Deveronvale 2
Wick Academy 0
League

Match Report

A crisp day with clear blue skys at Princess Royal Park. Academy have Alan Farquhar and Craig Shearer missing for the ranks today, but Grant Steven returns from injury. Deveronvale are at full strength with Scott Fraser, Graeme Rodger, and Michele Lombardi all returning to the squad.

Both teams have made a lively start. Gray was the first keeper to be called into action as he made an easy save from a Chris Blackhall header.

Sam Mackay then had a 30 yard free-kick blocked by the Vale defence.

With 6 minutes played Macadie fired an exquisite 40 yard pass forward to Davie Allan on the right flank. He cut in and squared the ball low into the penalty spot for Macadie but his shot was parried away by keeper Blanchard. Macadie was smart to react to the rebound but his second attempt hit the keeper on the body and the danger was cleared.

10 minutes in and Kyle Rae has speculative lob from 40 yards out and it bounced off the top of the Academy cross-bar.

Academy have a good spell of possession and excellent passing leading to Davie Allan showing the Vale defence a clean pair of heels as he sprinted through the heart of their back line but Kyle Rae came across and cleared the ball for a corner.

20 minutes played and Craig Cowie ran straight into Michael Steven at the edge of the Academy box and Steven receives a yellow card which appeared to be very harsh. He'll need to be very careful for the remainder of the game. Mike MacKenzie took the free kick but sent it wide of target.

Ross Allan took the game to the home side with a surging 30 yard sprint up the right wing and he is barged off the ball by Kyle Rae who also went into the referee's book. Macadie sent the free kick into the back post but Blanchard collects under no real pressure.

32 minutes and Academy win a free kick. Ross Allan took it and keeper Blanchard got down well to turn it around his post for a corner.

The game is heating up and Mike Mackenzie has a tough tackle on Gary Manson but gets away with a warning.

Academy have a good move on the 37th minute. Weir hit the bye-line and cut the ball back to the 6 yard line to the feet of Stevie Cunningham but his shot was pushed away by keeper Blanchard.

Vale hump a long ball up the park but Gray is alert to the danger and smothers the ball 15 yards from goal with Chris Blackhall chasing it down.

In the last attack of the half the Allan brothers set up a raid on the right but they are forced back by a massed Vale defence.

Half Time 0 - 0

Academy force two corners immediately after the break but can't make them count.

A low driven cross by Ross Allan hit Scott Fraser and was then cleared by Leigh Henderson.

Michael Gray is then called into action as he made a fine save to turn a Scott Fraser shot wide of target.

Fraser and Manson booth pick up bookings before Grant Noble drove a cross to the Academy back post but Blackhall couldn't connect.

Weir is tripped 22 yards by goal as he wriggled free of his marker but Macadie's free kick floated wide of target.

Gray makes another fine save in 65 minutes as he blocked a Blackhall effort.

Vale open the scoring in the 69th minute. The goal comes from nothing as Mike Mackenzie pounced on a loose ball 25 yards from goal and he hammered it onto the corner of Gray's net.

1 - 0

Vale's second came in as many minutes. A cross from the right is headed downwards into the bottom corner of the net by Scott Fraser from 6 yards out.

2 - 0

The referee flashes the cards again as Mike MacKenzie is booked for time-wasting and Craig Cowie is then booked for holding back Davie Allan.

Both teams make late changes with McKiddie coming on for Ross Allan and Michael Lombardi comes on for goal scorer Mike Mackenzie.

With 7 minutes of the game left Vale go down to 10 men with Scott Fraser getting a straight red card for a two footed tackle on Gary Manson.

Academy push for a consolation goal and Gary Manson free kick was deflected into the side netting. James Blanchard the Vale keeper was man of the match which tells its own story!

Full Time - 2 - 0

Match report written by Ken Wood