Vale picked up another vital three points at Fraserburgh on Saturday as they continued their quest to hold onto the Highland League Championship with another sparkling away from home performance at their unbeaten neighbours.
The Banff side dominated the match for long spells and are now starting to turn their superiority and chances into goals with an amazing eighteen goals in their last four matches. Credit should also be given to Vale's defence who completed their third clean sheet of the season, also with a solid performance, and limited Broch's chances to but a few over the ninety minutes.
Robbie "Bomber" Brown's header, with only two and a half minutes on the clock, set the Vale on their way although the remaining first forty-five was fairly evenly contested with both sides creating openings but neither able to beat Gordon or Bremner between the respective sticks. However the visitors turned the screw in the second period and after Barrie Stephen and Mike McKenzie had put Vale into an unassailable lead Ian Murray's late counter was only rubbing the salt into his old club's wounds when he scored late on with a excellent finish to complete the rout.

Vale went with the same eleven who had lined-up for the last three matches, which meant no starting place for the available again Ian Murray, who had to do with a place on the bench. The home side welcomed back Derek Milne to the fold but were without strikers Mackie & McLaren for the encounter. Vale kicked off down the Bellslea slope and were soon on the ascendancy winning a first minute corner, which the Broch defence only just managed to clear for another at the opposite side. Levi Stephen swung his second flag kick into the six-yard box and up went BROWN with Gordon to contest the flighted ball however as the two clashed the ball ended up bouncing over the line with Clark only managing to knock it further into the roof of the net. Referee Stuart Duff awarded the goal, much to the annoyance of keeper Billy Gordon, his teammates and the home partisan crowd who vented their anger in vain at the whistler.

Barrie Stephen continued Vale's early dominance with a mazy run into the Broch penalty area but Gordon did well to block his effort at the second attempt. Steve Dolan almost opened up the home defence again with a neat through ball to the on-rushing Stephen but Gordon was out in a flash to smother the ball before the speedy Vale striker could get there. McKenzie then picked out the same player with a similar ball in behind the Burgh back four but again Gordon thwarted the visitors with another good save. Vale continued to control things but couldn't quite find the killer ball to increase their lead and this was typified when Scott Clark sliced a clearance across his own six-yard box with no red shirts on hand to take advantage of the defender's mistake.

Bremner was called into action for the first time after 25 minutes when he brilliantly tipped a Milne volley over the top although Stuart Duff didn't give the big keeper any credit by awarding the Vale a goal-kick, much to the annoyance of the noisy home support. At the other end Gordon did well to get a hand to a dangerous looking Chisholm centre as the game started to open up and swing from end to end. With half-time nearing McBride's quick thinking and great accuracy almost paid off for the home side when he nearly caught out Bremner with an audacious effort from all of 35-yards but the giant Vale number one was equal to it and saved from just under his crossbar.

Vale had a low sun to contest with as they ran out for the second period but this didn't seem to bother them as they went looking for a second, McKenzie being denied by Gordon after he had got beyond the Broch defence thanks to a clever one-two with Chisholm at the edge of the area.
The Banffers went two up shortly after thanks to the lively Barrie STEPHEN's seventh goal in four games when he cracked home a drive from 20-yards into the bottom corner of the net past the un-sighted Billy Gordon after a neat lay-off from strike partner McKenzie.
Mike Stephen almost pulled a goal back for the home side when he wriggled past Stuart Gray inside the penalty box but from a tight angle the clever winger could only hit the side netting with only Bremner to beat.

Bremner then did well to get a fist to a dangerous ball into Vale's 6-yard box as Broch continued to come forward looking for a way back into the match.
Vale response was immediate and effective as Bremner launched a huge kick downfield for Clark and McKENZIE to chase. As the two players entered the home penalty box the Vale number ten nudged ahead and lobbed the ball over the stranded Gordon and into the back of the net for Vale's third of the game with a very much uncharacteristic 'route one' goal from the Banff side.

The visitors weren't finished there though and Steve Dolan was very unlucky not to score his third of the season with a beautifully flighted free-kick which had Gordon totally beaten only for the ball to come back off the face of the crossbar and fall to safety.
At the other end McBride fired just over from 20-yards and then Chisholm was forced to thump clear following a Stephen corner, which Bremner misjudged.
To put a damper on Vale's successful away day Steve Dolan was taken late and had to be stretchered off after 72 minutes clutching his calf muscle and he must be a major doubt for Tuesday night's Aberdeenshire Shield Semi-final with Buckie Thistle.
Ian Murray made a timely return to the fold when he replaced Dolan and was, as you would expect, soon in the thick of things.

A deep cross from the impressive Stuart Gray saw Murray taking a tumble as he launched himself at the ball but referee Duff saw nothing untoward and play raged on with the expected whistles from the home crowd ringing in "Molby's" ears. Perhaps that's why Murray then sent a weak effort straight at Gordon when well placed at the edge of the 18-yard box.
Bremner pulled off a fine save from McBride as Broch kept going looking for some sort of consolation for their afternoon's efforts.
With only four minutes of normal time remaining MURRAY put the icing on Vale's cake with an expertly taken goal. Levi Stephen picked out the substitute with a peach of a pass and the controversial hit man brilliantly first-timed a side-footed volley past a static Billy Gordon from 16-yards. The visitors came very close to notching a fifth right on full time with an acrobatic scissors kick from substitute Terry Kidd, which flew inches past the right-hand upright.
Barrie Stephen was quite rightly voted the sponsor's 'man-of-the-match' award. Vale's victory sees them stay in third position in the league as Clach and Huntly both picked up maximum points in their respective matches against Forres and Cove.

Vale boss Gregg Caroll was again happy with his sides efforts saying
"I was really pleased with the all round performance today as we defended from the front. We fought hard for every ball and defended in numbers and to score four goals at Fraserburgh with no reply is a decent result especially as they hadn't lost a league game up until today".
Carrol couldn't confirm the extent of Dolan's injury but stated that the veteran was stretched off merely as a precaution.
"We will monitor the Dolan situation, he has a deep cut to the back of his leg and if he's not available for Tuesday then we will just have to change things around and adapt as required, that's what we have an eighteen man squad for", added an optimistic Carrol.

Freaserburgh
Gordon, Milne (Cowie 54), N. Main, Clark, Bisset, Fleming, Norris (Geddes 82), Christie (Johnston 75), McBride, S. Main, Stephen
Subs not used: Thompson, Usher


Vale:
Bremner, Dolan (Murray 73), Gray, Chisholm, Dlugonski, Anderson, Urquhart, L.Stephen, B.Stephen (D.McAllister 86), McKenzie, Brown (T.Kidd 83)
Subs not used: Campbell, Rae


Referee: S. Duff