Deveronvale get ready for Turriff United clash with optimism despite letting 2-0 Highland League lead slip for second weekend running at Clachnacuddin
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Deveronvale boss Craig Stewart isn’t getting too greedy in his pursuit of Highland League points.
As disappointed as he was to lose a 2-0 lead at Clach on Saturday, he was magnanimous enough to give the Inverness side credit for earning their share of the spoils.
Stewart also felt Wick battled back well for their 2-2 draw with Vale the weekend before, and on balance he feels his team’s results so far have been a fair reflection of the 90 minutes played.
“We could be looking at nine points but over the piece, both 2-2 draws were about right,” he said.
Stewart wants his men to return to winning ways tomorrow when they host neighbours Turriff United.
And although little over ten miles separates the two Banffshire clubs, Vale's manager doesn't view it as a derby match.
Having played for both Deveronvale and Buckie Thistle during his career, Stewart is in no doubt that the coastal clash between the fishing communities is the real Banffshire derby.
"I've always said that Buckie is Vale's derby and for me, Turriff is just another fixture. We will approach it in the same way as we do with any other game."
Stewart will be without talismanic midfielder Horace Ormsby on Wednesday due to work commitments down south.
He looked back on Saturday's stalemate in the Highland capital with a tinge of regret, feeling Clach's last-gasp leveller shouldn't have stood.
The one sore point was a debatable refereeing decision to award Clach a corner leading to their last-minute leveller
“We definitely didn’t deserve to lose at Clach and even to draw, it’s the 90th minute and it’s a sore one. There was a bit of controversy.
“Just before the free kick they got a corner that was never a corner, it was a goal kick. The referee looked at his linesman who was on the far side and nowhere near the position to make a decision. In the end I think he’s taken a guess.
Stewart was pleased by the early goals provided by Rogan Reed and Harry Noble. “Rogan made a great run into the box to the back post and got his head on it. It was well-worked.
“Then Harry took on a man and rocketed a shot into the top corner, an absolutely great goal.
“The boys are disappointed with two points from the last two games given the position they were in but within the dressing room we know where we are at and where we need to go, and that’s important.
“They are playing with a bit of confidence and we just need to keep that going.”
