Vale of Leithen 6 Gretna FC 2008 1

Prior to the game Vale were reduced to a skeleton pool due to injuries and work commitments.
However, from the kick off it was clear that Vale had worked out that the Gretna backline were susceptible to a ball over the top or down the channels where the pace of Stewart and Rixon was creating constant problems for the Gretna defence.
Vale opened the scoring in the 14 min when Rixon broke through the Gretna defence and slotted home.
Vale increased the their lead in the 20 min when a similar move as the first goal was knocked home by Stewart.
Gretna did rally after this and were rewarded when Kelly hammered home a cross from the left in the 27 min to make it 2-1.
In the 39 min Vale were awarded a penalty when the Gretna goalie Atkinson bundled Stewart over. He was booked for this before Dickson fired the spot kick home.
Vale increased their lead in 41 mins where Berry scored after a good move.
HT 4-1
Bonnar had to be replaced at half time due to a hamstring injury and was replaced by Elliot.
The second half began as the first finished with Vale defending well and hitting with speed on the break. Gretna appeared to have no way of countering this approach and after another break into the box in 52 mins Stewart was upended again for the second penalty of the match. Dickson dispatched as the first to make it 5-1.
In the 60 min were awarded a soft penalty when Smith was adjudged to have fouled one of the Gretna forwards. However, justice was done when Gilpin saved Connelly’s spot kick.
Things got worse for Gretna in the 74 min when Stewart broke free and whilst rounding Atkinson, the goalie bundled him over for a third penalty, plus a second booking and sending off. The replacement goalie Waugh, first task was to pick the ball out of the net after Dickson had completed his hat trick.
Vale squandered a few chances to increase the lead prior to full time, but can be pleased with the overall performance.
FT 6-1
Man of the Match as chosen by the Match Sponsor, Drew Johnson was Ally Smith.
A great result for the team as we head into two very difficult games, East Stirlingshire away on Wednesday, followed by a home game against Kelty Hearts on Saturday.
Saturday’s game against Kelty will be a first visit to Victoria Park, and they tend to bring a big support with them, so hopefully we can get a good crowd behind us.

Oakley United 4 Vale of Leithen 3
The game was played in intermittent rain which made the surface very greasy.
However, the first half was mainly Oakley giving Vale no time on the ball and Vale struggled to get a grip of the game.
It was no surprise in the 17 minute when poor defending allowed Stevenson to put the home team ahead.
Things got worse in the 30 minutes when McAteer made it 2-0 for Oakley.
The first half finished with Vale still under pressure.
HT 2-0
Vale appeared revitalised after the break and Berry pulled a goal back in the 50 min when he broke free and slotted the ball home.
With Vale in the ascendancy they suffered a piece of bad luck in 75 min when Elliot slipped on the half way line allowing McAteer to race through and put the ball past Gilpin to make it 3-1.
Vale replied immediately when Stewart headed him in the 76 min to make it 3-2.
With Vale chasing the equaliser the Oakley substitute broke free in 78 min on the right from what looked like an offside position and placed a controlled shot into the Vale net.
Vale never gave up and were rewarded in the 83 min when McBride hammered home from close range.
The game ended with Vale still on the offensive and a few half chances were squandered.
FT 4-3
A bad result where it became obvious that these ex juniors will not allow you the time and space to play football, but all credit to Oakley who worked hard for their victory.

East Kilbride 5 Vale of Leithen 1

For the second week running against one of the title favourites Vale were still in the game until the last 13 minutes when they lost three goals.
Prior to kick off Vale were hit with some bad luck when first choice goalkeeper Ross Gilpin had to be replaced by Kiernan Beveridge due to a sickness bug.
Kiernan went to put in a tremendous afternoon with many great saves to keep Vale in the game.
As expected Kilby started with the majority of the pressure with Vale operating a more defensive system which left a front two of Stewart and Smith. Although Kilby had the pressure the speed and running of Stewart was always a threat to them.
Kilby took the lead in the 13 min when a Anderson pass was control by Woods and slotted home.
However, they led only for one minute when Stewart was chasing a through ball and the Kilby goalkeeper and defender clashed allowing Stewart to pass the ball into an open goal.
Kilby took the lead again in the 25 min when Vale allowed Longworth time on the left to float a ball into the box where Woods headed past Beveridge.
Vale were under pressure for the rest of the half but managed to keep Kilby at bay.
HT 2-1

Vale did some positional changes at half time appeared to be defending well under constant pressure. Stewart was still killing the Kilby defence problems with his running and also in the air.
With some good goalkeeping from Beveridge and some poor finishing by Kilby, Vale were still in the game and were starting to make the odd chance in search of the equaliser.
However, as was the case last Saturday Vale were hit with two goals in two minutes. First in the 77 min a poor clearance was intercepted and Woods passed to McNeil who hammered home from 25 yards. A minute later it was 4-1 when Winter breaks clear and slips the ball to McNeil for his second goal.
Even at 4-1 with McLeod on Vale still a couple of chances to reduce the lead, but as is usually the case when you’re chasing a game Kilby broke up the park in 86 min and a Malcolm shot came back of the post for Winter to slot home.
FT 5-1

The team competed well throughout and its not every week they are going to meet teams of the same calibre of Kilby, a team looking like the title might be theirs for the taking this season.