Inverurie Locos picked up their first Highland League trophy since joining the league three years ago when they turned over holders Deveronvale at Princess Royal Park with two goals in each half of another disappointing final performance from the Banff side.
It took just seven minutes for Locos, who were the home team for the final, to take the lead when Craig Ross capitalised on some poor Vale defending before steering an unstoppable shot past Bremner. Worse was to follow for Vale's back four when evergreen Steve Dolan dilly-dallied with the ball inside his own penalty box and Stuart McKay took full advantage when he slid in to knock the ball home from 4-yards. Mike McKenzie reduced the deficit on the half hour mark but further second-half counters from Low and Man-of-the-Match Ross made sure that Locos would lift their first major honours of their short-lived senior careers.

Things had started brightly for Vale, playing in their blue away kit, with Robbie Brown back in their starting line-up feeding McKenzie who in turn found Barrie Stephen but the inform striker fired his chance way over the top when well-placed.
Locos first main attack of the match couldn't have turned out better for the Inverurie side when they took a shock lead.
A run down the right by McKay saw the talented youngster skin Dolan before knocking a harmless ball into the Vale six-yard box and although Bryan Dlugonski looked under no pressure he only managed a weak clearance to the edge of his own 18-yard where Craig Ross was waiting. Ross made the Vale centre-half pay dearly when he unleashed a fierce drive, which cannoned off the underside of the crossbar and into the net.
Just as had happened on Saturday the Garioch men took great confidence from their early goal and immediately went looking for a second and got it, although it was a personal disaster for Vale's experienced number two Steve Dolan.
Ross flicked on a deep cross to the far post and although Dolan got to the ball first he elected to take a touch before clearing the danger. Stuart McKay read the danger in a flash and nipped in to slide ball past the bewildered Ross Bremner to send the small band of Inverurie support into ecstasy.
A knock on from McKenzie almost paid off for the Banffers but Ian Thain was quickly off his line to beat Barrie Stephen to the loose ball.
Darren McAllister's dart down the right wing was picked out by Paul Urquhart but the latter didn't quite have the height to connect with the centre provided and the Locos defence breathed a sight of relief. At the other end McKay was allowed a free header but he was too far out to get the power behind it to trouble Bremner.

McKenzie then fired a free kick over the defensive wall but a foot wide of Thain's left-had post as Vale kept looking for a way back into the match.
Vale's pressure finally paid off on the half hour when Mike McKENZIE knocked a Brown knockdown past Thain from 6-yards following a McAllister free kick.

Bremner plucked a long range Wilson effort from under his own crossbar as Locos bounced back and as Vale broke upfield Thain did brilliantly to keep his side in the lead. McAllister hit the by-line before crossing to Barrie Stephen but the striker's looping header was saved by Thain's fingertips when it looked like a goal was clearly on the cards.
On the stroke of half-time Bremner showed good hands when he collected a stinging Copeland drive as the ball skidding off the greasy surface right in front of him.

Vale kicked off the second period with it all to do to get back into the final but it was Locos who came closest when Low narrowly headed a McKay centre over Bremner's crossbar.
Vale's reply was a Barrie Stephen effort from close range, which Thain saved brilliantly for a fruitless McAllister corner.

McKenzie was shown a rare yellow card as Vale's frustration started to show, for backchat to referee Craig McKay.

Mark Chisholm who was having a rather quiet game headed over following another McAllister flag kick. Locos were working very hard, especially in midfield to stop Vale having any territorial advantage and it certainly seemed to work for the Inverurie side as Vale continued to fail to get beyond the Locos back line and were forced into playing long balls or making errors.
Locos then hit Vale with another killer blow when they scored again, and this time it was Ross Bremner who didn't look too clever when he allowed Craig Ross's 25-yard grounder to squirm under his body before it hit the back of the net.

Dlugonski then tried his luck from 25-yards but Thain did exceptionally well to get his body behind the shot, which took a deflection en route, and make the save.
The game was all over a few minutes later when Andy Low was allowed far too much time and space before dispatching a beauty into the far corner and score Locos's fourth to inflict Vale's highest Princess Royal defeat for over three years.
Vale kept going and Mark Chisholm missed from 4-yards out when he scooped over following some good play from Vale substitute Levi Stephen.

Fraser then headed a goal bound Terry Kidd effort off his own goal line but as Vale continued to push forward it was 'too little too late' and time was quickly running out on them and on their efforts to retain the Carlsberg Tetley Aberdeenshire Shield.
Mike McKenzie had the last chance of the first Deveronvale home final for twenty-four years but his effort took a deflection and landed straight into the arms of Ian Thain to sum up the Banffer's dismal night.

Gregg Carrol was understandably deeply disappointed with his side's performance saying, "We just didn't play well at all and handed to trophy to Locos on a plate. Inverurie thoroughly deserved their victory as they played with the right amount of commitment and passion required to win a cup final where we never really got out of second gear. Our defending was pitiful and we will need to improve quickly if we have any serious aspirations of winning the championship".
Carrol went on to say "we will have to quickly forget about this game, although it's not easy at present, and start to focus our attention to Saturday's tricky trip to Keith".

Vale:
Bremner, Dolan, Gray, Chisholm, Dlugonski, Anderson, McAllister (L. Stephen 77), #Brown (Kidd 77), #McKenzie, B. Stephen, Urquhart
Subs not used: Pressley, Sharp, Campbell

Inverurie
Thain, Fraser, Buchan (Bissett 89), #Wilson, Young, #Park, Ross, Copeland, McKay (Davidson 77), Low (Reid 86) McWilliam
Subs Not Used: Nicol, Coull

Referee: Craig MacKay