With Banff Bridge closed for much needed remedial repairs Steve Dolan, Terry Kidd and Ian Murray had to make the journey from Macduff by boat but both landed safely enough to assist Vale to a comfortable victory over Sutherland visitors Brora Rangers.
While the above players made it to Princess Royal Park by sea many supporters from the other side of the Deveron had to make their journey by foot as the bridge was kept open to pedestrians only while any fans coming from the south side were forced into a detour via Aberchirder which even resulted in a Brora player missing the match all together!
The home side were unchanged from the eleven who took all three points from Nairn two weeks ago while the visitors were without the unavailable Scott Wilde.
A minutes silence was observed for James Thompson, a long life Vale fan, prior to kick off on a lovely sunny afternoon in Banff with Vale looking to continue their 100% start to the new league campaign.

The Banffers were quick out of the traps and a first minute corner eluded the visiting defence before landing at the feet of Ian Murray six-yards from goal but Michael Gray pulled off a good stop to keep the league champions temporarily at bay. However Gray could do little to prevent the home side taking the lead three minutes later. Mike McKenzie swung over an enticing ball to the far post and Mark CHISHOLM looped the ball back across goal and over the stranded Gray to put the Banffers one up.

Brora almost equalised immediately when a rare mistake by Scott Anderson let in Keith but Vale new boy Ross Bremner stood up well to block the striker's effort for a fruitless corner. Chisholm then had a header saved by Gray before Murray slipped the ball just wide after Barrie Stephen sent the striker through one-on-one with the visiting keeper.
Kidd was next to try his luck after some patient build-up play between Dolan and McKenzie but his sizzling strike was inches too high to force a save out of Gray. The home side deservedly went two-up in the seventeenth minute when Ian MURRAY fired low past Gray from inside the eighteen-yard box after good work from Ryan Pressley on the right set up the chance for the prolific "Molby".

Campbell prevented a certain third for Barrie Stephen when he got back in the nick of time to clear off the line after the speedy Stephen had beaten Gray to a through ball. Ferries tried to catch out Bremner at the other end with a quickly taken free kick but "Brems" was up to the challenge and saved from right under his crossbar. A magical piece of telepathy involving McKenzie and Murray ended with the latter's delicate chip landing just on the wrong side of the goal with Gray totally beaten. The home side continued to dominate until the break but couldn't find a way past the well-marshalled Rangers' defence.

Mike McKenzie set up number three for the Banffers ninety seconds into the second half with another inch perfect cross which was expertly headed past Gray by the head of Barrie STEPHEN to end the match as a contest.
Gray produced a fine stop to deny Murray a second as Vale ripped through the visitor's back-line yet again before the visitors stole a goal back on only their third attempt of the match.

A harmless looking deep free kick sailed into Vale's six-yard box and Keith out-jumped the home defence to loop a header over the helpless Bremner and into the opposite side netting.
Anderson flicked a close range effort over the top and then Dolan saw his drive blocked for a corner as Vale stepped up a gear in an attempt to restore their three-goal cushion but Brora stood strong. Bremner had to race from his line to tackle Keith as he looked to break free of the Vale rearguard before the impressive Dlugonski completed the clearance.
Gregg Carrol made a couple of changes to freshen things up with Barrie Stephen and Terry Kidd making way for Darren McAllister and Paul Urquhart respectively. Gray then clawed a McAllister header to safety before thwarting the other substitute Paul Urquhart with a great one-handed save low to his left. Central defender Bryan Dlugonski decided to show his fellow strikers the way to goal with a forty-yard dash before hitting a spectacular effort, which shaved the upright in the last piece of action of the afternoon.
Steve Dolan was voted the sponsor's man of the match.

Vale:
Bremner, Dolan, Pressley, Chisholm, Dlugonski, Anderson, B.Stephen (McAllister 69), L.Stephen, McKenzie, Murray, Kidd (Urquhart 69)
Subs not used: Campbell, Gray, Speirs (GK)

Brora:
Gray, Morton, Gray, MacKenzie, #MacKay, Campbell, Ferries, Colquhoun (Rooney 65), Caunter (MacLeod 84), Buchannan, Keith
Subs not used: Martin, MacLean, Ridgers

Referee: P. Cheyne (4)