If this tussle at Station Park, Nairn on Saturday afternoon is anything to go by it's going to be a very tough but enthralling season for all followers of Deveronvale Football Club.
A cracking day in near tropical conditions was bettered only by a splendid advert for the Highland League with two sets of players going all out for victory in a thrilling ninety minutes of passionate football played just how the game was invented, on the deck.
Hosts "Wee County" may feel a little disgruntled that they ended up without at least a point from the encounter but if they continue to play their entertaining and attacking game they'll certainly pick up a lot more points along the way this campaign.
With temperatures into the thirties Vale kicked off the match with only one change to the starting eleven who had taken care of Lossiemouth last week. Darren McAllister dropped to the bench to make way for Scott Anderson who returned to the heart of the Banffer's defence allowing Ryan Presley to move to his more comfortable position of right-back.

The home side were quick to show in their first home match of the new season and Brooks hooked an early chance wide after good work from Holmes. At the other end Steve "Dippy" Dolan set up Mike McKenzie who in turn played in Terry Kidd but the ex-Peterhead midfielder choked his effort harmlessly wide.

Anderson headed straight into the arms of Rae following a Levi Stephen corner before Kidd's goal-bound drive was deflected inches wide with Rae in the home goal looking on rather anxiously, temporarily rooted to the spot. Bremner earned his first half corn with a super stop from Holmes after the winger had broken clear of the Vale back-line looking suspiciously offside.
As Vale broke Chisholm headed narrowly over the top after MacLeod had made a hash of clearing a Murray centre. County were hemming the Vale in at times working very hard to close down while the Banffers were looking to spring the offside on the counter with a quick ball over the top, although they were continuously thwarted by the stand-side linesman's raised flag.
Murray had a pop at goal but could only fire across the face of Rae's six-yard box after a delightful McKenzie pass had set up his strike partner. The deadlock was broken by the home side in the thirtieth minute in controversial circumstances. A deep free kick to the back stick was clearly punched goal wards by Brooks before Kellacher slid the ball home from close range but the referee was in a poor position and did not see the infringement so the goal stood.
Mark Chisholm tried his best to get Vale back into the contest but his volley lacked the strength or accuracy to trouble Rae.
CHISHOLM wasn't to denied however and minutes later the midfielder did manage to get his name on the score sheet when he bulleted a header past Rae from 12-yards following an excellent tantalising deep cross to the far post from Ian Murray.
Dolan fired over following a poor clearance from Rae and then Barrie Stephen fired inches wide as Vale stepped up a gear looking for second.
Just as the players looked set for a much needed half-time refreshment Barrie Stephen went on a mazy run into the Nairn penalty box and was challenged rather clumsily by Sinclair from behind. Stephen was sent sprawling to the deck and referee Hasson had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Mike MCKENZIE send Rae the wrong way to send his side in at the break a goal to the good.

McKenzie blasted a freekick wide of the target after Chisholm had been taken rather crudely from behind by McLeod. Scott Anderson was then yellow carded for backchat to one of the officials, joining Ian Murray, Terry Kidd & Levi Stephen who were all cautioned in the first half for a similar offence.
The home side thought they had equalised ten minutes later when Farquhar was all alone inside the Vale six-yard box but the experienced midfielder saw his effort come back off the face of the cross bar in what turned out to be a massive let off for the visitors.
Brooks was clean through on Bremner moments later as County started to turn the screw but shot weakly at the Vale number one who saved comfortably. It was turning out be a be a second half tale of two keepers when Rae firstly denied Chisholm with his feet before brilliantly saving at the feet of Barrie Stephen as the winger ran through one on one with him. Murray went down in the Nairn box under a challenge from Edwards but the referee awarded a free kick to the home defence for some shirt pulling by "Molby" rather than to the spot, a decision which was met by a roar of disapproval from the large visiting contingent.
Murray then expertly turned his marker inside the 18-yard box only to see his centre pounced on by Rae before McKenzie could reach it.
Bremner's brilliant one-handed save low to his left and then his follow up scoop of the toes of Kellacher rightly received plaudits from all around the ground as chances started to fall at both ends. The big keeper did it again minutes later when he somehow clawed a Brooks 20-yarder around his left-hand post at the expense of a fruitless corner to keep Vale's lead temporarily intact.
Rae bettered his opposite number with a very early contender for 'save of the season' when he brilliantly diverted a Chisholm bullet header over the top from point blank range when it looked to be the goal which would see all three points going back to Banff.
In the last ten minutes County threw everything but the kitchen sink at the visiting defence but the Banffers stood strong with some great defending from Dlugonski and co to pick up a very valuable three points even this early in the season.

"An excellent victory through sheer hard work, grit and determination" was how Gregg Carrol described Vale's victory. Carrol added, "We defended much better today and all credit to the players for carving out the three points in the extreme weather conditions. Nairn is never an easy place to come to and a lot of sides will find it very hard to pick up points at this ground over the coming months. We have a free Saturday next weekend so it will give some of the players a chance to rest any niggling injuries before we tackle Brora at Banff the weekend after next".

Vale:
Bremner, Dolan, Pressley, Chisholm, Dlugonski, #Anderson, B. Stephen (McAllister 68), #L. Stephen, McKenzie, #Murray, #Kidd (Urquhart 66)
Subs not used: Campbell, Gray, Speirs (GK)

Nairn Co:
Rae, #Seaton, McDonald, Edwards, MacLeod, Sinclair, Kellacher, Farquhar, McLeod, I. Brooks, M. Brooks
Subs: Colleto, Main, Duncanson, Sanderson, M. Rae
Referee: J.Hassson (2)