Reigning league champions Deveronvale ended the day back on top of the table again thanks to four goals from the prolific Ian Murray and a single strike from Mark Chisholm earning them a convincing victory over injury hit Lossiemouth in the opening Saturday of the season.
The eagerly awaited flag raising ceremony took place prior to kick off when Vale President Robert "Bingo" Bremner unfurled the Championship Flag opposite the Main Stand to mark yet another piece of history for the Banff club.
To celebrate the special occasion players from Vale's past sixty years were paraded in front of the crowd one by one and each received a hero's welcome before taking their seats to cheer on the Banffers in their formidable task of retaining the title.
Visitors Lossiemouth, who had lost the services of Highland League Player of the Season Shaun Scott during the close season, saw their squad down to the 'bear bones' and even had to name manager Graham Tatters amongst the substitutes as they tackled high-flying Vale in this dress rehearsal for the Qualifying Cup First round tie at the end of the month.
Gregg Carrol reshuffled his defence again as he tried to find the right balance to cover for Scott Anderson, who was missing through suspension, and the loss of Matty Kinghorn. Darren McAllister was deployed at right-back and Ryan Presley was drafted into the centre of defence in a flat back four alongside, skipper for the day, Bryan Dlugonski and Steve Dolan.

Vale kicked off the contest with a breeze blowing over Princess Royal Park and were quickly on the ascendancy but Darren McAllister's snap shot from Mike McKenzie's centre failed to carry any threat to the Lossie goal. At the other end Green's fierce drive was deflected for a corner, which the new look Vale defence coped with quite comfortably. Chisholm blasted wide with his weaker left when picked out at the back post following Vale's first corner but the midfielder really should have at least worked the keeper as he had plenty of time and room to make more of the opportunity. McMullen's well-struck 20-yarder had the home fans 'hearts in their mouths' when Bremner juggled the awkward ball on his own goal line but the big keeper, making his league debut for the Banffers, managed to hold onto the ball before it sneaked over the line.
Murray had a great chance to put his side ahead after 20 minutes but headed wide from 8-yards after Barrie Stephen's pin-point cross had picked him out in acres of space. Seconds later Mike McKenzie tested the débutante Dunn with a cracking drive, which the ex-Bishopmill keeper did well to parry to safety. Uncharacteristically Murray missed another snip for Vale when he beat the Lossie offside trap only to fire wide of the far post when it looked easier to at least hit the target. Shalliker was looking dangerous for the visitors and almost stole in behind the Vale back line, capitalising on some slack defending, but Dlugonski stepped in using his strength and experience to clear the danger. It was third time lucky for Ian MURRAY in the 30th minute when he side footed his side ahead from close range after Mark Chisholm had cushioned a header straight into the hit-man's path following a Stephen deep cross. Lossiemouth weren't to be denied however and fought back to level the match three minutes later. Green's enticing cross was expertly headed past a helpless Ross Bremner by McMullen from 10-yards.

Vale went straight back on the attack from this minor set-back and Ian MURRAY restored their advantage five minutes later when he guided the ball past Dunn from inside the 6-yard box after Mike McKenzie had opened up the Coasters defence with some nifty footwork before forcing Dunn into a fumbled save which Murray latched onto with the kind of predator instinct that has made him the most feared striker in the Highland League.
MURRAY was the thorn in the visitors side once more five minutes before the break when he completed his first half; 11 minute hat trick, with another close range finish with again ex-Lossie striker Mike McKenzie the unselfish provider.

The champions were at it again soon after the interval when Ian "Molby" MURRAY finished off a magnificent piece of play from Mike McKenzie who evaded three or four challenges before lifting the ball over Dunn's head to set Murray on his way to catching last seasons tally of forty-nine with another easy finish from 8-yards.
Shalliker shaved Bremner's right-hand post as the visitors showed they still had life in them yet but it was getting extremely difficult if not impossible especially when Vale went "Nap" moments later.
McKenzie and Murray played some neat passing at the edge of the area before threading the ball through to the inrushing Mark CHISHOLM and he had the simplest of tasks of stroking the ball home past the helpless Dunn from 14-yards.

Bremner had to look alert as he dived to save at the feet of Green before Dlugonski was forced to clear off his own goal line following another Lossie raid. Shalliker did pull a goal back for the Coasters when he side footed home with the Banffer's defence looking rather stretched. Dolan was unlucky to see his angled drive well saved by Dunn for a corner and from the flag-kick the Lossie number one again thwarted Vale this time tipping over a well-placed Pressley header.
The visitors completed the scoring with seven minutes remaining when Green took full advantage of some slack defending by Dolan to calmly slot the ball home from inside the Vale penalty box. Ian Murray, who was replaced as a precaution early in the second half, was voted the sponsor's Man of the Match.

Vale boss Gregg Carrol was pleased to get off to a winning start but a bit disappointed with some of the defending that saw Vale lose three goals at home, the first time against Highland League opposition for a couple of years. Carol said "It's great to off and running again with five goals and three points and we've got to be reasonably pleased with the result. Murray and McKenzie were both exceptional today and have hopefully started as they mean to go on. I was none to pleased with the two goals which we lost in the second half but we can't be too hard on the boys as they understandably began to tire after a gruelling ninety minutes against Aberdeen on Thursday night". "We will have Scott Anderson back for next week's tricky visit to Nairn which we are looking forward to and hopefully we can pick up something in what will be a difficult game for us", added Carrol.

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

Lossie:
Dunn, Noble, Wilson, Watson, Forde (Dixen 55), Maguire (Cameron 55), McMullen, M. Green (Fairweather 61), D. Green, Shalliker, Hendry
Subs not used: Tatters

Referee: A.Freeland (3)