After an early morning inspection the pitch was deemed playable. The underlying surface was heavy, but both teams were happy to see the game going ahead after the fiasco of the postponed game two weeks previously.

From the kick off Vale were showing the signs of trying to finish the game off early and were rewarded in the 9 minute when an in swinging corner from Liall Smith found the top corner.

As the half continued Vale were having the majority of the play, although the Uppers were dangerous on the break and to their credit were trying to play football on a surface which was deteriorating rapidly and making flowing football from both sides vary difficult.

Vale were starting to regret a series of missed chances and a warning to them came in the last minute of the half when Uppers had the ball in the Vale net only to have it disallowed for an initial foul at a throw in prior to the ball being delivered into the penalty box.

HT 1-0

As the game progressed Vale were still guilty of missing chances and the Uppers were starting to come into the game.

Due to the playing surface cutting up more and more mistakes from both teams were occurring and the game was starting to even out, although the best chances were still falling to the Vale.

However, the Uppers were dangerous at set pieces due to their height and from a corner in the 63 minute they equalised when a nodded down ball was poked home.

This shocked the Vale and for a few minutes they were under the cosh, however with captain  Ainslie Hunter driving and shouting encouragement, they regained composure and started to be more dominant again.

With extra time looming a Vale corner in the 87 minute resulted in Alex Imlah slamming home from close range.

With the Uppers chasing an equaliser, they were left exposed in injury time when Sean Stewart broke free and was upended in the box.

Kerr Allan hammered the penalty home to secure a worthy victory.

Credit must be given to both sides for making a game of it on a very difficult pitch.

FT 3-1

Man of the Match was Jack Blaikie as selected by Match Sponsor, Saffron Indian Restaurant, Innerleithen.

Vale’s next opponent in the 3rd Round will be Whitehill Welfare at home (tbc)

Also, a note that all the programmes with the poppy to commemorate Armistice Day were sold out.

The playing surface was heavy from the overnight rain and a ten minutes heavy shower prior to kick off only added to the difficult playing surface.

BSC were intent on maintaining their position at the top of the league and virtually finished the game in the first three minutes when they took a two nil lead.

After only two minutes slack defending by the  Vale defence resulted in Redpath firing a well place shot high passed Gilpin.

After regaining control of the ball from the kick off BSC marched up the park and some nice footwork from Jack Smith resulted in him slotting the ball pass Gilpin for the second in the 3rd minute.

Vale were now under pressure and although weathering the storm, BSC were showing why they are top of the league.

BSC pressure paid of again in the 20th minute when Grehen  found himself alone in the corner of the box and hit an excellent well placed shot into the top of Gilpin’s goal.

The first half finished with BSC still in the ascendancy.

HT 0-3

Vale made some position changes at half time, with Ali Smith being put up front.

However, BSC continued to be dominant and increased their lead in the 55 minutes, when after some slack defending Graham hit a shot from outside the box which evaded everyone and ended up in the back of the net.

Vale then suffered a period of sustained pressure where they were lucky not to concede another goal.

Vale were still trying to play football, but BSC were superior throughout and the experience in their team was evident for everyone to see.

BSC will be thereabout at the end of the season if they continue with this form.

FT 0-4

Vale Man of the Match was Sean Stewart as selected by Graeme Ellis of One Stop Gardening, the match sponsor.