Formartine United 5 Deveronvale 0: Sloppy goals and hosts' class lead to Vale's demise
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A COMBINATION of sloppy defending and impressive Formartine United goals led to Deveronvale’s 5-0 defeat at North Lodge Park on Saturday.
Vale held Formartine at bay for 40 minutes until Marc Lawrence gave the home side the lead shortly before half-time.
The second goal didn’t arrive until 20 minutes into the second period, when Jake Stewart scored.
The final three goals all came in the last 15 minutes. Substitute Paul Campbell added a third on 76 minutes and a fourth on 82 minutes, before Scott Spark’s 88th minute effort finished the scoring.
Vale manager Craig Stewart said: “Five flattered Formartine, to be honest.
“There wasn’t an awful lot in it in the first half. We lost a sloppy goal. We got caught out, we had the opportunity to clear and sclaffed it and it fell to one of their lads. It was a schoolboy mistake.
“But we were very much in the game at half-time and wanted to go into the second half and get the next goal. But 20 minutes in we lost another goal from a long throw-in – again after failing to clear our lines.
“I wouldn’t say we collapsed after that, give Formartine their due they scored a couple of good goals, but the third was poor – we were caught by a ball over the top.
“For 70 minutes we really competed and the guys never gave up. On paper it looks like they gave up, but they kept going.
“Formartine are able to bring on boys like Paul Campbell and he’s one of the best forwards in the league and made a big difference.”
Huntly are the visitors to Princess Royal Park on Saturday, with Allan Hale’s high-flying Black and Golds having collected 13 points from six games, enough for fourth place in the table.
“They have had a really good start,” Stewart said. “That doesn’t surprise me because they have good players throughout their team.
“They are a physical, big, side so it’ll be tough. Every game is tough, but this will be especially tough against the physicalness.
“We will set up to combat that. Just because they are big and physical doesn’t mean it’s impossible. We go into every game thinking we can win.”
Deveronvale’s Scottish Cup first round draw has handed them a trip to take on Culter, last year’s North Region Premier League champions.
Stewart is getting them watched this weekend, with an eye on making a good go at the cup this year.
Vale are hoping to have Toni Jam and influential defender Innes McKay back for the game, which is on Saturday, September 23.
