Deveronvale closed the gap on Locos at the top end of the HFL table, with their first victory over the Garioch side in four attempts this season thanks to first half strikes from Steve Dolan and Mike McKenzie.

In a must win game for Gregg Carrol's side, their first competitive match for over six weeks, evergreen "Dippy" Dolan scored direct from a corner kick after twenty-five minutes and eight minutes later Mike McKenzie almost brought down the rigging in Marc Coull's goal with a trademark thunderous drive to put the Banffers two up at the interval. As expected and with the strong wind at their backs Locos came out with all guns blazing in the second period but Vale's defence stood strong and with stood a fair amount of pressure before relenting deep inside injury time to allow substitute Andy Low to grab what turned out to be only a consolation for the visitors.
Vale without injured duo Stuart Gray and Robbie Brown along with the holidaying Ryan Pressley welcomed back Mark Chisholm and Mark Slater to their three-man defence with the adaptable Bryan Dlugonski slotting into the right wing-back berth as they lined up desperately looking for a much needed three points and some revenge over their Aberdeenshire opponents.
Locos travelled to Banff with a familiar looking line-up although they were without the influential Craig Ross as they went looking to keep up the pressure on table-toppers Fraserburgh by picking up another three points on their travels.

Visiting captain Tommy Wilson won the toss and elected to play against the strong southwesterly breeze for the first forty-five minutes, a decision which may just have worked in Vale's favour as Gregg Carrol's boys understandably did look slightly off the pace during the first fifteen minutes of the encounter.
A fast and furious start saw John Gardiner's side pin back Vale a little and forced Ross Bremner into a couple of decent catches as Locos through the ball into the mixer at every opportunity.
Bremner, who had been in a rich vein up until Vale's enforced six week break, saved well at the feet of Kenny Coull who had used his upper body strength to great effect as he turned Mark Slater deep inside the Vale penalty box.
Ritchie Singer played in a wicked dipping cross from the right which again Bremner did well to get down to ahead of the lurking Stuart McKay.
Vale finally came into the game on the quarter hour mark when Jamie Watt was inches from connecting with a Mark Smith cutback along the six-yard box.
The Banffers then forced three corners before finally making one of them pay off with the all-important opener.
Steve DOLAN trotted over to the right-hand flag and through in a vicious wind-assisted in-swinging kick, which eluded Marc Coull before taking a slight nick off Mark Simpson as it spun into the far corner of the net.
Incredibly and just a minute later up popped Steve Dolan again but this time it was in a defensive role when he was in the right place to head an Andy Walker looping effort off his own goal line with Ross Bremner well and truly beaten.
Good solid defending from defensive duo Steve Park and Mark Simpson denied Vale a second when firstly Park blocked a McKenzie drive before Simpson through his body in front of the rebound, which Jamie Watt had also sent goalwards inside the penalty area.
Vale increased their lead two minutes from the break with a cracking strike from Mike McKENZIE. The impressive Mark Smith did the donkey work with a searching run which came to an end when he was tackled by Andy Walker but the ball fell kindly to the Vale number nine and he unleashed an unstoppable effort past the despairing hand of Marc Coull and into the far corner of the bulging net.

The visitors, with the wind at their backs, pinned Vale back early after the restart and following a deep corner Mark Simpson headed against the post with Ross Bremner relieved to throw himself at the rebound before the it could be turned into his goal.
Bremner, who was going to have a busy second forty-five, saved well from the otherwise quiet Neil McLean and then from Tommy Wilson as Locos kept up the momentum looking for the vital third goal of the game.
Ritchie Singer had a half chance when he out-jumped Steve Dolan but failed to find the net as his effort floated just wide of the right-hand upright.
Mark Smith came very close to sealing the points for the Banffers when he latched onto a Mike McKenzie centre but his angled effort crept just past the far post and out for a goal kick.
Steve Dolan then whipped in a dangerous cross, which had Marc Coull clutching at fresh air but there were no red shirts to capitalise on the keeper's mistake.
Coull did much better minutes later when he somehow managed to get a fingertip to a rasping Mike McKenzie strike which was enough to turn the ball onto the crossbar and out for a corner in what would have made the points safe for Gregg Carrol's side.
Stuart McKay almost pulled a goal back for the visitors when he took full advantage of Mark Slater's slip to run through unchallenged but Ross Bremner did brilliantly to get the slightest of touches which was just enough to divert the ball past the far post with the large travelling sure they had scored at last.
Mark Chisholm headed Vale's eleventh corner of the encounter over the top before Jamie Watt went down inside the area when challenged by Scott Buchan but referee Northcroft who to be fair was in a good position waved away Vale's strong claims for a penalty kick.
Sponsor's man-of-the-match Mike McKenzie hobbled off with two minutes of time remaining to be replaced by Graeme Cadger but the game wasn't quite finished there.
Firstly Jamie Watt was tee-ed up well inside the area but rather smothered his shot and Coull saved comfortable before Mark Chisholm was forced to head off his own goal line as Locos kept pushing forward.
With four minutes of injury time played Andy Low side footed a consolation for the hard-working visitors after some good work from the skipper Tommy Wilson inside the Vale penalty box but it was a case of too little too late as the points were already staying in Banff for some festive cheer for the large home support.

Gregg Carrol put the result down to hard graft when he said "I think we worked very hard for the three points today and although it took us a good fifteen minutes to get into the game once we found the pace we did very well. It was never going to be a classic because of the windy conditions but there was plenty effort and commitment from my players and you can't ask for any more than that. Locos are a strong side with lots of pace so I'm chuffed to pick up all three points especially after the long lay-off we've had which did start to show late on in the game".
"Perhaps we got the run of the green at times today but some days you get it and some days you don't and that's football. It will take another huge effort from the boys if we are to get anything next week at Huntly but we're obviously looking forward to it and hope to have a full squad available".

Vale:
Bremner, Dolan, Dlugonski (Capt.), #Chisholm, Craib, Slater, Smith, Kidd (Farrimond 85), McKenzie (Cadger 88), Watt, #Urquhart (Gilbert 74)
Subs not used: - Hendry, Noble
Inverurie
M. Coull, Young (McWilliam 70), Buchan (Fraser 61), Wilson, Simpson, Park, #Singer, Walker, K. Coull, McKay (Low 74), McLean
Subs not used: - Davidson, Mess
Manager: John Gardiner

Referee: M. Northcroft