Category: East of Scotland First Division

Non League Day 2017-Supporting Grass Roots Football

The Vale’s youngest fan, Kian ready and prepared with his new Vale Supporters Scarf before setting off to the Scottish Cup Tie with Spartans.

The SFA have been promoting the Non League day which is on the 7th October. This is the international weekend where the majority of professional teams will not be playing, and its also the day that the Vale have a local derby with Selkirk FC at Victoria Park.

The SFA initiative is for fans to meet the players, management and committee and get to know what is involved in Non League football and hopefully enjoy the game, with the hope that they will return.

The Vale are prepared not only on Non League day, but before any home games to show parents/kids around the facilities prior to kick off (around 1 1/2 hours before if they want to see the dressing rooms).

It has been noted that in recent games that the number of kids attending has increased, and the club would love to see more like Kian wearing the club scarf. The scarf will be on sale at the park and cost £5.00.

SPARTANS 3-0 VALE OF LEITHEN SCOTTISH CUP 1st ROUND

With Vale still having a serious injury list Chris Anderson (the Manager) was forced to play himself, plus we had only four players on the substitute bench.

With a good crowd in attendance the match started with Spartans having the upper hand for the opening stages and could have been ahead if their finishing had been better. However, Vale started to get a foot hold in the game and were starting to thwart the Spartan attacks and managing to put some pressure on the host’s defence.

The deadlock was broken by Spartans in the 28 minutes when a quick break down the left resulted in a cross by Maxwell being headed home by Dishington in the six yard box.

Vale responded well and only two saves from Stobie prevented an equaliser, especially a pile driver from Kerr Allan that he managed to push over the bar.

Half Time: Spartans 1 Vale 0

The second half started with Vale in the ascendancy and their best spell in the match. With Vale chasing the equaliser a Spartan’s attack in 63 minutes result in a scramble in the goal mouth where Ross Gilpin, despite a few valiant stoppages, was eventually beaten by a tap in from Dishington.

The game was finished off in the 85 minute when after a disputed free kick on the edge of the Vale box, the subsequent free kick was hammered home by Stevenson.

Full Time: Spartans 3 Vale 0

If the performance and effort shown tonight can be reproduced in the coming weeks, and with a more settled team we should be able to start climbing the league table. The chopping and changing of the team due to the injury list and player unavailability has certainly affected our overall performance. No failures tonight in the team, a real united effort, with a special mention to Sean Stewart who filled in at full back and put on a good show against our loanee from season Blair Atkinson (our Managers’ Player of the Year). Also, to Kerr Allan and Liall Smith, both new to the team this season, but your best game so far.

William Hill Scottish Cup 1st Round

Vale travel to Edinburgh on Friday night to play Spartans.

Chris is hoping that his injury list will improve and that he has a couple of new players available.

Although the Vale will be underdogs, with it being a Cup Tie everyone is optimistic that a good performance on the night can result in us making the next round.

 

Fighting talk from Ando has he tells players to shape up or ship out

Chris Anderson is urging the Vale of Leithen players to show they are up for the fight, or be prepared to move on.

East of Scotland side Tweedmouth Rangers are the visitors to Victoria Park today, before a trip to face Spartans next Friday in the Scottish Cup.

And Anderson wants his charges to show grit and courage to turn around the form which has seen them win only two matches so far this season.

He recently spoke up in defiance of his belief in the players, but has warned that if an upturn in performance does not come then they will not be picked for the big fixture at Spartans, or possibly even have a future at the club.

He said: “In my opinion no team has the right to turn up and win a game without doing the basics and I expect my team to come with the attitude and work rate that will enable us to perform.

“We have a massive game in the Scottish Cup against Spartans approaching and my advice to the players would be to perform on Saturday or sit and watch our next game in the stands.

“My thoughts on the game are clear and going forward we can’t afford to carry any passengers on our journey to improve. If players want to stay at the club then performances have to improve.”

For a change Vale will go into this match expected to win against the side at the bottom of the East of Scotland League. An assured display is expected to carry them into the Ainslie Park fixture on Friday. The manager also revealed that there will be a debutant in the sticks.

“We go into the match as firm favourites despite our poor start to the season. Our performances in the league haven’t been to the level we’ve expected of late and we now go into a welcome break from league action.

“Today we add a couple of new players to the squad and goalkeeper Kieran Beveridge will make his debut after training with us for a number of weeks.

“We are all expecting a positive performance going into next week’s Scottish Cup tie”, added Anderson.