Despair at the death for Banff boys
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Deverondale FC players cannot hide their huge disappointment after coming so close to winning the Highland League title.
IT WAS despair for Deveronvale on Saturday when they were narrowly defeated 2-1 by close rivals Buckie Thistle in their Highland League title showdown at Victoria Park.
Second-half goals from Martin Charlesworth and Andy Low cancelled out a Mark Chisholm header at the end of the first half and made it back-to-back titles for Buckie.
The scene was set perfectly for the final game of the season with a sell-out crowd of 2,600 creating a great atmosphere.
As the game started, it was all Buckie in the early exchanges, who seemed to have the wind as well as the huge crowd advantage in their favour, while the visitors struggled to get the ball down on the fiery playing surface and string a few passes together.
Lewis MacKinnon went close after 12 minutes with a snap shot from the edge of the area which flew inches over Vale keeper James Blanchard’s crossbar.
Vale finally moved into their opponents’ half and won a corner on the quarter hour, but Kevin Main collected comfortably.
A foul on Ross McKenzie saw Mike McKenzie have a go from distance, but the ball was cleared for another fruitless corner kick.
At the other end, Buckie striker Ian Murray went down in the penalty box after a challenge from Scott Fraser on the half-hour, but referee Bryan Braidwood awarded a free kick to Vale.
As the Jags broke from a Vale throw-in deep inside their own half, Donnie Munro was off balance as he struck for goal and Chisholm cleared the threat.
The veteran defender then opened the scoring when he met Mike McKenzie’s corner from the left and thumped his header into the net, sending the Valley Crew wild.
Almost immediately, Chisholm was in action at the other end to block Munro’s goal-bound effort.
Buckie equalised within two minutes of the restart after the interval when a Jamie Shewan long ball went over the head of Fraser to Charlesworth, who rounded Blanchard and rolled the ball into the empty net.
Minutes later and the Vale had a huge let-off when a misplaced pass by Graeme Rodger was pounced on by David MacRae who immediately played in Charlesworth, but the striker saw his effort come back off the inside of the post before being eventually cleared by the Vale defence.
Charlesworth went close yet again when he glanced a near-post header wide after good work from MacRae and Paul Napier
A double change for the home side saw Murray and Munro withdrawn and replaced by Graeme Stewart and Shawn Scott, while in the red corner young striker Jack Meldrum came on for Magnus Barclay.
Meldrum then clashed with Main, with the striker coming off worst and having to be replaced by Scott Henry.
Mike McKenzie saw his weak free kick easily saved by Main as time started to run out and with chances being at a premium at both ends.
Fraser was a shade fortunate to stay on the park when he fouled Scott 25 yards out and kicked the ball away.
Substitute Low, who had only been on the pitch four minutes, took full advantage of the situation when he scored from the resultant set-piece with a blinding effort, which left Blanchard with no chance to the huge disappointment of the travelling support.
As some of the gutted Valley Crew started to exit the ground, Ross McKenzie had a super chance to equalise but sliced wide from close range.
Deveronvale: Blanchard, Milne, Barclay (Meldrum 75, Henry 80), Chisholm (cpt), Fraser, Blackhall, McKenzie, Rodger, M. McKenzie, Cowie (Rae 62), Watt. Subs not used: Smith, Mountford.
Buckie Thistle: Main, Shewan, H. Munro, MacRae, MacKinnon, Morrison (cpt), Napier, D. Munro (Stewart 71), Charlesworth, Murray (Scott 71), Clark (Low 86). Subs not used: MacMillan, Strong (gk).
Officials: Braidwood, Proctor, Black.
