Vale of Leithen 4
BSC Glasgow 6
VALE continue the search for their first win of the campaign after giving up a two goal lead against BSC Glasgow.
But boss Chris Anderson still gave his players the thumbs up for effort after running last season’s Scottish Cup giant-killers close at Victoria Park.
Vale had raced into a deserved two goal advantage inside 20 minutes before being pegged back before the break.
Leaking a further three goals inside the opening 15 minutes of the second half didn’t snuff out a renewed belief around the Innerleithen side this season, and it was only the woodwork that prevented the home team drawing level in the final minute of the game.
Anderson said: “We were playing a good team who are looking to challenge yet we were positive out there and the performance was good.
“It’s disappointing to lose six goals and we’ll work on things, but I’m happy with the energy we showed even after conceding.
“We’ve played well in patches in all our games so far this season, but we need to turn those patches of playing well into points.”
It took a fine double save from Ben McGinley during the opening exchanges to prevent Stephen Swift’s team taking an early lead.
But Vale also came close with Martin Brogan narrowly failing to steer Michael Robertson’s angled cross inside the post.
Vale, though, did make the breakthrough from the penalty spot in the 18th minute after Nicholas Weir was fouled inside the area.
Jonathan Grotlin dispatched the spot kick.
Within 90 seconds the home team had doubled their advantage with Lewis Hall converting the rebound from 20 yards after Lyle Avci had blocked Arran Laidlaw’s initial effort.
BSC responded well with Ryan Tierney slipping past Martin Brogan to beat McGinley at his near post on 33 minutes.
And just seconds before the interval a mix up between McGinley and his defence allowed Alfie Agyneman to slot home the equaliser.
Ross Lyon clipped the post for the visitors four minutes into the second half.
But the former Rangers and Scotland youth player only had to wait a further minute before firing BSC in front from the penalty spot.
Lyon added a fourth from close range in the 55th minute.
And he completed his hat-trick on the hour after responding first to Agyneman’s shot that struck the post.
Vale should have been a beaten team, but within three minutes they were back in the match.
Laidlaw held off a challenge inside the area to slot the ball beyond Avci.
And in the 70th minute Laidlaw ran onto Levi Kinchant’s through-ball to make it 4-5.
Vale pushed for an equaliser with Nicholas Weir volleying a couple of feet wide, and in the 89th minute Kinchant curled a 25-yard freekick against the bar.
But in the third minute of stoppage time, with home players pushed forward, Darren Christie raced away on the counter-attack to seal the victory for BSC.
BSC’s hat-trick hero Lyon said: “Vale made it a really tough match and I was just pleased to be in the right places at the right times for my goals.
“We have a lot of new boys coming in this season and we will need to be better than we were today, particularly at the back.
“We’re unbeaten after our first three matches, but we’ve still got a bit of improving to do.”
Vale of Leithen. B McGinley, M Robertson, J Temple (R Higgins 58), N Weir, M Brogan, G Rossi, R Neave (R Wylie 85), L Hall, J Grotlin, D Ndiweni (L Kinchant 56) & A Laidlaw.
