New Deveronvale signing Kyle MacKillop-Hall makes an impressive start for Princess Royal Park boss Craig Stewart
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DEVERONVALE’S latest recruit was almost celebrating a winning goal – until Strathspey Thistle struck a last-gasp equaliser.
Kyle MacKillop-Hall netted as a trialist sub in Vale’s 4-3 defeat to Wick a week earlier, earning himself a two-and-a-half year deal at the club.
The former Aldershot Town and Huntly player repeated the feat with another goal in Grantown on Saturday, but Vale couldn’t hold on for the three points.
Kris Duncan pounced on slack defending to crash in a 90th minute leveller for Jags.
Vale boss Craig Stewart said his team paid the penalty for not adding to the lead given to them by their brand new recruit.
“If you don’t get that second goal and kill the game off there’s always the chance of that happening,” he said.
“The boy took a shot from 25 yards out and it wasn’t going anywhere, it wouldn’t have bothered Sean but instead it went direct to their man and he slotted it away.
“In a way we got what we deserved, one for the slack defending and two for not killing the game off.
“We controlled the game without really creating an awful lot so from that point of view we maybe didn’t deserve to win it.
“That would have been a big three points for us so it’s disappointing but that’s where we are at the minute. Our general play and possession stuff is patchy, it’s not where it was a couple of months ago and we need to get back to that.”
Stewart spoke about his delight in bring in MacKillop-Hall.
“He had a great finish last week and another good goal after a mix-up between their goalkeeper and one of their defenders,” he said.
“He was 22 yards out, possibly at an angle and it was very easy to miss it but he slotted it away well.
“He will take a bit of time to adjust to how we play and adjust to Highland League football because it’s his first run at it. But he’s hit the ground running with two goals and you see little glimpses of what he can do.
“It’s a new team and a new environment so it’s about him finding his feet as well and he has got off to a good start. He’s still only 19 and I’m looking forward to helping him progress.
“He has ambition to try and play at a higher level and whether or not he can achieve that comes down to him ultimately but if we can help him along the way then great.”
Vale host Clach on Saturday looking to end a run of five games without victory, and just the single point earned on Saturday.
“We beat them 3-2 in Inverness and we did have a wee run of results on the back of that. We are on a similar run of fixtures just now but we are not picking up the points.
“Earlier in the season we beat Nairn away, but recently they beat us here. We drew up at Wick and they came to Banff and beat us, and we also beat Strathspey who got the draw on Saturday.
“It is a run of good fixtures and we are coming up short which is disappointing.
“As much as we want to try and finish eighth, that is going to be a tall order. It is a case of preparing for next year and I will use the rest of the season to try one or two things out in terms of formation.”
Elgin City loan youngster Matty Jamieson returned from injury as a second half substitute on Saturday, while Sam Robertson hopes to be back soon having been troubled by a hamstring pull which has kept him out for several weeks.
