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Thanks to last week's postponement, Vale became the last side
to add their name to the Third Round of the SFA South Region
Challenge Cup after seeing off their South of Scotland League
opponents at a wet and windy Victoria Park. Vale were the
better side during the opening exchanges and took the lead
in the 14th minute, as Mike MacKale nodded Ross Alexander's
free kick home. Saints would have no doubt felt that they
allowed MacKale too much space to finish, and it was an indication
of the generally slack play the visitors had exhibited in
the early stages. However, they started to dig in and were
rewarded with an equaliser in the 32nd minute, when Ben Irving
teed up Mark Baker, who unleashed a terrific shot from 20
yards that gave Mark Wilson no chance. The second half decended
into a scrappy affair, with both sides seemingly unable to
keep possession of the ball in a tight midfield. Saints almost
took the lead as a Clark Chambers drive was diverted onto
the post by Wilson, while Raymond Gordon provided the miss
of the match, as he volleyed over a Hugh Cameron cross with
the goal at his mercy. At the other end, Vale were putting
plenty pressure on a Saints defence who may have looked a
bit panicky, but were holding firm. Efforts from MacKale and
Colin Smith were denied as the visitors defence threw themselves
in front of everything, while Aaron Somerville hit the bar
with a chip from fully 40 yards out. In the 76th minute though,
Vale edged back ahead with a superb goal. A neat backheel
from Somerville sent substitute Lewis Montgomery racing down
the right and by the time Montgomery had got in behind the
Saints defence, Somerville was waiting for his cut back, to
side-step a defender and curl a shot beyond Saints keeper
Shaun Hutchison. There was no way back now for Saints, as
Vale threatened to add another, Hutchison doing well to parry
away a Ronald Fleming shot. The game ended on a sour note
for the Kirkcudbright side as Hutchison hauled down Vale's
Ross McManus just outside his area in the final minute of
regulation time. As Hutchison was the last man, referee Andy
Rooney had little option other than to red card the unfortunate
keeper.
Vale of Leithen: Mark Wilson; Ross Alexander, Ross McManus,
Creag Robertson, Campbell Forsyth, Ryan McManus (Lewis Montgomery
68), Robbie Clark (Scott Johnston 81), Colin Smith, Mike MacKale
(Ronald Fleming 58), Aaron Somerville, Greig Shortreed.
St Cuthbert Wanderers: Shaun Hutchison; Clark Chambers (Jamie
Clark 69), Mark Baker, Michael Love (Paul Wells 70), Phil
Cairnie, Gary King, Raymond Gordon, Ally McMillan, Ben Irving
(Aidy Currie 88), Gary McGlymont, Hugh Cameron.
Referee: Andy Rooney.
• Vale will now face East of Scotland Premier Division
side Edinburgh City in the Third Round - a match that will
take place at Victoria Park, Innerleithen on Saturday March
8th.
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Innerleithen woke up to frost this morning, and a Victoria
Park pitch frozen solid. Although there was a fair chance
that conditions would be playable come kick off time, taking
into account the long journey faced by the Kirkcudbright-based
opponents, an early decision was made to call the South Region
Challenge Cup tie off. Both teams will now try again next
Saturday.
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Vale jumped to fifth place in the East of Scotland First
Division after this potentially tricky away tie, which in
the end was won with so little stress, the Innerleithen
men could even afford to squander two penalties along the
way. The game took place at Old Shielfield, as Rangers'
groundsman opted to protect the surface inside the stadium
after the recent rain. Teamwise, a player shortage saw Vale
with some key figures missing, but it also saw the long-awaited
debut of Craeg Robertson, taking his place alongside Campbell
Forsyth in the 'dream team' central defensive partnership
that has been in the minds of club management since the
start of the season. After a bright start, Vale took the
lead with quarter of an hour gone, when Aaron Somerville's
cross was bundled home by Colin Smith. After a dominant
start, it settled the nerves a bit and Berwick's day seemed
to be getting worse when they conceeded a penalty in the
22nd minute, but Mike MacKale smacked his spot kick off
the crossbar. Two minutes later it was two, as Steven Notman,
who has spent the week training with Livingston as he searches
for a new professional deal, rifled home a glorious free
kick from 25 yards. Early in the second half, Vale were
awarded another penalty as Berwick's Kieron Ainslie took
the legs from under Somerville. The striker took it himself,
but could only hit the post. Berwick had some chances to
pull themselves back into it during the second half, with
Andy McLean putting a Ben Minto cross wide when he looked
a stick-on to score, while Vale keeper Mark Wilson had to
stand firm in the face of powerful efforts from Kieron Ainslie
and Lewis Walker. Both teams ended the game with ten men
- Vale's Raymond Fleming received his second caution four
minutes from time, while Berwick's Jordan Ainslie was the
first player of the afternoon to be booked and was also
the last as he saw red in the final minute.
Berwick Rangers Reserves:Stephen Mason; Kevin Carnie (Lewis
Walker 60), Ross Hastie (Fraser Tait 82), Jordan Ainslie,
Andrew McLean, Kieron Ainslie, Jason Inglis, Sean Spour,
Sean Simpson, Chris Anderson (Ben Minto 60), Johnny Simpson.
Vale of Leithen: Mark Wilson; Ross Alexander, Ross McManus,
Creag Robertson, Campbell Forsyth, Ronald Fleming (Jack
Diamond 88), Steven Notman, Colin Smith (Peter Shearlaw
74), Mike MacKale, Aaron Somerville, Raymond Fleming.
Referee: Ian Bristow
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