Gregg Carrol had nothing but praise for his players after a powerful performance at Huntly on Wednesday evening saw the Banffers dominate proceedings from start to finish but fail to find away past the defensive minded home side, although it wasn't for a lack of trying, more a case of no luck in front of goal!
To cap a very disappointing night for Deveronvale, Mark Gray scored only his second league goal of his career in the ninety-first minute to give his side a very unlikely victory with their first effort on goal worthy of a mention and in doing so put one hand firmly on the Highland League trophy for the Strathbogie outfit.

Vale had made the short trip up the A97 desperately looking to pick up the three points, which would keep them firmly in the title race but had to do so without skipper Bryan Dlugonski who missed out through injury.

Gregg Carrol did have better news when both Mark Smith and Mike McKenzie passed fitness tests prior to kick off and were able to take part in Vale's most important fixture of the season to date.

Huntly were without former Vale midfielder Levi Stephen who had been in great form of late but failed to shake off a nagging injury in time for the encounter.

A large crowd had gathered for the billed "game of the day" and were made up with a vociferous and noisy travelling support who sang their hearts out for ninety minutes only to go home, just as they had done three years previously at Fraserburgh, knowing that their side had tried their best but just failed at the final hurdle to made the league title their own.

A frantic start saw Vale press right from kick off catching Huntly slightly by surprise and had them on the back foot for the remainder of the ninety minutes as attack after attack rained down on Anderson and co in the Huntly defence.
Gary McGowan's crunching tackle on Stuart Gray from behind resulted in a yellow card for the home midfielder as they struggled to cope with Vale's movement and domination as early as the fourth minute. Jamie Watt was inches from reaching Mike McKenzie's cross from the resultant set piece before Kenny Gilbert blasted wide from distance as the Banffers kept up the pressure.
Richie Taylor's control on his chest let him down in a rare Huntly flurry upfield and at the other end Paul Urquhart's threaded pass very nearly picked out Jamie Watt's run in behind only for Scott Anderson to intercept at the vital moment.
Another Vale raid saw Mark Smith pick out the run of Stuart Gray with a defence splitting pass but from a difficult angle the youngster sliced wide.
Vale's first real chance came after twenty-five minutes when Jamie Watt's diagonal pass picked out the run of Paul Urquhart but Richard Bowman in between the home sticks narrowed the angle and managed to block for a disappointing Steve Dolan corner kick.
A snapshot from Jamie Watt drifted agonisingly over the top after Mike McKenzie's low cross had picked out this strike partner.
Scott Anderson hobbled off temporarily for treatment and as the home side continued with just ten men Steve Dolan found space down the left but his floated cross into the middle found no red shirts to capitalise.
Dolan then had a half-chance to put his side into a deserving lead but the veteran was stretching to meet another McKenzie cross and the ball fizzed past the left-hand post.
Huntly had their first strike at goal with five minutes of the half remaining. Richie Taylor was chopped down by Ryan Pressley at the edge of the penalty area but Gary McGowan's free kick was charged down by the visiting defensive wall allowing Ross Bremner to make an easy save.
Right on the stroke of half time Jamie Watt had a golden chance to put his side one to the good when he beat the offside trap to sprint clear and bore down on Richard Bowman's goal but just as the top scorer was about to strike and after finally forcing the Huntly keeper to go down the ball took a wicked bobble on the bumpy surface and resulted in Watt firing over the cross bar much to the disappointment of a stunned Valley Crew.

A huge roar of encouragement from the visiting fans saw Vale return to the field for the second period hoping to continue where they left off in the first and perhaps finally get a wee rub of the green which had eluded them during the opening half.
Ross Campbell was the second player to receive a caution for a clumsy challenge on Mike McKenzie but Vale wasted the resultant free kick when McKenzie over-hit a pass to Steve Dolan inside the Huntly box.
The home side started to come more into the game after an hour of play and a three-man move almost paid off for them when Ally Reid crept in behind the Vale defence but the far-side assistant had his flag quickly raised for offside against the former Keith winger.
Paul Urquhart pulled another effort wide of Bowman's left-hand upright before Stuart Gray's centre from the right caused panic in the home defence but Neil Reid cleared just ahead of the in-rushing Steve Dolan.
Dave McGinlay had a decent chance from Huntly's best chance of scoring, a set piece, but headed narrowly over with a free header from 6-yards out after Mark Chisholm had tripped Stainer as he broke down the right.
Richard Bowman earned his corn soon after and broke the Vale hearts at the same time with a superb one-handed save high to his left after Chisholm had stooped to head a Stuart Gray corner towards goal and Bowman followed this up with another important stop when he touched Mark Smith's looping header over the top.
Vale forced a succession of corners but Steve Dolan's deliveries were mopped-up well by the packed home defence before the home side won a late flag kick at the other end which resulted in the winner. As Reid's corner was partially cleared to the edge of the area it landed kindly at the feet of Mark Gray and the wee midfielder swivelled to fire a low effort through a ruck of players before cruelly finding the bottom corner to send the home fans into hysteria.
Vale rallied and very nearly equalised when Ryan Pressley pulled the trigger from 20-yards at the other end but his drive flew inches over the top before referee MacDonald sealed Vale's fate when he blew for full time.

A gutted Gregg Carrol said, "I only have praise and admiration for my boys as they played their hearts out and were by far the better side over the piece but football is sometimes a cruel game and lady luck simply never shone on us tonight. We did all the right things but it just wasn't to be but we're not giving up the title just yet as there is still a lot of football to be played and we'll keep going right until the death".
Carrol continued, "I must mention the fans tonight as they were brilliant and we couldn't have asked for any more of them, I just wish we had got the result we and they deserved but there is still the League Cup to play for and we'll not go down without a fight".
Huntly
Bowman, #McGinlay, Scott, Anderson, #Campbell, M. Gray, A. Reid, Guild, Taylor (Stainer 65), N. Reid, #McGowan (Farmer 85)

Subs not used: Stewart, De Barros, O'Driscoll
Manager: Billy Anderson

Vale:
Bremner, Dolan, Gray, Chisholm, Pressley, Brown (Capt), Smith, Gilbert, Smith, McKenzie, Watt, Urquhart
Subs not used: Kidd, Cadger, Craib, Farrimond, Phimister (GK)

Referee:Scott MacDonald (4)