Four goals courtesy of Mike Ewen, Graeme Watt and a double from man of the match Mark Chisholm were enough to see off Broch as Vale continue to lead the pack at the summit of the HFL but with games running out Gregg Carrol must be reflecting back over the campaign about the points which got away.

With sixty points the maximum tally the Banffers can reach it's unlikely to be enough to retain their title and dropped points at home to Fraserburgh and Rothes stick out as the disappointing ones although if Carrol's charges do make the sixty mark it will set a decent target for the chasing pack to reach.

Vale went to Bellslea Park looking to build on two home victories over Cove and Clach and welcomed back Mike McKenzie and Steve Dolan (fresh from agreeing a one-year contract extension) to their starting line-up.

The young Broch side, languishing in mid table, with Michael Stephen on the bench and without ex-Elgin City defender Russell McBride looked to have little to play for but you can never take Charlie Duncan's side's lightly and Gregg Carrol's boys certainly didn't.

Mike Ewen rolled the ball beyond Billy Gordon for the opener after just six minutes and captain Mark Chisholm made it two with a downward header midway through the first half. Graeme Watt netted his first league goal for the club with a dink over Gordon six minutes from the interval and it was game over. Chiz scored his second header shortly after the interval to make sure of the points and although the home side put up a better fight in the second half they never did quite enough to warrant a consolation.

With just four games remaining Gregg Carrol sent his troops out on a three points mission and they didn't disappoint.
Although Alan Hale went down under a challenge from James Blanchard early on it was Vale who snatched a deserved lead after six minutes.
A neat exchange between Paul Urquhart and Mike McKenzie saw Mike EWEN through on goal and the teenager added to his eighteen-goal tally with a controlled finish under Billy Gordon from 12-yards.

Mike McKenzie's quickly taken set piece was well watched by the alert Gordon in the Broch goal before Mark Smith smashed home a second from close range. However referee Steven Duff ruled that Rusty's finish off Robbie Brown's speculative volley was offside even though the stand-side assistant refused to raise his flag.

Graeme Watt might have netted from Mark Smith's threaded pass soon after but although Watt beat the advancing Billy Gordon Neil Main was on hand to thump clear on the goal line.

Broch created their best chance of the first period when Scott Fraser upended Alan Hale at the edge of the 18-yard box and Steven Main curled the ball over the defensive wall only for James Blanchard to tip over at full stretch.

With 22 minutes on the clock Vale doubled their advantage when they won a corner on the right. Graeme Watt swung the ball into the six-yard box and with number 22 on his back Mark CHISHOLM out-jumped the home defence to powerfully head beyond a static Billy Gordon.

Elrick fired an effort goalwards which Blanchy saved low to his right before Mike Ewen passed up a decent opportunity for his second of the game when he failed to control a high ball into the six-yard box from skipper Chiz.

But six minutes from the break Paul Urquhart's clever run at the Broch defence opened an opportunity for Graeme WATT and the youngster made no mistake as he lofted the ball over Billy Gordon and although the veteran keeper got a strong hand to the ball he couldn't prevent it bulging the net for the third time.

Robbie Brown was needlessly cautioned for his part in an off the ball incident minutes before the break.

Michael Stephen replaced Neil Main at the break as Charlie Duncan adjusted his playing staff and it certainly seemed to put a little more energy and tempo into their game but Vale caught them with a sucker punch before they could feel their way back onto the match.

Steve Dolan's free kick was partially cleared finding it's way to Mike McKenzie out on the left. The Vale number nine made an angle before whipping the ball back into the mixer to find the waiting Mark CHISHOLM and he glanced a header well out of the reach of the home keeper and into the far corner of the net.

Ralph and Milne had decent opportunities to pull one back for the homesters both screwing wide before substitute Greig Pirie let in Alan Hale with a short headed pass-back but the striker failed to hit the target with Blanchy caught in no-man's-land.

The bustling Mark Smith played in Mike McKenzie but the tired looking striker fired well wide with just Billy Gordon to beat.

Alan Hale was unfortunate to see his thunderous strike come back off the upright after getting the better of substitute Fraser Bremner, who had slotted in at right-back after Greig Pirie had moved to central defence in place of the injured Mark Chisholm.

Sub Nico Marchi stabbed home what the home side thought was a consolation but the stand-side assistant ruled out the goal for offside - much to the annoyance of the Broch faithful who left referee Steven Duff in no doubt of their feelings towards him.

Billy Gordon did well to stop Mike McKenzie's fiercely struck set piece at the second attempt and as the game swung to the other end James Blanchard pulled off a fine double stop to deny Mike Stephen and Alan Hale with Blanchy's defence guilty of not clearing their lines on two occasions.

The final chance of the match in the dying seconds fell to the visitors and Scott Fraser who moved onto a flighted ball in the Broch box after Fraser Bremner's corner was part cleared but the defender's volley smashed against the face of the crossbar from a suspiciously offside position.

Happy boss Gregg Carrol reflected on a good days' work when he said, "We got off to the perfect start and never looked back. I thought we bossed the midfield and controlled things for the majority of the match and in the end were well worthy of the three points".

Broch:
Gordon, Milne, N. Main (Stephen 46), Dickson, #Christie (Ross 84), Ralph, Elrick, #West, Hale, S. Main (Marchi 61), Johnston
Subs not used: McLaren, Cowie
Manager: Charlie Duncan

Vale:
Blanchard, Dolan, Barney (Pirie 58), Chisholm (Cpt (Bremner 76) Fraser, #Brown, Urquhart, #Smith, McKenzie (Cowie 88), Ewen, Watt
Subs not used: Gauld, Knight (GK)

Referee:   S.Duff