Stoppage time strike defeats shot-shy Vale
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UNLUCKY to lose at Strathspey Thistle on Saturday, Deveronvale will have no pressure on them when they take on title favourites Cove Rangers this weekend.
That's Vale manager Stevie Dolan's view, who knows his team will get far fewer scoring opportunities against the champions than they did at Grantown.
He even suggested that Vale created as many chances against Strathspey as they did in the previous week's 6-0 win over Fort William.
He lamented a series of missed openings which were punished by Scott Lisle's late winner for hosts Strathspey.
Keen to avenge a 4-0 home defeat to Jags, Vale made the perfect start at Seafield Park with a Harry Noble strike on three minutes.
Scott Graham levelled before the break and Lisle, who scored a hat trick at Banff in the previous clash, pounced in the third minute of stoppage time for the winner.
"There wasn't much in first half but we dominated second half and missed numerous chances, then got caught by a sucker punch in the end," Dolan said.
"We must have had at least seven or eight chances, probably as many as we did against Fort William the week before.
"I think you've got to be taking one or two of them and I'd like to think over the piece we deserved to win. But the scoreline doesn't lie.
"We've now got Cove which is a difficult as they come, but you never know.
"There's no pressure on us and a wee bit of pressure on them with Brora doing so well.
"We've got them both to play so whether we can have a say on it [the title race] I'm not sure. We'll give it our best shot."
Dolan says he is likely to work with a squad of just 14 fit players for the remainder of the season. Liam Forbes and Matty Wallace are away on Saturday but Sam Robertson and Graeme Watt should return.
Dane Ballard, Steven Davidson, Dan Smith and keeper Grant Pennet remain on the injured list.
