Deveronvale’s 18-year-old strike star Jack Mitchell says Banff club should fear no-one in their quest for a first-ever Highland League Cup triumph
Deveronvale should fear no-one in their quest to lift the Highland League Cup for the first time in their history.
So says goal hero Jack Mitchell, who helped Vale reach the semi-finals of this year’s competition after a thrilling tie at Huntly on Saturday.
The 18-year-old netted his ninth goal of the season to put the Banff visitors 3-0 ahead and well on course for victory, but there was a late twist to the tail.
Huntly came roaring back with three goals in the final 15 minutes including two in stoppage time to force a penalty shoot-out, which Vale won after the home side missed three of their four kicks.
Vale move into the last four alongside title chasers Brora Rangers and Banks o’ Dee, two clubs they have already beaten this season.
The draw is expected to be made this week with the semis scheduled for March 1, and Mitchell feels his team can make even more progress in the tourney.
“You can come in any Saturday and think you can take something against any team, even the title contenders,” he said.
“It feels like you are up there when you can do that, and we don’t fear anyone. We have done so well so far so there’s no reason why we can’t go out there and beat the top sides.”
Mitchell was injured while scoring Vale’s third goal on Saturday as the home goalkeeper went into his ankle, leaving it swollen over the weekend.
He is hopeful of shaking the injury off in time for the two club’s league rematch, again at Christie Park on Saturday.
The Highland League Cup is a tournament Vale have never won, reaching four finals in five seasons just after the turn of the century and losing them all.
The last was in 2004-05 against Cove Rangers before Mitchell was even born, and they haven’t even reached the semi-finals in 16 years.
Harry Noble and Ben Hermiston gave the away side a 2-0 lead at the break, helped by the elements.
Mitchell got number three on the hour, with Angus Grant’s 24th goal of the season on 75 minutes awakening Huntly’s challenge.
It looked like Vale would hold on when the match reached the 90th minute, but sub Ryan Sewell’s corner kick caught the wind and flew straight in to cut the gap to one goal.
Within two minutes, more confusion in the Vale box saw the ball come off Jame MacLellan’s head and spin into his own net for a dramatic Huntly equaliser.
So it went to penalties, with Vale keeper Ethan Hopkinson becoming a hero by saving Huntly’s first two kicks from James Connelly and Grant. Noble netted Vale’s first while Cammy Angus saw his effort saved by Huntly goalie Calum Brodie.
Brodie saved again from Adam Reid’s kick to square up the missed penalty count, only for Huntly’s Ross Still to fire against the underside of the bar and make it five spurned kicks in a row.
Dem Yunus stopped the rot by netting to put Vale 2-0 up and although Fin Allen became the first Huntly player to score in the shoot-out, it was all over when Murray Esson drilled home the visitors’ decisive strike.
“We felt quite comfortable at 3-0, but it kind of went downhill near the end,” said Mitchell.
“I think that was the weather coming into play, they had the wind with their setpieces and corners and that helped them.
“But the boys did well to get over that and win the penalty shoot-out.”
Mitchell came through Vale’s youth development, stepping up to the first team after a summer spell in welfare football with Portsoy.
He finished as the team’s top scorer with seven goals in his debut Highland league year, and is joint-top marksman with Ben Hermiston on nine in a much improved campaign for the Princess Royal Park side.
“I was on the bench at the start of my first season getting the occasional start and I took my chance when I scored my first goal at Rothes away,” he said. “Ever since then the confidence has built up and I feel like I’m getting on better.
“I started in midfield as well, and now I’m playing as a winger and I prefer playing out wide. I utilise my pace a lot, that’s one of my strengths.
“Things have been really good under Woody. Don't get me wrong, Craig Stewart was a good guy who gave me my first chance but in terms of winning games, this season has been a lot better.
“Myself and Ben are level on nine goals. It’s good for us to be battling for goals, it’s positive because we both want to score as many goals as we can and that can only benefit the team.
“I feel like I can only get better playing more minutes. It is good to learn playing against older guys who are more experienced and street wise.
“You have to learn ways to try and get past them. I enjoy playing against different teams and players every week, I’m only just getting to know the full backs I’m up against.”
Vale missed out on a silverware chance last Tuesday when they went down 1-0 at Turriff United in the Aberdeenshire Shield, with Mitchell suspended due to an earlier red card.
The elusive League Cup is their only chance of winning something this term, and while Vale will be big underdogs, Mitchell would love to grab his first honours so early in his career.
“It would be great to get some silverware with Vale. It would be a big confidence booster and we feel we are definitely going in the right direction.”
