Deveronvale took another huge step towards winning their second title in three years with a worthy but hard-worked three points over stubborn former champions Clachnacuddin, who came to Banff to frustrate and were sent home to contemplate by Gregg Carrol's buoyant boys.
It was Ian Murray's sublime freekick, his ninety-ninth goal for the club, which won the hearts of the adoring 'Valley Crew' and probably the points for the champions elect but substitute Jamie Watt made sure anyway with his late header and whilst doing so put a fairer score-line on the very much one-way affair.
It was a strong visiting outfit who lined-up for Vale's last home game of the campaign with plenty of experience in their ranks but they were weakened when top-scorer Alex Bone failed to pass fit for the encounter although player-manger Dave MacKay certainly had a game plan which frustrated the homesters for long periods of the first half, his side playing mainly on the counter using the lightening pace of Blair Lawrie to good effect but without forcing James Blanchard into a serious save during the entire ninety-minutes.
A glorious Spring day saw the teams lock horns for the second time this current season, the Inverness outfit coming back from two-goals down to beat Vale 3-2 at Grant Street Park back in November, so revenge was very much the order of the day for Gregg and his coaching staff as they closed in on the league title.

A glorious Spring day saw the teams lock horns for the second time this current season, the Inverness outfit coming back from two-goals down to beat Vale 3-2 at Grant Street Park back in November, so revenge was very much the order of the day for Gregg and his coaching staff as they closed in on the league title.
Within five minutes of the kick off Neil MacCuish's reckless assault on Mike McKenzie earned the wide player a lenient yellow card, which had it been later in the match may well have been a different colour but referee Paul Cheyne seemed to be happy enough that the over-the-top lunge only warranted a caution on this occasion.
Skipper Mark Chisholm, who finally chopped off his long curly hair during the week before picking up the supporter's and player's player of the season, urged his side on and Ross McWilliam dashed into the box from the left but his cut-back was easily cut out by Clach number one Ally Ridgers.

Paul Urquhart pulled an effort wide from 20-yards shortly after Ian Murray had tested Ridgers with a dipping freekick which the big keeper dealt with comfortably.
Vale came as close as you get midway through the half when Kenny Gilbert's inviting cross was met by the head of Mark Smith but the width of the crossbar prevented 'Rusty' making it seventeen for the season with Ally Ridgers happy to grab the ball as it bounced down on the goal-line.
Clach continued to break up the flow of Vale's attacking play whilst conceding petty freekicks but with the obvious height difference and the 'eager to come from his line' Ally Ridgers, saw the visitors looking pretty comfortable in dealing with anything tossed high into their penalty box.
However, as Vale attempted to mix it up, a quickly taken set-piece on the half hour saw Steve Dolan run at the 'Lilywhites' defence from Mike McKenzie's pass but the slightest of deflections to 'Dippy's' strike saw Ridgers make the save.
Clach's only attempt at goal during the first forty-five was an opportunist hook from Davie Ross from 25-yards which had James Blanchard worried until it dropped just the wrong side of the far post.
Ian Murray had his first sight at goal near the end of the half but failed to get enough power to threaten Ally Ridgers, the ball bobbling into the keeper's arms from about 12-yards.

Gregg Carrol's interval team talk was thrown out the window within seven minutes of the re-start when Mike McKenzie was forced off with a hamstring injury and on came Jamie Watt in his place.
Gary Black joined MacCuish and Lawrie in the referee's book for yet another foul on Ross McWilliam but another high ball into the Clach box from the set-piece failed to find a red shirt.
The home side were denied what looked like a clear-cut penalty soon after when Ian Murray broke clear of the rigid Clach back four only to have his arm hauled back as he looked to pull the trigger but referee Paul Cheyne wasn't interested and felt the wrath of the large home support, who obviously didn't agree with his poor decision.
Three minutes later and the 'valley crew' felt that the man in black was calling an April Fool when Ross McWilliam also appeared to be fouled inside the area when Steve MacDonald lunged into a tackle but again the ref said 'nothing doing'.
Vale started to pound the Clach goal as the game entered the final third and Mark Smith's looping header forced Ally Ridgers into a acrobatic tip over the top and from the resultant corner Ian Murray blazed high and wide after picking up a cushioned header from Smith at the far post.

A goalmouth scramble saw Ridgers deny Murray with his legs and then Steve Maclean threw himself at the rebound to thwart Murray again as the Banffers kept up the momentum.
Gordon Morrison fired a decent effort over the top in a rare Clach break up field but it was the homesters who finally broke the deadlock in their next attack.
Graeme Watt released Mark Smith and his twisting run was abruptly halted by an illegal challenge by one of the visiting central defenders.
Freekick specialist Ian MURRAY measured up the situation before curling a beauty over the wall and well out of the reach of Ally Ridger's despairing hand to bulge the net for the fifteenth time this season.
Ridgers kept his side in the match with a double save to break the heart of Murray as he looked for his one hundredth goal for the Banffers; the keeper firstly blocking with his body after good play between Jamie Watt and Steve Dolan and then palming away a downward header from the Vale number Ten low at his post.
Substitute Bruce McCraw very nearly put through his own goal with an attempted clearance, which missed the inside of the post by a whisker after Jamie Watt had made good progress into the penalty box before cutting the ball back.
Mark Chisholm out-jumped Ridgers to a Graeme Watt corner but Gary Black was on hand to head clear off the goal-line to deny the hard-working Vale captain another goal to add to his thirteen already scored but the big keeper was beaten again with one minute of normal time remaining.
Graeme Watt's corner was only partially cleared and Jamie WATT took full advantage when he headed home from 6-yards with the 'Lilywhite's' defence at sixes and sevens.
The final Sponsor's man-of-the-match award of the season was given to goal machine Ian Murray.

Reds boss Gregg Carrol said, "I didn't think we did much wrong in the first forty-five apart from our final ball but the second period we were different class and there was no doubt who deserved the three points as they (Clach) came to spoil our flowing football without really threatening 'Blanchy' throughout the game. It was a massive victory for us and with Forres losing at Fraserburgh leaves us with a great chance of lifting the title either at Fort William next Saturday or Cove a couple of weeks later".

Vale:
Blanchard, Dolan, Gilbert, Chisholm (Cpt), Dlugonski, Brown (Munro 90) #McWilliam (G. Watt 70), Smith, McKenzie (J. Watt 52), Murray, Urquhart
Subs not used: Craib, Bremner (GK)

Clach:
Ridgers, MacKay (Fraser 70), #Black, MacDonald, Maclean (McCraw 70), #MacCuish, #Lawrie, Ross, Kerr, Morrison, Lewis
Subs not used: MacNiven, Douglas, Poupard
Manager: Dave MacKay


Referee:  P. Cheyne