30/08/07 Vale's Scottish Cup Gala Day
The draw for the First Round of the newly revamped Scottish Cup took place today in Linlithgow and the result is that Vale face local rivals Gala Fairydean on Saturday September the 29th - the first Scottish Cup tie that Victoria Park will have hosted in almost 15 years. When you consider the logistical problems the draw might have thrown up - an away trip to Wick Academy anyone? - both sides will be relishing the clash and the spice of a local derby allied to the grand occasion of Scotland's premier cup competition will ensure a cracker of a game in front of a bumper crowd. The traditional pre-match spying mission to assess opponents won't present much of a problem either, as the teams face each other a fortnight beforehand in an East of Scotland League fixture at Netherdale!
The full First Round draw is as follows; Brora Rangers v Cove Rangers, Golspie Sutherland v Preston Athletic, Coldstream v Dalbeattie Star, Glasgow University v Buckie Thistle, Wigtown & Bladnoch v Burntisland Shipyard, Civil Service Strollers v Selkirk, Fort William v Spartans, Newton Stewart v Linlithgow Rose, Vale of Leithen v Gala Fairydean, Wick Academy v Deveronvale, Culter v Hawick Royal Albert, Rothes v Nairn County, St Cuthbert Wanderers v Pollok, Fraserburgh v Huntly, Girvan v Forres Mechanics, Lossiemouth v Whitehill Welfare, Clachnacuddin v Edinburgh City. Bye - Edinburgh University.

25/08/07 Heriot-Watt University 3-1 Vale of Leithen
Vale slumped to a defeat which not only ended their interest in the League Cup, but proved that they still have a lot of work to do before their First Division campaign kicks off. The Innerleithen side started brightly with Lewis Montgomery and Richard Edge going close, before Ryan McManus opened the scoring after 21 minutes. An Edge flick released Raymond Fleming down the left and his cross found the inrushing McManus, who placed the ball high into the net. However, the home side carried plenty of threat themselves and Duncan Stoddart found himself in loads of space to shoot home the equaliser in the 28th minute. The same player put Watt into the lead only 45 seconds into the second half, heading in a Luke Cassidy cross, while Cassidy himself added a third in 76 minutes. The students could even afford the luxury of missing a penalty, Cassidy blighting an otherwise excellent personal performance by blasting the spot kick high over the cross bar.
Heriot-Watt University: Michael Goodfellow; Jamie Brown (Phil Green 76), Jimmy Rae, Scott Sutherland, Doug Mosley, Gary MacBrayne, Doug Considine, Oliver Antoni, Luke Cassidy (Lee Manderson 82), Duncan Stoddart (Banji Koya 72), Mark Wells.
Vale of Leithen: Mark Wilson; John Sanders, Ross McManus, Ryan McManus, Campbell Forsyth, Raymond Fleming, Colin Smith, Steven Whiteford (Robbie Clark 67), Lewis Montgomery, Richard Edge (Scott Johnston 54), Mike MacKale (Aaron Somerville h-t).

18/08/07 Annan Athletic 2-0 Vale of Leithen
Vale's trip to last season's East of Scotland League Champions ended in a defeat as early goals from Steven Sloan and Stuart Hill put Athletic in the driving seat. Despite Vale playing well thereafter, they couldn't haul themselves back into things.
Vale of Leithen: Mark Wilson; John Sanders, Ross McManus, Raymond Fleming, Campbell Forsyth, Ryan McManus, Colin Smith, Steven Whiteford, Lewis Montgomery, Greig Shortreed, Mike MacKale. Subs used: Scott Johnstone, Peter Shearlaw, Ronald Fleming.

08/08/07 Vale of Leithen 0-7 Livingston
Vale crashed to a heavy defeat against a young Livingston side, but there were certainly positives to take from the game. Livi raced into a four goal lead within 15 minutes as Leigh Griffiths powered through the home defence to open the scoring after only a minute of play. Keaghan Jacobs doubled the lead in seven minutes and two minutes later, Griffiths sprung the offside trap to grab his second. Livingston's Murray Davidson, playing in front of his home town crowd, headed home a Jacobs corner, and Davidson made it five for the West Lothian side in the 38th minute with the best goal of the game as he worked out an opening for himself before curling a lovely shot past Mark Wilson. In the second half, Vale came more into the game, with a Campbell Forsyth header dropping just the wrong side of the upright, a Colin Smith volley hitting the side netting and a net-bound Robbie Clark effort deflected wide. However, Livi edged further ahead in the 64th minute when Chris Malone released Gordon Smith down the right. Smith squared to his fellow substitute Jay Lang, who finished well from 15 yards. Two minutes from time, some more nice passing resulted in Smith getting a deserved goal to complete the scoring. Vale won't come up against many better sides than this during the season, but most of the Livi goals were the result of slackness as some players looked jaded after the hectic schedule of the last couple of weeks. However, Vale competed well, deserving at least a goal for their efforts and now look forward to kicking off their season proper on Saturday against Hawick Royal Albert in the Colin Campbell Sports League Cup.
Vale of Leithen: Mark Wilson; John Sanders, Ross McManus, Robbie Clark, Campbell Forsyth, Mel Graham (Peter Shearlaw 65), Ryan McManus, Colin Smith, Mike MacKale (Gerry Rossi h-t), Lewis Montgomery, Steven Whiteford (Frank Harrison 60).
Livingston: Mark Lunn; Bradley Snodgrass, David Sinclair (Devon Jacobs 60), Scott Walker, Cammy McDonald, Jonathan McAdam, Keaghan Jacobs, Chris Malone (Neil McCabe 70), Leigh Griffiths (Gordon Smith 34), Murray Davidson (Jay Lang 60), Sean Kerr.

04/08/07 Kirriemuir Thistle 1-1 Vale of Leithen
It was a third straight draw for Vale in pre-season games, but if they hadn't only started playing once they went behind, it would have been a victory. The squad was once again decimated by unavailability, but was at least boosted by the return of Lewis Montgomery. Kirrie fielded a mainly young side, who were eager and spirited, but it was their experienced captain Chris Kettles who opened the scoring following a nice move in the 67th minute. Ten minutes later, Vale equalised when Peter Shearlaw knocked home a Colin Smith corner and the Innerleithen side almost snatched a win in the last minute as the home keeper pulled off a fantastic point-blank save from Aaron Somerville. With the start of the season just a week away, a nice day out up north for the Vale contigent was only spoilt by worrying injuries sustained by Scott Johnston, Paul Knowles and Montgomery.
Vale team: Wilson, Sanders, Edge, Knowles, Forsyth, Clark, Smith, Johnston, Montgomery, Somerville, Shearlaw. Subs: Nicol, Brown

02/08/07 Vale of Leithen 0-0 Edinburgh University
This pre-season clash resulted in a surprising stalemate - surprising given that both teams committed themselves to an attacking game. Uni traditionally aren't at their strongest at this time of year, but the team they put out was probably only a couple of players shy of what will be their first choice XI for the coming season. After an uneventful first half, the tempo increased in the second, with the students moving the ball around well. It was Vale who came closest to breaking the deadlock though, a cross from Richard Edge bounced off the bar before Steven Whiteford smacked the ball off the upright in the final minute. Right at the death, Craig Robertson set up Mike MacKale for a crack at goal, but the striker's powerful shot was well held by the University keeper.
Vale team: Wilson, Sanders, Ross McManus, Robertson, Forsyth, Edge, Smith, Johnston, Whiteford, Somerville, MacKale. Subs: Clark, Knowles, Kane.

30/07/07 Vale of Leithen 1-1 Motherwell
Vale battled to a deserved draw with a young, but capable Motherwell side similar to the one that ran out 6-2 winners a year ago, but with the addition of veteran playmaker Phil O'Donnell. The visitors were the better side in the first half, pushing Vale back and forcing a series of corners, but some stout defending meant that it was still goalless at the turnaround. Five minutes into the second half, 'Well took the lead and it was no surprise that it was their most potent threat Jamie Murphy who got the goal, chipping the ball over Mark Wilson from the edge of the area. Having put a lot into the game, you would have expected Vale to start tiring late in the game, but a superb gutsy performance in which all the new additions to the squad impressed resulted in trialist Mel Graham lobbing 'Well keeper Alan Martin three minutes from time. No one is geting carried away on the basis of one result, and a pre-season friendly at that, but there were some very encouraging signs as the new squad looks to gel together for the start of the season.
Vale of Leithen: Mark Wilson; John Sanders, Craig Robertson, Campbell Forsyth, Ross McManus (Jason Kane 73), Richard Edge (Greig Shortreed h-t), Ryan McManus (Scott Johnston 60), Colin Smith, Steven Whiteford (Mel Graham h-t), Aaron Somerville, Mike MacKale (Peter Shearlaw 73).
Motherwell: Alan Martin; Cameron Murray, Ryan Wilson (Gary Fallon 70), David Nixon, Craig Gupwell, Phil O'Donnell (Juan Carrio 70), Kenny Connolly, Ross Forbes, Jamie Murphy, Mark Archdeacon, Darren Lygate (Jamie Pollock 78). Sub unused: Scott Leitch.