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.