan with the goal at his mercy. The Cove number one had to be on his toes to deny Robbie Brown after the Vale midfielder had wriggled his way into the visitor's penalty area.
Speirs saved well on his line as he pounced on top of Coull's flicked header following a Cove corner kick. Colin MacRonald replaced the tiring Brown for the visitors and within a minute the Vale were back in front. Stephen was fed down the left by MacRonald and his driven cross was spectacularly blasted past his own keeper by the unfortunate Arthur Murphy as he attempted to clear the danger. Two minutes later and in was all over for the cup holders. McAllister chipped the ball over the Cove defence and Murray calmly lofted the ball over the stranded Buchanan from 18 yards. Murray doubled his tally for the night a minute later when he stooped to head Dolan's deep cross over the line at the back post, with the Cove defence posted missing.
Things got even worse for the home side when Colin MacRonald marked his debut with two fine solo goals in a five minute spell. The ex-Huntly player latched onto a through ball from Stephen before firing wide of a hesitant Buchanan from 20 yards and notched his second when again the visitors sliced through the Cove rearguard allowing MacRonald time to pick his spot well out of the reach of a despondent Cove goalie.
Beattie managed a late consolation goal for the home side when he held off Kinghorn chasing a through ball before sliding the ball past Speirs from 16 yards.