Deveronvale's faint chances of retaining the title diminished in their last home game of the season when they lost at the hands of visitors Locos by one goal to nil, a second defeat of the hands of the Garioch side this campaign.

Craig Ross was the man who mattered for the championship chasing side when he slotted home as early as the 5th minute after Neil McLean's left-footed strike had been well stopped by James Blanchard but had ran kindly into the path of the midfielder.

Gregg Carrol's charges were guilty of poor finishing in the first period, strikers Mike McKenzie and Mike Ewen passing up very good opportunities inside the six-yard box and it proved costly.

The second half was a none event with the visitors playing a containing game and trying to catch Vale on the break while the Banffers huffed and puffed without really threatening although Mark Smith did force former Dundee United keeper Paul Jarvie into a super save in the final five minutes.

There were a few questions being asked of the home boss's formation ahead of kick off as Carrol went with a three-five-two instead of his tried and trusted four-four-two but this was due to an injury to right-back Chris Barney, which forced the manager's hand and Fraser Bremner replaced Barney in a wing-back role.

Vale got off to a shaky start and it needed a desperate clearance from Mark Smith to prevent the visitors sneaking into a 2nd minute lead.

But less than two minutes later Neil McLean cut inside Steve Dolan, ran across the face of the Vale penalty box before pulling the trigger with no one in a red jersey closing him down.
Blanchy was down quickly to get a strong hand to the ball but Craig Ross reacted quickest to squeeze the loose ball home from close range leaving the home side with a mountain to climb.

The homesters eventually responded when eventual sponsors man-of-the match Greig Pirie lifted a deep ball to the back post following a free kick to find Scott Fraser and his header landed down at the feet of Mike McKenzie who with only Paul Jarvie to beat slipped the ball past keeper and the upright.

Two minutes later it was Mike Ewen's turn to miss a snip when he was sent through on goal by Mike McKenzie only to be denied by a decent save by Jarvie who dived low to his left to parry and although McKenzie was on hand he couldn't turn the ball home under pressure.

The combination strike force of the two Mikes saw Ewen off and running again soon after but the ball got caught up between his feet on the very dry surface.

Ewen came even closer for the home side shortly before the break when he poked the ball past the advancing Jarvie only to be denied by a great saving challenge by Steve Park which in the end was as close as Vale came to scoring in the 1st period.

A tentative beginning to the second half set the president for the remainder of the game with very little of goalmouth action to mention.

Mike McKenzie's low shot-come-cross was just missed at the far post by the arriving Mike Ewen and substitute Graeme Watt before McKenzie was forced off with a recurring groin injury.

With 14 minutes remaining Richard Shand was red carded for a denying Mike Ewen a clear run at goal with the resultant set-piece being headed wide at the back stick by Scott Fraser.

Stephen Gauld replaced Steve Dolan as Vale went for broke late on in the match but failed to break down the stubborn and organised Locos defence although Mark Smith's freekick did find the target but Paul Jarvie was equal to it before the keeper pulled off that excellent tip over the top to thwart Smith in the dying minutes.

Card happy referee McDermott somehow found it necessary to caution no fewer than ten players, which was way over the top in a cleanly fought match with so much at stake and he only succeeded in spoiling the game as a spectacle.

Gutted Vale manager Gregg Carrol reflected on the missed opportunities when he said, "we had plenty of chances to get the equaliser and if we had taken one of them during the second half of the first period we may well have gone on to win but it wasn't to be. It's been a roller coaster of a season but our league challenge is well and truly over now so must re-group and cast our minds to August and the next campaign".

Vale: Blanchard, Dolan (Gauld 78), Pirie, Chisholm (Cpt) #Fraser, #Brown, Bremner (Watt 60), #Smith, #McKenzie (Cowie 65), Ewen, #Urquhart
Subs not used: Barney, Knight (GK)

Locos:Jarvie, ##Shand, Buchan, #Wilson, #Simpson, Park, #McLean (Milne 61), #Ross, #Coull (Watt 89), Gordon, Youngson
Subs not used: Gairns, Mess, Singer
Manager: Kevin Will

Referee:   F. McDermott